What are rocker panels for anyway?

[Big6ft6]

So I deleted my rocker panels (aka dangling peices of jagged rust).

Got me wondering, why do cars have rocker panels anyway? Is it purely asthetics? People thought it looked weird to not have some metal below the doors? I think my burb looks fine.

 

[badmix]

Looks and for aerodynamics to a point, you want the sides as smooth as possible, I realize we drive big square bricks but still.

 

[chulisohombre]

they are to create rust and crunch on rocks.lol.they are for aurodynamics im sure and covers the frame for asthetics as far as i can see.

 

[76zimmer]

Newer Tahoes have just a resemblance of a rocker panel....so maybe they're on the way out....your a trendsetter!

 

[79bonanza]

i bet half the guys from the north east didnt know these trucks came with rocker panels lol jk

 

[Cornfield creations]

They also add some sort of structural integrity in the middle of the body. Otherwise the floor would like be a horizontal plane.

 

[ryoken]

yup, the biggest reason I would think is door frame/floor structure..... an early form of unitized body, even on framed vehicle...

hiding the frame rail and taking the majority of damage from road/tire debri also...

 

[496truck]

I see a sagging body and door pillars in your future. If you cut them off, that's fine. But replace them with some square tube at least. 2x4 or 2x6 depending on what will fit.

The weight of the roof is transferred down through the pillars and to the rockers which are then tied to the floor and floor supports. Eliminating the rocker panels removes the "tube" effect and weakening the structure as a whole. Will it sag overnight? no, but it will eventually. How long depends on how rusty the rest of the truck is.

 

[rgorsuch87]

I see a sagging body and door pillars in your future. If you cut them off, that's fine. But replace them with some square tube at least. 2x4 or 2x6 depending on what will fit.

The weight of the roof is transferred down through the pillars and to the rockers which are then tied to the floor and floor supports. Eliminating the rocker panels removes the "tube" effect and weakening the structure as a whole. Will it sag overnight? no, but it will eventually. How long depends on how rusty the rest of the truck is.

Hmm thats good to know.

 

[Jessie James]

I can't see the body actually sagging because of rocker panels. They are not really very robust, and the body is mounted the the frame in several points which are far stronger looking.

Mine are completely rusted out, no sag.

 

[Big6ft6]

Yeah, I was thinking about the structural purpose, when they aren't rusted away they do act almost like angle iron adding rigidity to the botom of the body.

 

[ryoken]

yup, good shape, triangular tube... outer and inner rocker and sill.. as long as the sill is there, that controls the A to B pillar distance.. that makes the opening wanna rack.... the triangle really counters that racking....

I tend to think all mounts being equal, the B-post would be most likely to sag... bend point being the top of the A-post... if it did anything.. and thats obviously on a sec gen...

that being said, it's pretty rare I'd say..... can't remember when, or if I've ever seen it... most cars and trucks with a roof, have some pretty stout roof line structure... not to mention the firewall, etc... full verts are a different story...

 

[andyblack]

Think about a Jeep. They're designed to run with no top or doors if you want, and they have a 6" or 8" lip that sticks up from where the rocker panel is on a normal truck that's an integrated piece of the body. I've wondered if they made it like that so the body wouldn't flex as bad with the doors off or if it's just meant to keep stuff from rolling out of the cab. Sure makes it harder to get in and out of the darn things though.

 

[ryoken]

more often than not all sheetmetal decisions consider effect on structural integrity as part of the design process... cosmetically or functionally based sheetmetal ideas like the heep lip still consider integrity in the equation usually...

 

[Duntz00]

Ive noticed on my truck the more the rockers get beat up under the cab the more the door is gapping open at the top, my passenger side door is out about a 1/4" or more at the top on the rear of the door. I need to cut them out and put some tubing back in.