[NYCXJ90]

what did you do with the wiring that runs along the floorboard? or is that only in my old '90?

[motu1983]

X2 on the floorboard wiring question.

[CB3]

I put a tough plastic wiring sheath from auto store around the wiring. Then zip tied where I wanted it.

[bmyohn]

there werent any for mine..im guessing its just in the older cherokees

the only wiring i saw ran under the bench seats, but it was tucked up nicely so i didnt have to deal with it

[CB3]

Originally Posted by FitchVA

so the stuff we need to look for is specifically Xylene based? do you happen to know any name brands off the top of your head?

I'm pretty sure that many of the professional spray on products are also Xylene based too, judging by their awful, similar stink when fresh.

I do not remember the brand name of Xylene based deck coating, and that lumber yard is now out of business. The other lumber yard in town only sells water based latex deck coating (worthless crap). I haven't checked Home Depot though.

The coating doesn't state "Xylene based", but you can tell it is when is lists a can of Xylene as a thinner and/or for cleanup.

I think acetone can also be used for cleanup and is listed for cleanup and prep. However, Xylene is mentioned as the preferable thinner, as well as for cleanup and prep.

So if it mentions Xylene as the preferred thinner, then it's Xylene based deck coating and would be good stuff. The exact brand is irrelevant.

If you ask a lumber yard for Xylene based deck coating, they probably won't have a clue. They only know them as water based, or NOT water based. The NOT water based ones are typically Xylene based. You can verify by reading the label/instructions to see if they list Xylene as the recommended thinner.

I don't remember the brand they told me about before. I do remember they said that brand name is owned by Dupont (made by Dupont), and I think I that Herculiner is also a brand name owned by Dupont (made by Dupont). If so, then it's not only chemically the same, but even made at the same factory and just put into different size cans 1g vs 5g with different brand names on the label. In each case the brand name marketed to the public actually being the name of a subsidiary company owned by Dupont.

So in that way, they can charge auto enthusiasts 5 times more money for the same product as what they charge lumber yard customers.

This is the same type thing as Cooper making tires under their own name, but also owning dozens of other companies and selling tires under those company names as well. For example, Cooper makes Cooper, Mickey Thompson, MasterCraft, **** Cepek, Dean (Lester Schwabs), Kelley, and dozens of others I can't remember. Now there are some quality differences between those different brands, even though all are made by Cooper. Some are high-end brand tires, others middle, and some lower (like Dean and Lester Schwabbs).

However, in the case of the Herculiner vs whatever brand of Xylene based deck coating, it's EXACTLY the same product sold under a different brand label. Perhaps there are many various brands of Xylene based deck coating, just as there are many various brands of Xylene based professional spray on pickup bed liners. I think any of these Xylene based products are equally good. The difference in quality comes from the quality of the person applying it, IMO.

One exception is LineX. It's thinner and more sand papery. I don't think it's Xylene based. The Xylene based ones give a thicker result (if more coats used) and a higher traction rubbery feel. I'm told Rhino is like that, though I haven't any personal experience with that. Speedliner is like that. Herculiner is like that.

Many brands of professional spray on pickup bed liners (that have a rubbery feel when dry) are Xylene based products. Also quality roll-on products like the rubbery Xylene based deck coatings, and Herculiner.

I prefer Xylene based products because they offer more thickness than LineX, which means much better sound deadening when used on interior. They can make interior as quiet as carpet pad and carpet used to. I also like the rubbery feel and traction offered by Xylene products. However, Xylene products are not real latex rubber (like those water based deck coatings). Xylene based products are some type of synthetic, artificial rubber or plastic that feels like real rubber, but is much more durable and tough.

I love all the Xylene based products whether sprayed or rolled, whether sold for pickup bed liners or commercial deck coatings (for apt decks, offices, etc). They're all as good as the skills and conscienciousness of the person applying it. Also, I actually prefer roll on over spray on because I think with care it's better for interiors because it's easier to do a better job applying it.

