how to fix a rust rotted rocker panel?

cbjones26 · Post by **cbjones26** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:00 pm

what the best way to fix this on our cars/? mine is rusted though really bad, ill get pics asap, im thinking i might just have to get like some side skirts to cover them up! knew i should have washed the car more often then i did. gotta love all the salt and shit on the roads in ny winters

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 12:26 am

well on my dd I was honestly thinking of cleaning up the rusted area, spraying it with some primer then filling in the dent with expanding foam, shave it to size, putty over and paint. cheap and ghetto ftw!

FAC3L3SS · Post by **FAC3L3SS** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 12:29 am

That, or I tried once with some weakass JB Weld. It'll take some time and effort for a result that has no definite time frame for how long it'll last. Only real way is to have a new sheet of metal welded in and whatnot. Even that is not permanent, either.

1972demon · Post by **1972demon** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 6:26 am

sidepipe87 wrote:well on my dd I was honestly thinking of cleaning up the rusted area, spraying it with some primer then filling in the dent with expanding foam, shave it to size, putty over and paint. cheap and ghetto ftw!

X2 done it before, does last too long though

Post by **occasional demons** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 7:35 am

The only real way you'll fix that, if they are gone, is to replace them all together with new rockers, or good ones from a donor car. Either way, it is not going to be cheap. The brutal truth is it will prolly cost less to get a neon in better shape.

Such is life in the rust belt. It's either have a winter dedicated car, or take extreme measures to help it as much as possible.

But unless you only drive it in the summer, and have a heated garage to store it in the winter, it is not going to last.

Washing it prolly wouldn't have done much but give it another year. I'd bet it rotted from the inside. The only thing you could have done if you got it from day one, is to strip the interior, and spray some rust preventer like LPS 3, or the like into every nook you could. You might need to drill small holes to spray into the rocker area from the inside where the carpeting hides them. Then pray some idiot doesn't total it for you...

cbjones26 · Post by **cbjones26** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 7:36 am

hmm, i want something that is gonna last a while, and something i can do myself if possible. and i want it to look good!.lol

Haganracing · Post by **Haganracing** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 1:38 pm

There really is no quick fix.. To fix this you would have to cut the rust out and replace it.

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 3:23 pm

or do the ghetto solution I posted and take your time and do it "right". If it has surface rust and isn't swiss cheese yet, take it down to bare metal and start from there.

j-king · Post by **j-king** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 3:28 pm

just by some from the salvage yard thats your best bet

cbjones26 · Post by **cbjones26** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 8:14 pm

^ this pic is upside down oops..

not the best but thats what it looks like from my blackberry!

Haganracing · Post by **Haganracing** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 10:26 pm

Oh, just scrape that shit off all the way to the last of the rust.. POR over it and youll be safe.

http://www.por15.com/POR-15/productinfo/1GB/

welches · Post by **welches** » Sun Jan 10, 2010 9:49 pm

a cheap fix to make it "look" pretty is duck tape and that green fiber filler used it on the G/F's car for safty and also threw some rubber rocker guard on it looks like a pro job. not a great fix but will do a good cover up... just saying.

cbjones26 · Post by **cbjones26** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 12:44 pm

here are better pics first is the driver side second is the pass side, and its like this on the whole rocker panel, anyway to fix this for less then $500 ???

theTeejmiester · Post by **theTeejmiester** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 3:10 pm

^^^ no way for under 500.

cbjones26 · Post by **cbjones26** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 3:24 pm

ooo i just found out how to fix this myself, i just need to find someone with a welder, buy some sheet metal and some bondo and rivets and a few other things, i was told i can do this for less then 100 in materials?...... ill let ya know how it turns out, and how much they where off buy cost wise!

theTeejmiester · Post by **theTeejmiester** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 3:53 pm

good luck to you then

cbjones26 · Post by **cbjones26** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 4:01 pm

ya im gonna need it.lol.

acr · Post by **acr** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 4:21 pm

add some sideskirts, to cover it up IDK

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 4:25 pm

Just a thought for ya. If you have access to a welder, why not buy new rocker skins?

