Installing body plugs

[BruteForce]

I know this is a really dumb question, but there must be some trick to it. I bought a body plug kit for my challenger, and cannot push them in place with my thumb. I hesitate to use a hammer. What's the right way to do it?

[70chall440]

On the stubborn ones, use the end of a hammer (the handle part) or something that is smaller than the plug. You want whatever you use to be about the size of the center of the plug, not exactly the inside size as the plug need room to move. This will give you leverage to pop them in. I have used screwdriver handles, wooden dowels, etc. The key is finding something that is big enough but not too big, you also do not want too small or you can in some cases punch through the plug.

Alternatively, you can try wedging one side in and then work it around. Some people use a little dish soap as lubricant. Once you get one or two you will get the hang of it and they will pop right in.

[BruteForce]

Thanks for the quick reply! I lubricated the plug, got a socket the right size, and tried hammering it in. All that did was put a circular dent in the plug. Being in the trunk, getting a good swing with the hammer wasn't happening. I suspect I need a press. Anyhow, the body plug kit had some other plugs the same size that were less substantial, and I was able to press them in with my thumb. It's good to go, but my car has lots of compromises in it like that and it bugs me.

I've had the car for 30 years and have never been able to find someone nearby to work on cars with, where we help each other. The local mopar club just talks about fundraising and cruising. There are muscle cars in the neighborhood, but all of them were bought with a check, not sweat. Grumble, grumble.

I struggled with the brakes for a long time, and finally gave up and took it to a shop. Now the brakes are solid which makes me happy. The mechanic told me I simply had not torqued the brake line fittings down hard enough. There's a lot to these cars that ain't in the manuals.

But my 400hp heavily modified 340 is back on the road again, after decades as a garage queen. People go ape when they see it roaring by.

[70chall440]

Yeah, hammering the plugs is not going to work (as you discovered), everything there is moving (rubber or plastic plug, flexible floor pan, etc.). It takes pressure. Use a smaller socket to allow the plug to flex into the pan. I suspect that you may have used too large of a socket which would not let the plug flex into the hole.

Where are you at? there might be someone on here close to you. I agree that there is a lot of things not covered in the manual because usually it is basic mechanics of the day. I grew up working on cars in the 70's, so many of these issues are not a mystery, the manuals are there to show you the things unique and specific to the car you are working on.

[BruteForce]

I'm in Kirkland, Wa. Last summer I attended the Kirkland Classic Car Show, basically looking for other Mopar motorheads. But sadly, the quantity of Mopars at the show has dramatically declined recently, I wonder why. But I did find the shop there that fixed by brakes.

Now that my beast is running, I plan on showing it there this summer, maybe I'll attract some motorheads that way.

I needed to get the plugs in the trunk as fumes were coming up into the cab via the holes. I still need to fix the hole I had to cut to enlarge the tunnel to fit the Kiesler tranny in. (The Kiesler is a pretty sweet transmission compared to the stock one.)

You're right about why hammering doesn't work. The floor pan just bounces like a spring. I'll look into attaching a long extension to the socket and then leaning on it, but there may not be enough room in the trunk to do that. The great thing about using a socket is I can pick the perfect size to push with.

[70chall440]

Well I cannot speak for Kirkland but there are quite a few Mopar people around in Western WA, I live down by Olympia. Have you gone to the Sunburst show out by Graham, I think its in July or August. I do not hang out with a lot of Mopar people although I do know some.

The plugs should not be that hard to put in, if it isn't going then there is an issue such as the wrong plug or if this is a new floor panel/trunk maybe the hole is the wrong size.

[jimynick]

Many of the holes, especially in new panels, have a burr around their edges from being punched out, which makes it tough to get the plugs in easily. Try lubing them and then heating them with a hot air gun or, in a pinch, a hair dryer. Don't go nuts, they just have to regain a wee bit of flexibility. As mentioned, measure to make sure you're not trying to stuff 10lbs into a 5 lb bag, if you know what I mean. 

[BruteForce]

Thanks for the tip on the meet at Graham, I'd never heard of it before.

The trunk floor is original (!). (All the sheet metal is.) Some of the original plugs are still in it, and they match up in size to the replacement ones. The holes have no burrs, and I did use lube. There aren't smaller plugs in the e-body plug kit I purchased, so they must be the right size.

Applying a bit of heat is an interesting idea. I have a couple extra, so destroying one in an experiment wouldn't be a disaster. I don't have a heat gun, and no hair dryer (my disco days are long gone), so the propane torch will have to do. Have to be real careful with that thing!

It's a pleasure being in this forum and talking with people who actually know what they're doing

[70chall440]

I strongly recommend you do not use an open heat source, they will probably only catch fire or at a minimum get disfigured. The holes will not expand because they are a part of a bigger panel. You could try something like a microwave if you just want to make them soft. I have put in a lot of body plugs and while some can be stubborn, it should not be that difficult to install.

[jimynick]

Actually, we've used a rubber hammer and it worked fine. Start one edge of the plug down into the hole and use the mallet to knock the upper edge inwards towards the centre and down. Worth a try. 

[redo1973]

I typically pinched the rubber cup and slid into the hole on one half and then worked my thumb/finger around the inside perimeter.  Maybe warm them up in a pan of hot water and lubricate the rubber.  The only ones I had a challenge with were the hard plastic drain type in the quarter panels.