Belly pan sheet availability?

[MacDad]

As with many here I need to replace the belly pan. I am having trouble finding wide enough aluminum sheet coils.

Length is not an issue, it is the width. On my '72 Sovereign it takes 61" wide sheets. I have looked at airpartsinc. and they only have 48" wide.

Even if I turn the sheets and add joints front to back then the cross braces of the floor are 48" apart and that leaves no room for overlap using 48" wide sheet stock...

I feel like my only option is adding a lengthwise piece of aluminum angle iron down the center and adding a joint overlapping and riveting to that piece of 1/2" or 3/4" angle to give the center joint some support.

Or, is 0.025 aluminum stiff enough to simply overlap and rivet to itself without backing the joint up?

Anyone know of a supplier, especially in So Cal so I can will call, that can get 61"+ wide aluminum coil? Affordably?

[DFlores]

We used the 48" width material, but did not install a center support, we overlapped in the center and riveted down the seam.

[MacDad]

Thanks, With the overlapped joint down the middle and riveted on each floor joist which are 2' apart it does seem like it should be plenty strong...just wanted to see if that was the concensus.

[DFlores]

We riveted at each cross member and at 6" intervals down the seam

[AWCHIEF]

Check out onlinemetals.com. If they do not have it, it probably is not available retail.

[KCN]

Coast Aluminum in Santa Fe Springs has 5052 in 60 wide, according to their website.

[truckasaurus]

Or any semi trailer parts supplier, I think it's 3003 series alloy but it's over 100" wide and cheap/ easy to get off a roll.

[MacDad]

Coast Aluminum had useable stuff. They have multiple store nationwide for anyone curious.

I got 60" by 144" {5' x 12'} sheets for $80 per when you buy over 3 which I bought 4 and will called them.

My 31' Sovereign uses an 11' long front piece in front of the water tank box and about a 6-7' piece behind the water tank box so that is 1-1/2 sheets. Then I will cut the other 2 sheets down to 2.5' wide {30"} and use those and the side rolling pan piece. The 60" wide center piece will sit right on my frame rails and be riveted to the cross members, the side wrap pieces will fit up under the side wall and rivet to the C-Channel and wrap under and over lap the frame rail and center sheet to seal over the center piece.

Plenty of support, plenty of lap for riveting and sealing.

They only sell roll coil aluminum by the full roll...so that did not work, but the 5x12 sheets are fine. They are 3003 and I think T-3 heat treatment.
The thinnest they had was 0.040" which is fine...a bit thick but not that much heavier to cause stress to me.

I do not think they list the 60" x 144" in 0.040" on their website but they had it in stock here in the Santa Fe springs plant. I will called the same day I called.

$345 for 4 sheets which will make all of the bottom and side wraps {other than the banana wraps of course} and have some spare of maybe 5' x 5' for a rear patch I need is not too bad in my book...

Hope that helps others.

[55AS]

I have found a very inexpensive source of belly pan material in 4ft x 8 ft sheets. $32 per sheet with no minimum order and if rolled, UPS Ground shipping is very reasonable.
5052 Aluminum Sheet - Aluminum Sheet
You need to call to get sheets larger than 48" x 48".