Rocker panel paint for my forever truck.

[dodge man]

I’ve got someone I used to work with that has a 2007 with a D Max. I helped him put some tile in and drove it back to his place pulling a tile cart. It’s pretty rusty, has over 200,000 miles on it. I expected it to drive badly but it was pretty solid. My point is you have rust that can be a problem, such as the frame. You can have rust that is just cosmetic. They can look pretty bad but still be safe to drive. What you are doing will help a lot.

 

[dodge man]

Another brief story. I owned a 2004 Ram with a Cummins. I had the rockers completely replaced. A few years later I opened the door and noticed a narrow line of rust forming. I suspect it was forming above the repair but it could have been at the weld line. I got rid of the truck. I then bought a Chevy gasser 3/4 ton. Drove it a couple of years. I noticed it just starting to bubble over the rear wheels. Got rid of it right away and now drive a F150. All aluminum.

 

[jjeff]

I know all about rusty frames former, taco owner for almost 20 yrs. Factory service bulletin undercoating of frames didn't help in any of my cases. Either complete frame replacement or 1.5x buybacks. On 3. Btw dislike boxed tube frames even though everything these days has them. Here's some more pics notice rear plastic box corner that's what I want to take spray on bedliner up to, front to back.

 

[jjeff]

Abs slip covers coming next week, removed brackets for running boards to my surprise the fasteners came out pretty easy and there was minimal rust where brackets were fastened to rockers. pressure washing what's left of existing rocker panels and underside of truck this morning in my barn, and prepping them for rust inhibiting converting paint. Question is there a specific polyurethane adhesive sealant that won't distort or discolor the abs panels I'm fastening on truck? Due to chemical reactions,,? They are black, uv resistant and not the smooth unprepared rockers made to finish to a trucks color. My idea is to skim coat the existing bare metal and abs rockers with adhesive sealant and a v notch trowel plus use rivets, after I test fit the abs covers. Depending on sealant I use or find I may paint existing rockers where slip covers attach. The insides of existing rockers will definitely be treated with rust inhibiting paint before hand.

 

[lostcause]

So after much personal debate I'm keeping my GMC 2016 3/4 ton. rocker panels are just starting to show failing bubbling paint and a few ew small rust streaks familiar using with a hvlp sprayer or brush rust oleum primer first than paint it. Thinking of using a bed liner this time rockers would end up black textured kind of matching black plastic wheel well liners. Current GMC paint on rockers was textured color matched from new anyway. Cab corners are still in decent condition rockers have no rust perforation yet to my knowledge. I'm sure if I do nothing before this winter they will be completely trashed. Plan is to strip current rocker paint on truck to bare metal. Using a wire cup brush and similar. Tape bottom of doors, fenders, and box corners blow dust off wipe clean with acetone possibly rough up bare steel with sand paper then use spray on bedliner on rockers hopefully I won't have to use bondo. Id probably use a marine based filling, fairing compound compound two part epoxy it's called vc watertight and doesn't absorb moisture. It's pricer than regular bondo but works good considering it's designed to be used underwater and hardens solid yet still sandable Definitely not a pro body tech. My question is if a black spray on bedliner is used would someone with more experience than me use an etching primer first before bed liner or any primer first Can if I'm feeling real creative color match paint over the black truck bed liner? Probably won't just leave it textured black. But I know something needs to be done now vs later. Thanks, Expertise and suggestions are appreciated. Pics available later today if needed.

a little over a decade ago i did the same on a 2006 gm 2500 crew cab. The door bottoms were not rusted at all, but the rockers had a lot of road sandblasting down to surface rust. i did the color match Raptor spray-on liner over a self-etching primer and just masked a line pretty much even across the door openings and it worked well, and looked good, spraying the entire rocker & cab corner. after a couple years of driving, you could see spots where it was starting to burn through the spray on liner material though. Maybe newer stuff is more durable. It also worked out well, because through a weird coincidence, it turned out that my father and I both had bought nearly identical silver birch 2500 crew cab trucks - one 2006 GMC Sierra, one 2007 Chevy Silverado classic, and both were at the age where they needed the rockers touched up. One bedliner kit & a pint of paint later...