Right side, part #5066464AB...MSRP $192.00

Left side, part #5066465AB...MSRP $207.00

It will be more money for parts, but it will be factory parts that will look like new. No rigging required.

srtgtr34 · Post by **srtgtr34** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 5:34 pm

I'm surprised that the neon is actaully rusting, It must have been hit there or someone had to have tinkered with it because with all the anti corrosional stuff chrysler did to the neons its pretty rare to see rust like this.

Panhead · Post by **Panhead** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 7:25 pm

Danteneon wrote:Just a thought for ya. If you have access to a welder, why not buy new rocker skins?

Right side, part #5066464AB...MSRP $192.00

Left side, part #5066465AB...MSRP $207.00

It will be more money for parts, but it will be factory parts that will look like new. No rigging required.

What he said is that way I would go.

Post by **occasional demons** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 7:47 pm

occasional demons wrote:The only real way you'll fix that, if they are gone, is to replace them all together with new rockers, or good ones from a donor car. ...

Danteneon wrote:Just a thought for ya. If you have access to a welder, why not buy new rocker skins?

See, we Mods tend to think alike.

New/used preformed metal is going to make your life much more enjoyable. If you had the proper equipment to roll/brake sheetmetal, then it might be a bit easier than rivets/bondo/sheet metal, but nothing beats the actual part.
Just lay the new skins against the rockers, mark and break out the cut off wheel. Then weld some tabs in there to weld the new piece on. The seams could then be welded up. Just alternate back and forth to keep from warping the seam. You may want to bend both ends in where it butts to give room for filler. Unless you haz mad skills welding, you want to have enough weld left after grinding it smooth to hold.

cbjones26 · Post by **cbjones26** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 7:53 pm

Danteneon wrote:Just a thought for ya. If you have access to a welder, why not buy new rocker skins?

Right side, part #5066464AB...MSRP $192.00

Left side, part #5066465AB...MSRP $207.00

It will be more money for parts, but it will be factory parts that will look like new. No rigging required.

^..... im taking this is dealer only? or is there a place i can buy these online?

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 8:27 am

You can order these through your local dealer.

I feel bad Bill, I didn't read your post closely enough to see that you had already suggested that. I suck

Post by **occasional demons** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:53 pm

That's because I rambled on too much.

cbjones26 · Post by **cbjones26** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:32 am

well i went to my local dealer, and gave them those part numbers, and they told me the cant get any type of body panels?.... i hate NY, i went to eissbrothers a local junk yard they dont have any in stock but they say they can get them for 260+ tax per side.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 11:49 am

WTF? That the dealer would say that makes no sense. They showed plenty at one of the depots when I checked the pricing. I think they are feeding you a line of crap personally.

Post by **occasional demons** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 12:24 pm

Home Log In Your Account Catalogs Auctions Shopping Cart Order Status Contact Us About Us Policies

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Part Number: 5066464AB List Price Core Price Your Price

Pillars rocker and floor - Center pillar and rocker - Inner rocker Inner rocker Right - 2000-01 2001
$192.00 $0.00 $135.70

Part Number: 5066465AB List Price Core Price Your Price

Pillars rocker and floor - Center pillar and rocker - Inner rocker Inner rocker Left - 2000-01 2001
$207.00 $0.00 $146.32

www.wermopar.com

Fug 'em Have them shipped to your door. Unless shipping rapes you.

cbjones26 · Post by **cbjones26** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 1:33 pm

ok its gonna be about $314 shipped!! im gonna order these now, why is the right side cheaper then the left ? is there that big of a diff in them?

cbjones26 · Post by **cbjones26** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 8:31 pm

ok well i never did order these off line, i was able to find some from a good donor car that someone had on here, $50 for the rocker panels both sides and then 40 for shipping b/c i wanted them fast so 2 day delivery! ill have them tomorrow says the fedex website, now to find a mig welder bc the person i was gonna have weld them in is off on a business trip and wont be able to do it for 2-3 months. anyone know of any places that rent mig welders by the day??