std cab rocker replacement
 

Just some pics for fun. I made that inner patch panel with a vice, a couple pieces of 3/16 flat bar, and a small c-clamp. I use a 6" grinding wheel on a repurposed washing machine motor, using an adapter and a stand made out of pipe and an old steel wheel as a base. Started the tear down Saturday, but had a bunch of interruptions. Hope to get the rocker fitted this week, and paint this weekend... might be lofty, day job getting in the way....

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/dodgefo...94efd59e27.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/dodgefo...e3ba13b69e.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/dodgefo...c8b4f45c61.jpg

Nice work on that patch panel!

Any tips for anyone about to do the same to their trucks? I'm hoping to replace my rocker panels this year.

Yeah the patch turned out really nice. Lots of pics please, I need to do this to my truck.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/dodgefo...183634772d.jpg
Had a little bit of time to start preparing for butt welding the rocker in. Its cut to the right size, but there is a fair amount of tweaking the replacement to get it looking more like original. Nobody is making really nice replacement panels that are not in need of finesse. I'll detail that later. Key on getting it tight for butt welding is careful measurement and marking with a scribe.

I use a 4" cut off wheel from St Louis Pneumatic. Here is a tip, get a really nice USA made tool from Home Depot using mail order. Its seriously powerful, doesn't bog down like others. I'm also using a thin disc, like .045 inch thick.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/St-Louis...2032/205697781

For MIG beginners, probably use the backing strip method instead of butt welding, so you don't blow through and make a mess. Here is a decent link showing how that is done:
http://www.autobodystore.com/door_rust.shtml

I'll grab some pics on measurement/preparing you should do BEFORE you cut the old stuff off ... tomorrow.

pre-measuring...
 

So there are a couple critical elements to getting that rocker to look good. You need to get it in the right spot so the gaps between it and the door are correct, and you want to be able to put the door back where it was. So the tricks I've learned over time, is to clearly mark where the door goes, and to measure out where the front edge of the rocker should be. I use a small square, using painters tape to identify where it sits on the hinge. Pics show some of the details. Also use some painters tape crossing the body to door lines in the back so when the door goes back on, its clear where it was.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/dodgefo...8112b6ed33.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/dodgefo...daaf7fac07.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/dodgefo...6920376c17.jpg

If you are drilling holes in the replacement to replicate the factory spot welds(plug weld) you want to use a weld threw coating.

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-...3194153&rt=rud

Yes, and actually anytime you're are overlapping metal - helps to keep the corrosion between panels to a minimum. But you don't have to coat the whole seam with that, just about a dime/nickel size over the hole you plan to weld. The rest you can use normal paint. Typically I'll paint the piece, then use my die grinder with a metal polish pad to wipe off paint around the hole - like I said, not that much bare metal. Then I just hit those spots with the weld through primer. The weld through won't catch fire and melt off like paint will, it stays put and is supposed to actually help you weld... although I can't say my weld has ever gotten better than clean metal.

'There are alot of brands of weld through primer out there, not all of them good. In fact I have a can of transtar right now, that I'm not especially happy with. I was in need quickly, and had to settle for what was available locally. I swear the transtart doesn't conduct that well when welding. Not cheap stuff, so you want to use that sparingly where its of good use.

When done, and its just an overlap under the car like mine, you can coat the seam with seam sealer. It says flexible and will lock out moisture - and is paint-able.
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-...3241102&rt=rud

all welded...
 

Took a few hours to get the rocker ready to weld. Mostly it was bending the repair panel to match up properly. Mainly it was the same problems as the left side, only the front of the right side didn't require me to cut slots to make it smaller. They were both bowed in the bottom, which got the board and floor jack to get it in line. Tomorrow I'll work on getting the welds ground down and applying some body filler to smooth it out. Maybe primer by end of day?

Pics for your amusement

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/dodgefo...d8b70e96b8.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/dodgefo...3a90a272a3.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/dodgefo...95a6c728a1.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/dodgefo...5409516068.jpg

I wanted to see what I did with the other side, realized I posted alot of pics.... see this thread for the left side:
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...-feedback.html

Got the welds dressed and filler applied, like 3 times. Amazing how much I forget about doing filler and have to relearn.... oh well. Not sure why my 3M seam sealer is purple, seems to work just fine though. Its a pretty old can. Here's some pics...

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/dodgefo...80d7d62420.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/dodgefo...521f57c57d.jpg