 

[jjeff]

Rocker panel slip cover replacement Process is well underway I definitely need to get this completed to plow 4 wheelers really aren't as enjoyable plowing anymore imo. Anyways cut sanded and liberally cleaned with acetone and blow gun, all perforated rust sections out, treated inside and outside of existing inner and outer rocker with rust converter and waited 24 hrs primed inside and outside of rockers with self etching supposedly labeled rust fighting primer x2 coats trying hard to get insides of rockers also. Next the truck bed coating will be applied might wait another day til I apply problaby way early in the morning again I removed the interior weather stripping both outer and nner, removed plastic door threshold trim pieces, took out lower fender bolts to slip in slip covers surprisingly to me gm glued plastic cover plates over lower fender mounting bolts. Will reglue with polyurethane sealer adhesive, which is also what I'm planning to use to fasten slip cover to rockers plus steel rivets. Any questions or suggestions please ask or comment cuz im definitely not a auto body tech.

 

[dodge man]

I’d say your repair should last a while if those covers are secured well. At some point it will rust underneath them but until it gets so bad they fall off it should look good. Keep an eye on rest of the truck.

 

[jjeff]

I have been using ams oil hd metal protectant on my aluminum snowmobile trailers steel torsion axle mounts it actually holds up pretty well imo I debated using it to redo the rockers on my truck instead of rust converting primer however ams oil labels it as a protectant that needs to be reapplied after several years. It's pricy but can be painted over despite it working well on trailers figured this needed better and a more permeant solution. I will skim coat both what's left of rockers and slip covers with polyurethane sealant adhesive then I'll run v notch trowel thru it and attach hopefully it will do a good job sealing and attaching slip covers besides steel rivets, Without making a terrible mess which I'm occasionally prone to do using adhesives and sealants. .anyways I'll probably monitor underside of truck more frequently and use the ams oil protectant in spots showing rust in the future.

 

[Gregster613]

I have been using ams oil hd metal protectant on my aluminum snowmobile trailers steel torsion axle mounts it actually holds up pretty well imo I debated using it to redo the rockers on my truck instead of rust converting primer however ams oil labels it as a protectant that needs to be reapplied after several years. It's pricy but can be painted over despite it working well on trailers figured this needed better and a more permeant solution. I will skim coat both what's left of rockers and slip covers with polyurethane sealant adhesive then I'll run v notch trowel thru it and attach hopefully it will do a good job sealing and attaching slip covers besides steel rivets, Without making a terrible mess which I'm occasionally prone to do using adhesives and sealants. .anyways I'll probably monitor underside of truck more frequently and use the ams oil protectant in spots showing rust in the future.

jjeff, You're doing a lot of work and it looks good, I do hope it lasts. But I'm originally from Northern Minnesota and I have my doubts. Snow/salt doesn't ever join well with metal.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Rust is a crazy thing. It baffles me how you guys up in the great white north afford to have vehicles. Here in the south it's normal to buy a 10 year old vehicle and expect to get another 5 years of good service out of without any major problems.

I take it up in the north a 10 year old vehicle is not worth very much?

 

[WinterDeere]

I take it up in the north a 10 year old vehicle is not worth very much?

Based on my own vehicles, I'd say that 10 years still looks close to new, but then they deteriorate relatively quickly after that. It's not linear, but exponential... once rust starts to become visible right around 10-12 years, things accellerate very quickly thereafter. I usually start seeing rust around year 10, and by year 12 it's time to get rid of the thing.

As to how we can afford it, median income is substantially higher in the north than the south. The Carolinas are $63k, and AR is $51k, but CT is $114k and and MA is $128k. That extra $60k per year amounts to $600k or $700k over the 10-12 year ownership period of a vehicle. At that point, who really cares about an $80k pickup truck?

 

[jjeff]

Finally see a light at end of this project tunnel. Got one side of truck done with abs slip covers using urethane adhesive sealants and all hands on deck for all my smaller clamps anyway, a couple 3/16 rivets dipped in urethane before using them in in non clampable areas , Several cans of rust converting etching primer and so far one can of truck bed paint. Respect to actual skilled body shop pros. I'm definitely not one . Geez Might be able to sleep in til 6 again soon. Hoping like heck to get 5 yrs out of this project without major rust perforations.

