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Rocker rant

G

gravdigr

1/2 ton status
Joined
Apr 15, 2003
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Location
Tyrone, PA
Rocker panels have to be the biggest damn PITA to replace :mad: . Who the hell came up with that design? If it wasn't for the wife insisting on stock bodylines on the DD I woulda cut it all out and put in rockerboxes.

Also thanks to the f*^ked up design of the rockers every damn thing around them rots. I wire wheel off some paint to get a clean spot to weld to and end up making another patch to fix the new rust hole I found.

I guess it wouldn't be so bad if this wasn't the second time I have done all this crap. I was through all of this before when I replaced my trail rig rear tub and floorboards. Will it ever end?
 
I feel your pain!

gravdigr said:
Rocker panels have to be the biggest damn PITA to replace :mad: . Who the hell came up with that design? If it wasn't for the wife insisting on stock bodylines on the DD I woulda cut it all out and put in rockerboxes.

Also thanks to the f*^ked up design of the rockers every damn thing around them rots. I wire wheel off some paint to get a clean spot to weld to and end up making another patch to fix the new rust hole I found.

I guess it wouldn't be so bad if this wasn't the second time I have done all this crap. I was through all of this before when I replaced my trail rig rear tub and floorboards. Will it ever end?
Click to expand...

I know the feeling!..having replaced about 20 GM 73-87 rocker panels,I can attest to the fact they are a pain in the butt to install--and you can look forward to doing them again in 3-4 years here in the northeast-( SALTEAST is more like it.. :mad: )...what really irks me is how they rust ABOVE where you welded them on,and even the "extended" rockers dont reach up that far--so you have to weld in a patch to put your patch in!...after 10 years your cab has more patches than OEM metal left...I put 3 pairs of rockers on my 74 K20 in the 15 years I owned it--the last set only lasted 3 years,and I vowed it was the last pair I'll put on it...I junked it about a month ago.. :frown1: --wont have to deal with rot on that truck anymore... :laugh:
 
diesel4me said:
I know the feeling!..having replaced about 20 GM 73-87 rocker panels,I can attest to the fact they are a pain in the butt to install--and you can look forward to doing them again in 3-4 years here in the northeast-( SALTEAST is more like it.. :mad: )...what really irks me is how they rust ABOVE where you welded them on,and even the "extended" rockers dont reach up that far--so you have to weld in a patch to put your patch in!...after 10 years your cab has more patches than OEM metal left...I put 3 pairs of rockers on my 74 K20 in the 15 years I owned it--the last set only lasted 3 years,and I vowed it was the last pair I'll put on it...I junked it about a month ago.. :frown1: --wont have to deal with rot on that truck anymore... :laugh:
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Y'all could just move south :D

My 72 is virtually rot free :o
 
Maybe your wife would think differently about stock look if she had to sit out there with you and help install those replacements.
 
Skigirl said:
Maybe your wife would think differently about stock look if she had to sit out there with you and help install those replacements.
Click to expand...


Holy sh*t, will you have a talk with my wife? :blush:
 
Be happy to. :thumb: I've done my share of body work, and most of it is a royal PITA. Rockers are ridiculous. Thankfully I shopped out getting the rockers cut out and 3x3 put in. I like it much much better than stock and it looks better than factory rockers IMHO.
 
Sorry to Hijack the thread, but what is the best way to cut out those rockers? And what is the best way, and best matierial to use when replacing them?
 
many different ways..

You can use a sawsall,cutoff wheel in a grinder,cutting torches--here in the salteast we dont have to worry much about cutting the rockers off--because usually they are already GONE!..

I havent made or installed and "sliders",but I'm tempted to make my next set of rockers out of 3 inch x 5/16 square tubing!...THAT ought to take a few years to rot away!..or maybe I'll take Steve's advice and move south!--I'd still have my 69 GTO,71 and 72 CST K5's,and many other muscle cars and nice trucks if I did not live here in the salteast!..I swear the stuff the use on icy roads here is battery acid..my 82 K20 has grown a few holes where it was just bubbly paint last fall already.. :doah: :eek1: :(
 
No Salt In CA

Come on out, no salt, just taxes and earthquakes and taxes! But I run down in Baja, and met a crusty Baja Prospector type who told me that the key to salt, aka, beach running, was to spray the rig down with turpentine. Might be worth a try to get up under the rockers with a pump sprayer full of turpentine and see if it helps!
 
When I worked at this one shop another tech told me when he lived up in Maine he knew a bunch of guys who sprayed used motor oil under theyre trucks after they did their oil changes. He said it worked mint.
 
it helps a lot!

I know of a few garages who avoided paying to get rid of their drain oil by spraying it back onto the car it came from!...and all the cars they serviced looked like new,even after many salty winters!..the only downside is the mess,every time you crawl under a car to work on it,you get coated with sludge...but I'd rather that than get a mouthful of body rot!..no rusty bolt problems either... ;)

.I save my drain oil so I can spray it on my trucks,but so far I havent done any of them!--I need to get off my butt and do it before its too late!(its a rather nasty job though--better if you have a lift!--you'll look like a swamp thing after its done!)...I've been burning some of it in my wood stove during the winter..you accumulate a lot of oil when you have a "fleet" of 4,and do regular oil changes!...if I had a pool,I'd fill it with oil, :crazy: I'd DIP the whole truck in it!

I've heard Raw or Boiled Linseed Oil from a paint store works as well,and prevents mud from sticking so badly after an off road session..Turpentine smells horrible!--but I'd live with the odor if it keeps rust at bay! :crazy:
 
this isn't necessary if the yoyo that installed your intake didn't install the rear seal. Hit about 70mph on the highway like that and it will cover everything underneath with a nice layer of oil :D
 
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