So for exteriors like pickup beds spraying or rolling is equally great. For interiors I think rolling with paint brush for tight areas and edges is best. To get a consistent texture, use the paint brush first on tight places, corners, and edges. Then roll the flat areas as close as you can to edges and corners. The order is important. Brush tight spots first. Then roll everything else. This gives most even texture. Also, pace your self by breaking job into thirds. Put one coat on the left side of interior up to top of center hump. Then take a break if you need to, or change rollers, or wash paint brush as needed, and don't forget to stir the Herculiner or deck coating to keep rubber chunks suspended. These are all reasons to do each coat as only 1/3 of vehicle at a time. Then check if your roller is still good or needs replacing, if paint brush still good or needs washing, and restir the coating. Then do the next 3rd of the vehicle.

I consider the front left area to be 1/3 of interior from dash board to and including rear seating area. The front right area is 1/3 of interior from dash board to and including rear seating area. The rear cargo area is the last 1/3 of vehicle. Coat 1/3 at a time, then either take a break, or do any roller/brush maintenance needed, restir coating, then do next 1/3 of interior. In this way, you know how far you can go before restiring the coating, and also know when you can stop, if you get tired. Since 3 coatings total is preferable (IMO), that means the job is broken into 9 smaller, managable portions. Each third of vehicle, gets 3 coats (with 8 to 12 hours between coats in summer, or 18 to 24 in winter). So that's 9 separate, but manageable size jobs.

By using 3 coats, which might require 3 gallons heavily rolled on each, you get as much sound deadening as from carpet pad and carpet. So a quiet interior. If you don't care about that, then 2 heavy coats is ample for coverage and durability. Roll on as heavy per coat as won't run. Remember that a thick nap roller gives 3 advantages: it applies it thicker, it gives better texture for more foot traction, and it makes each coat stick better to prior coat because it's easier to stick to a rougher surface. So more durable too.

I used to paint interiors of homes before becoming a computer programmer. I can do better with thick-nap rollers of short and regular length with 1' or 1.5' handle and a couple of quality cut-in (angled) paint brushes than any professional applicator can do with a spray set up. There just isn't enough room inside a vehicle to use a sprayer competantly. So with good rollers and brushes, you can get a better result with more even texture than a professional with a sprayer can. This due to cramped nature of interior of vehicle.

On exterior of vehicle, a spray-on Xylene based professionally done application is equally good to a well done roll-on application. However, for interior of vehicle, you can do a better quality job with a roller than a professional can do with a sprayer. This is very apparent in how consistent the texture and thickness are.

[FitchVA]

dude, thanks for the info! musta taken a while to type out so i appreciate it

[CB3]

I'm a computer programmer these days, not a painter anymore.

I type 100 words a minute. So not that much work to type this stuff, but thanks - it's nice to be appreciated.

The beauty is that once you know this stuff, you are no longer a slave to any brand name. One brand of Xylene based product is just as good as another. It's the quality of the person installing it that matters most, including both the prep work and the application.

For exterior applications (like pickup beds and home decks/patios), roll-on Xylene based products are equally as good as spray-on Xylene based products. If you're good with a roller and paint brush. I mean a quality, thick nap roller and quality cut-in paint brush from a paint store, not the crappy ones that come with the kit.

For interior applications (like interior of vehicles), roll-on Xylene based products are better than spray-on Xylene based products because the cramped space is better suited to roller and brush than sprayer. If you're good with a roller and brush, that is.

So for interiors of vehicles, you can do a much better job yourself (if you're good with a roller and brush) than you can hire sprayed on, and you save a lot of money too.

[zachjacobs]

I've been thinking about doing this for a while but I am afraid of it peeling. I'm the type of person that would take the time to do it right the first time. If the directions are followed, is there a chance of peeling?

[bmyohn]

mine hasnt peeled at all, so if u prep the surface really well and do a couple of really good coats, you should be just fine.