 

[dodge man]

Having owned classic cars and a couple of other vehicles I’ve fought rust on, every single vehicles is rusting out. I own an aluminum F150 and it’s rusting out, not the sheet metal but everything else is. It’s just a matter of time. Does the rust show up tomorrow, next week, next year, ten years or a 100 years. I used to think a particular brand of vehicle or truck was better but I no longer think that. The exception might be the newer Ford trucks.

 

[jjeff]

Having owned classic cars and a couple of other vehicles I’ve fought rust on, every single vehicles is rusting out. I own an aluminum F150 and it’s rusting out, not the sheet metal but everything else is. It’s just a matter of time. Does the rust show up tomorrow, next week, next year, ten years or a 100 years. I used to think a particular brand of vehicle or truck was better but I no longer think that. The exception might be the newer Ford trucks.

Probably a losing battle unless I focused all my time and effort keeping the truck salt free even then I'd probably still lose on a ten yr old truck. Probably why I like old rusty beaters cuz as long as it gets me from point a to b somewhat safely I'm perfectly content with it. However this was my first brand new vehicle I bought it had almost everything I wanted and nothing I didn't plus I have a habit of holding on to stuff far to long probably. I think I said awhile ago on a thread id problaby drive that truck in the ground. If it rusts bad enough literally .

 

[jjeff]

Early morning again, Final result and impression on my abs slipcover rocker panel cover up + rust mitigation. I'm sure most handy diy folks can do it. And if you have auto body experience problaby better than I can. In honor of 5030 went to hf bought a bunch of duck billed vice grips very handy to do this a rather unconventional way meaning not following directions and using my own polyurethane sealant adhesive instead of provided two sided tape. I did use all the rivets provided in kit though. One redo on back cab corner I highly recommend using homemade wooden wedges to hold slip cover using adhesive in place in back of cab. Sprayed copious amount of rust converter and self etching primer to all exposed steel followed by several coats of truck bed liner. Anyways my thinking using polyurethane instead of two sided tape is it will better preserve slightly rust compromised steel better. Slip covers despite being thin abs plastic are solid and feel like they are part of truck. I can say if your not comfortable cutting and grinding rusted out steel on something to somewhat solid steel definitely follow manufacturers directions Instead . My ultimate goal is to get 5 years out of this, 10 yrs if I thoroughly monitor and address new rust on underside of truck. Thanks for insight, encouragement and even discouragement as I understand this is ultimately a losing battle on a older truck used for plowing and hauling trailers on salt covered roads. I will say the truck is definitely mechanically solid with quite a few up grades. Any questions or comments feel free to comment.

 

[KennyG]

Rust is a crazy thing. It baffles me how you guys up in the great white north afford to have vehicles. Here in the south it's normal to buy a 10 year old vehicle and expect to get another 5 years of good service out of without any major problems.

I take it up in the north a 10 year old vehicle is not worth very much?

It really depends on how you use the vehicle and how you care for it. The newer vehicles are much better than older ones. I have a 2017 truck and 2013 car and they only have minor surface rust on the frame, no damage to the bodies. Due to budget issues, the local roads don't get much salt and we usually don't drive on the highways when there is snow or ice. I have a 1988 car that had some rust damage I had to fix, and my 1976 car wasn't driven in winter but I still had to replace a rocker panel. I'm currently working on a project with a 1998 Chevy S-10 and the frame on it only has surface rust and the body was rust free except for the dents.

 

[nybirdman]

Had my 2017 Silverado under coated with "woolwax" last summer and ceramic coated.Hope this helps it last,only has 22k miles.
Used to trade every two years but don;t care for the new trucks and their problems.

 

[dodge man]

I think it came out pretty good. You did a better job then I could have.

 

[jjeff]

I think it came out pretty good. You did a better job then I could have.

Thanks, I don't know your skill set, however a real experienced auto body guy would probably cut and weld new rockers in finish to existing color. Lots of early morning alone time jamming to Xmas tunes on the radio. I'll know consider myself a rattle can expert sprayer. Lol however definitely still not a competent adhesive applier, urethane sealant/ glue is still stuck in my receding hairline. It's worse than any gum I've ever got in my hair growing up

 

[dodge man]

My skill set for body work is a DA polisher, an assortment of pads and polishes. Otherwise no better then yours and maybe worse.