F250 rust repairs

dieselcrawler · Aug 20, 2014

Today's efforts were focused on modifing 2 inner rocker panels for a standard cab truck to fit our ext cab. I over lapped them about 1/4 of the lenth, and cut in such a manner as to be able to use the door curve from the scrap piece of the front part on the rear section, as it needed moved back about 1.25".

Fitting them together in place, then tacking on the welding bench to keep them straight, then checking fit in place, then back to the bench to weld in solid and grind smooth the maiting surfaces. Result is a reasonable fit, and straight as I could expect.

Inner rocker panels.

Rear door curve

Mid panel splice

Nice and straight (or close enough to it!)

Rear door curve modification

End result in place

drizler · Aug 21, 2014

Holy crap. That's one project if I ever saw one. Even here in Northern NY I haven't seen a truck that rusty, wow. Where on earth did you get the ninja skills to fab all those parts like that? It's not something that one just picks up playing around.
Here is another one in the FWIW department regarding that new crap they use on the roads in places. Luckily they don't use the junk around here . About 2011 the started spray coating the roads in nearby Quebec. They don't seem to do it all the time, more for black ice formation conditions. It's some watery spray that sticks to the road and lasts all night and such. I suppose it works great but the after effect is a layer of brine that coats everything . It looks like white wash and sticks about as well. The truck drivers I used to see nightly said it took a pressure wash to remove the stuff. I know I tried to wipe one off a couple times with my hand and it wouldn't budge. Imagine that, having your car completely seam sealed in sodium brine that won't readily wash off. GM must just smile.

dieselcrawler · Aug 21, 2014

I was able to get the inner rocker panel for the driver side in half the time... was done by lunchtime! I did a few things a little different and was able to lessen the heat warp. Turned out better than the first one.

My furry helper today... lucky to not get steped on!

You can never have too meny c-clamps...

This shows the miss-alignment of the back of the door opening

I trimmed up the cab corner, primered the cab mount, and some other misc little tasks that needed taken care of for the afternoon.

dieselcrawler · Aug 21, 2014

Drizler, ironcly, thoes 'ninja skills' you think I have come from a natural inclination towards geometry, and 25 years of working with my hand using gods given talents. I like doing things right, and I like fab work. Been building bumpers for my trucks for 20 years.

radioman · Aug 22, 2014

looking really nice!

dieselcrawler · Aug 22, 2014

Focused on the right rear cab corner today. For some reason they only sell pieces, not a complete section like is available for std/crew cabs. Fitting the exsisting section I was forced to remove for access to the inner cab corner to the outter cab corner and rocker extention took all day. But I'm happy with how it turned out. Little filler/putty will be needed.

I trimmed it back to this when removing the rocker panels.

All fitted together, held with screws, ready to weld.

Welded together and ground smooth

Here is the end result... still removable, which will allow coatings to be applied inside.

tcartwri · Aug 23, 2014

Again,, very nice work. How do you find the fit and thickness of the replacement panels? I bought new rockers for my jetta and they are at least half the thickness. Kinda threw a wrench into the job.

dieselcrawler · Aug 23, 2014

Fit has been good, and thickness is comparable.

varmint · Aug 25, 2014

Yup, good, solid work! I had a '72 Ford 1 ton Camper Special that spent most of its life in Indiana... it had the same problems you are fixing, and I had to let it go in Kansas in '82, on a monumental road trip that ended in B.C. I think the guy who bought it was going to patch up the cab enough that it wouldn't drop to the ground. Here in Maryland, they are using beet juice to de-ice the roadways- some blend, that at least isn't just salt, maybe to keep salt out of the Bay. Sadly, a lot of salt is still used as you go towards Penn., 'cause it's cheap.