About Roll Pans

So while looking for something else entirely I stumbled across a white Caprice wagon with a roll pan and I was intrigued. Granted I've seen them before but now I kind of want one. A few thoughts I have:

1) Are they durable enough to withstand someone using it to step, whether on purpose or accidentally into the rear seat?
2) I've been told you need to remove the rear bumper shocks? True? How will this affect me in a crash?
3) Hard to install? Granted I'd probably have the body shop do it but don't want to pay out the nose if there is fabrication to be done.

1 No and No
2 Yes and Badly
3Yes,Probably and Usually Do In The End
Jim

Flasheroo wrote:

1 No and No
2 Yes and Badly
3Yes,Probably and Usually Do In The End
Jim

Short, concise and to the point. My kinda post

Justin,you are welcome!I really like the looks of a roll pan too.With my luck I would get rear ended
after picking up the car from the paintshop.
Jim

i have one on my wagon no you cant sit or stand on it

on my wagon i have one with licence plate and the shocks for bumper are still in place but had to remove the steel bumper. i think i could use a flat plate across back from shock to shock it will be close to hitting the back of licence plate area of roll pan. if you have a smooth pan without licence plate you could maybe get a piece of square tubing to fit

as far as installing i need a friend to help. i had to drill the holes in pan to mount it. i lined up the side body linesthen marked it for holes to be drilled the one side ended up a little off so i used a fill to oblong the mounting holes to get it lined up correctly.

if you do it i would use pb blaster a couple days ahead of time on bolts that mount bumper to sides of quarter panels. sometimes the stud comes out with the nut.

John ,are your shocks still in the fully exstended position or have they been shortened in some
way?Always thought that the shocks had to go with any rollpan install but if the shocks can
stay in place I am going to have to reconsider!By the way that cargo crossbar has cleaned up
quite nicely!
Thanks AGain
Jim

they are stil fully extended, glad to hear you are happy with bar thanks

Cadet57 wrote:

So while looking for something else entirely I stumbled across a white Caprice wagon with a roll pan and I was intrigued. Granted I've seen them before but now I kind of want one. A few thoughts I have:

1) Are they durable enough to withstand someone using it to step, whether on purpose or accidentally into the rear seat?
2) I've been told you need to remove the rear bumper shocks? True? How will this affect me in a crash?
3) Hard to install? Granted I'd probably have the body shop do it but don't want to pay out the nose if there is fabrication to be done.

1. They will not withstand any weight more than about 20 lbs. Being fiberglass they are hard, and chip easily if you drop something on them.
2. Yes, and the rear bumper support. You can bolt a couple pieces of heavy steel tubing, or a steel plate across the frame rails to give some protection, because there is still a lot of space under the rollpan. The damage in a rear ender would be like an older car without the bumper shocks. You might even be able to leave the shocks on, and bolt the plate on them, but the top screw holes are above the lip at the rear under the tailgate. It may still fit if it is not too thick. I have been considering puting the rear shocks back on, and bolting the tubing to them.
3. They are easy to install I have installed 2 so far, and did the last one in about an hour. I will give you instructions for the easy way if you decide to go forward. So the sides first, then get the rest to fit. A Bell Tech pan is the way to go. They fit and are easy to work with. Let the paint shop do the paint. They often have mold release on them, and it is not compatable with paint.

Greyhound to your nearest depot is the cheapest. I have a pan with the license plate recess in Florida. It is a Bell Tech.

Is finding a Bell Tech pan even possible anymore? I'd love to get one without the license plate cut out. Anyone know where/how to find one?? Thanks!

They have not been made by Bell Tech for a number of years. Back in 2011 I bought a number of them in a special clearance deal on ebay, and only have one left for a spare (NFS). There is a company on ebay that makes roll pans. They are not a nice as the Bell Tech units, but they are all that are available. They make them with and without the license plate recess.

I bolted a 2X2 piece of angle iron (steel) across the frame rails a couple of years ago. I have not had to use it, but I feel more comfortable knowing it is there. I am also willing to allow someone to sit in the tailgunner seat with the angle iron there.

Thanks Fred.