hat channel...

Anyone know of an online source for hat channel floor support steel.... i have been watching some online but now that I'm ready to order it says discontinued... I purchase new floor pans but didn't want to pay 200$ fro the support channel... if I could find hat channel I could make it alot cheaper...

 

i found this
http://www.millsupply.com/index.php

I think what they call rub rail is the same as hat channel...

 

try here
http://www.classicent.com/jeep/72-75-cj5

 

thats where the 200 stuff is...I bought there floor pans but personally think thats a little steep for the support channel...I guess to do an accurate reproduction but I'm not getting that picky with mine...I'll be able to weld support flooring in that will be sturdy enough just not true to stock looks...I ordered 70$ worth of channel and I expect to have some left over... thanks for the input though....

 

I bought hat channel off ebay. It was generic though, I had to cut to fit.

 

As per forum rules no classified ads anywhere but the classifieds section, pm, e-mail, etc.

 

I purchased mine from j.c. Whitney. It was just a bit wider but worked well. I just cut out the bad spots and cut the new channel to fit.

 

You could also have some made at a sheet metal shop or HVAC shop.

 

hello i am new and working on a 69 cj5 and the hat channel is rotted also , what do you all type in the search sections for jc whitney or anywhere i try hat channel and only find a few places , i am searching just for sections of the stuff, since only 6 inches or so is rotted where the mounts are only and the rest is solid ,, is there another name for hat channel ?

 

floor support channel? best bet for short pcs is prolly a sheet metal shop hvac guys can bend it up

 

I've tried going to a local HVAC shop for help with bending metal. It worked out fine - they were very helpful, and did not charge me for what I needed. But this shop only used two types of steel for HVAC fab ... 22 ga galvanized for ducting, and 16 ga sheet for brackets and such. 16 is pretty thick for body work (18 or 19 or 20 is fine). Galvanized is not suitable for welding. They made what I needed out of 16 ga.

If you just need short sections of channel, I'd suggest you look around for some scrap steel and bend them up yourself. You can make lots of what you need with simple hand tools. It will take practice and some perseverance, but you can do it. I'd probably spring for an inexpensive brake like this - http://www.harborfreight.com/18-inch-bending-brake-39103.html - but you can make a brake if you want. There are lots of articles about this on the net. Cut out the parts with hand shears - aircraft shears are precision tools if you use them right. Snips, jigsaw, electric shears... all will work for this. Lots of YouTube videos about this are available.

Last week I brought home a Steelcase desk wing that was being discarded at work. Lots of good steel there - several big sheets. Doors from old computer cabinets are another good source. Once you start making things with sheet steel, your eyes will become aware of sources of material like this. Steel is a great material, and very reusable.