[CB3]

Originally Posted by zachjacobs

I've been thinking about doing this for a while but I am afraid of it peeling. I'm the type of person that would take the time to do it right the first time. If the directions are followed, is there a chance of peeling?

If done properly, it won't peel. You'd need a chisel and hammer to peel it. It's tough as nails. However, you can cut and trim it with a razor blade sheetrock knife, if you need to trim it after it dries.

The quality is in the prep work as much as the application.

The real concern is this: Make sure you roll up some masking tape into an earplug shaped thing and stuff in seat belt bolt holes and other bolt holes wherever you removed any bolts. Otherwise you'll paint over those holes and never find them again. I did that with my rear seat belt bolt attachment holes. My helper was a drug addict in need of work. I was in need of help. So I hired him. He was supposed to do what I just said with all bolt holes, but he missed the two for the rear seat seat belt attachments. So I was never again able to mount up my rear seat belt receiver belts again because the holes were buried under 1/4" of Herculiner (3 coats).

My prep work was good, except for missing those two bolt holes with the masking tape. Those bolt holes were never seen again, and I never had rear seat belts again.

Also, mask off any interior furnishings that you don't remove. Otherwise, you'll mess up those things for sure because an accident will happen to anything that's not masked off.

[toates89]

i cant wait to get the weather to do my rockers i have a quart sitting in my room, should be enough?

[taseal]

I was going to do mine, but I'm gonna go with some vinyl carpet replacement... I like how it looks but I need something to cover up everything so today I removed all the rust, primered and sprayed it with rustoleum. I'll order some vinyl cover and I should be good to go

good write up though!

[bmyohn]

Originally Posted by taseal

I was going to do mine, but I'm gonna go with some vinyl carpet replacement... I like how it looks but I need something to cover up everything so today I removed all the rust, primered and sprayed it with rustoleum. I'll order some vinyl cover and I should be good to go

good write up though!

thanks...i kinda got tired of the texture on my feet so i got some rubbermaid floor mats to stick down and so far ive liked it

thanks for the compliments

-Brendan

[CB3]

Doing quarter panels? You mean on the outside?

Let me just point out that the Xylene based bed liners, especially the Herculiner, are designed to be non-skid and provide traction for your shoes and loads, so things don't slip and slide.

If you put it on outside of vehicle (say quarter panels or bumper), that part of the vehicle will then tend to stick to rocks, logs, trees and other obstacles, instead of slipping/sliding off those obstacles.

I think that Herculiner, or any other non-skid bed liner, on outside of Jeep is not a good idea because it would make it harder to slide against/off obstacles.

[zachjacobs]

Originally Posted by CB3

If done properly, it won't peel. You'd need a chisel and hammer to peel it. It's tough as nails. However, you can cut and trim it with a razor blade sheetrock knife, if you need to trim it after it dries.

The quality is in the prep work as much as the application.

The real concern is this: Make sure you roll up some masking tape into an earplug shaped thing and stuff in seat belt bolt holes and other bolt holes wherever you removed any bolts. Otherwise you'll paint over those holes and never find them again. I did that with my rear seat belt bolt attachment holes. My helper was a drug addict in need of work. I was in need of help. So I hired him. He was supposed to do what I just said with all bolt holes, but he missed the two for the rear seat seat belt attachments. So I was never again able to mount up my rear seat belt receiver belts again because the holes were buried under 1/4" of Herculiner (3 coats).

My prep work was good, except for missing those two bolt holes with the masking tape. Those bolt holes were never seen again, and I never had rear seat belts again.

Also, mask off any interior furnishings that you don't remove. Otherwise, you'll mess up those things for sure because an accident will happen to anything that's not masked off.

Don't the seat belt holes go all the way through the body? I'm not able to go out and look but I thought that they do. Maybe you could try to find them through the underside of your jeep. This is definitely a project that I want to do. I can't wait until it warms up a little bit so I can get this done.