Project Rocker Replacement- PICS

[Jay87LX]

I have been putting off fixing my rust issues and replacing my rockers but I need to get the truck inspected in a few months so I need to get it fixed. There is a good thread over on one of the F150 Forums that I have been following.
Rockers for 1st gen Expy's aren't available so I had to get rockers for a screw and trim the ends down.
Here is what I am starting with


Cut away the old rusted rocker

After a few test fits I am here. It is difficult to do the back because the rocker is meant for a Screw but I will make it work.

I will do a bit more trimming and fitting in the morning and weld it in, lay down some body filler, prime and paint. Then do the other side.
I also have 4 rust free doors that will be going on the truck when I put it back together, then it will be painted.

I have all the trim for the bottom of the doors as well as wheel opening trim found on the EB's. I sprayed all that with black bedliner and will put all that on when I am done painting

 

[BIGRED03]

After looking at those pics what is my corrosion warranty again? BTW they inspect for rust in Mass.? How often? What is the penalty for rust? Good job too.

 

[Jay87LX]

BTW they inspect for rust in Mass.? How often? What is the penalty for rust? Good job too.

I live in Mass and am certified for state inspections in NH and both states say "No sharp edges". Also, if there is rust they say that fumes "could" get inside. Thye inspect annually, both safety as well as emissions

 

[BIGRED03]

I sure wish more states did it to remove the dangerous junk off the road.

 

[Cedge]

Yow!! That sure makes me appreciate driving on southern roads.

 

[Bowesmobile]

Man I'm knowledgeable enough to understand when its necessary to replace rockers. I don't need the government to do that for me! Its nice to live in a free state!

 

[FordandPolaris]

Man I'm knowledgeable enough to understand when its necessary to replace rockers. I don't need the government to do that for me! Its nice to live in a free state!

You may be, but a lot of people are not. That is who the service is aimed for. Still I agree I am glad I do not have to fix them on a deadline myself. Mine are pretty bad too.

 

[Jay87LX]

So today I trimmed up the rocker the best I could to where i thought I had the best fit and drilled a row of holes to weld to. I jung it and welded it in. My welding skills are minimal at best so all this is a learning process for me.



Did a little welding, then some grinding, then a bit more welding, then more grinding to where I thought I had a nice seam. I then layed down some body filler to smooth it all out. I will finish sanding tomorrow and then maybe some primer/paint.

 

[Jay87LX]

I plasti dipped the lower valance in the front. You can see in the pic it is a different shade of black than the bedliner I did on all the trim


I think I am going to go over everything I did in bedliner in Plasti Dip so it is all the same shade. Also the parts that I sprayed with bedliner have a "dry texture" and I think it will give a better texture if it has a few coats of the Plasti Dip

I am doing the emblems in Plasti Dip as well
First coat

 

[Mediamonkey11]

Looking good!

I wonder if Plasti--Dip comes in factory colors?

 

[FordandPolaris]

They offer the ability to color the plasti-dip but I doubt it would be factory matched. You can probably get it close though.

dipyourcar.com has all sorts of plasti-dip accessories.

 

[sgtowing]

Looking good Jay.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4

 

[Jay87LX]

Today I primed, pained and cleared the new rocker as well as the jams in the two drivers side doors that I will hang back on the truck when I put it back together. This is my first time doing anything like this as well as painting with anything other than a rattle can and I am happy so far. Tomorrow I will hang the doors on the truck and contimue on
Rocker primed

Doors primed


Rocker painted

Doors painted

 

[Jay87LX]

Today I ripped off all the masking and checked out the work. For my first atttempt at any body work I am satisfied. The shade of paint seems to be off. It is the right paint code so I will ask the supplier if he has any idea why it is off a bit. I am not totally worried because I am doing the complete exterior so it will all be the same.
I bought new clips to install the weatherstripping back on so it will be tight.
Also it is somewhat of a PITA to slide the weatherstripping in the groove at the top of the door. I would strongly suggest using a plastic trim tool as I did or you will rip the weather stripping








All hung pretty



Just a quick reminder of how my old doors looked

Now

 

[Lightnig]

nice work sir.

Once you are done, that should be more than good enough to last more than another 15 years.

 

[Canadian Expy]

Did a great job, if this was your first time even better.
I need to do the rockers on mine, they are starting to get soft

 

[Jay87LX]

I am kind of being held up a bit waiting on the passengers side rocker. When I initially bought the drivers it was about a year ago, The passengers side wasn't as bad as it is now, especially with all the poking around but I am this deep in it so I have to order a passengers side, I forgot last Friday and PMP metals is closed today so I will call first thing in the morning and get one shipped out here. I already have the old one cut off and the 2 passengers side doors removed so all I could do today was prep and paint the 2 new passengers side doors.
When I did the drivers side that was my first time ever paint or mixing paint and I was a bit confused with the markings on the mixing cups so the paint didn't come out as nice as I would have liked. Also I had a bit of orange peel. I initially thought it was from being outside and the heat, I was thinking it was driving too quickly. Today a friend came by and said I wasn't spraying it "wet" enough.
I set up the 2 passengers side doors, prepped them and masked them off.
I re read the mixing instructions and over this last weekend I watched a few more Youtube vids on mixing so I think I did it right today.
I sprayed the 2 door jams adjusting my spray gun so I could get a "wetter" application. After it all dried I think the color is a way better match as well.
Tomorrow I will put the mouldings and round door stops back in and wait for the rockers.

One of the doors I bought had a small amount of rust just starting to bubble so I grinded it down, did the POR 15 nd smoothed averything out with a bit of body filler. You can see that in this pic








In this pic the clear has completely dried to the touch, It shows a nice gloss that I am happy with. All this is a learning curve for me.
I hope I can get the same results when I spray the exterior

 

[Jay87LX]

In this pic it is the door I just painted leaning up against the original painted door

Pretty good match I think

 

[Jay87LX]

I got my passengers side rocker in today. I ordered it Tuesday am and it was here today by noon, PMP Metals 724 224 2472- about $124 plus less than $10 for shipping here to NH.
Being that I had already done the driver's side I had a little insight as to how I wanted to go about trimming up the passengers side rocker, remember these are from a super Crew so the rear needs to be cut down and depending on the rust on your truck could dictate the best way to cut.
I already cut away the older rocker leaving a little extra as it is easier to cut away a bit more when you mock up the rocker then to find out you cut away too much


I just took a quick cut off the back so I could get the rocker to fit a bit closer so I could mark with a sharpie where I wanted to cut

I put the masking tape to make a line to follow where I wanted to cut, I want the sides to go back as far as possible but then the bottom all the way back to the inner wheel well

 

[Jay87LX]

With that cut off you can get it closer to mark the "A" and "B" piller where you will want to cut

Center

Front

Now I can trim them a bit closer and get ready to weld

I got a bit better with my welding with these spot welds

All welded in


I got it all welded in, grinded it down and primed it. Tomorrow I will hang the doors, buy the paint, primer and clear and get ready to spray the whole truck