I would have a look at this thread:
Homemade Rocker Repair

Also, for the bedliner thing, do you think biting the bullet and doing colourmatched Line-X would be something you would consider? Expensive, but still considerably cheaper than $2000 for new rockers all around.

 

If you had real bedliner applied and not the can stuff from a part store they can color match it... which would still be cheaper than replacement. Just buff them down and prime it first at minimum. Even the canned stuff you can paint over... just have to deal with the color chipping off.

 

To clarify - I'm not getting color matched liner. It would just be the black stuff from the auto parts store. I've done it on several other trucks, and it usually runs $100

 

depending on your state laws. rockers are cosmetic. anything you will do to them will be a band aid outside of replacing them. i have a 99 nbs and i opted to replace them as i'm keeping the truck for as long as possible.

 

Well if you want to go the cheap way out you have to deal with black rockers lol.... or be a baller and buy a rattle can of the color close to your truck and paint over it after you roll it on.

 

My vote is to let the body shop fix it when they are doing the rest of the repairs.

 

That would be ideal... Just not in the budget right now

 

My vote is to let the body shop fix it when they are doing the rest of the repairs.

I agree. If you halh a$$ it, its going to come back.

 

Well........ I guess getting an estimate won't hurt

 

Maybe you can talk nice to the body shop. Ive had insurance claims and had some extra work done that was put on insurance companies tab.

 

I suggest taking whatever money you plan on spending to fix the rust and tossing it in a fire. The one and only way to repair rust is to remove and replace. If you aren't going to do it right don't bother. Any other actions is like treating cancer with ibuprofen.

 

Also, Ive seen people do it and suggest doing it, but whatever you do, dont use an expanding foam to fill gaps. That stuff will hold moisture, and accelerate the rusting process. As mugumbo said, just cut it off.

They make outer rocker patches and overlays, and if you don't have access to a welder, you can use a bonding agent to glue it in place. For your budget, that is probably the best thing to do. But before you mount it on, cut as much of that rust off as possible, and treat anything you don't cut off. Then once its on, upkeep it, and continually spray fluid film, used engine oil, or just anything that will prevent rust up into the rockers via the drain holes to prevent any new rust. And as far as finishing the outside of the patch, prime it really well with a primer sealer, and then the bedliner. And if you have the money, apply POR15 first before the primer.

I just posted a thread a few days ago on my repair, but mine was a bit labor intensive and in depth exterior/rocker-cab-corner-and-fender-rot-replacement-t485210.html. I use just run of the mill rattle can bed liner though on my rockers, cab corners, and fenders, and upkeep it every few months. Cheap and easy to maintain.

 

Awesome write up! I'll give it a more detailed look when I get more time. Thanks!

 

Solve the problem by buying a new truck lol.

 

Seeing as you have an ar-15....

Load a nice m855 penetrator in there and unload a few mags on the engine. Then take to nearest scrap yart. Problem solved.

On a more serious note with that bed fiberglass damage I see in the pics I'd personally do one of two things.

1) do your bedliner idea and just keep in mind the rust will eventually poke through and come past the bedliner. When that happens you can just keep touching it up. Price wise that's about the best compromise you're going to get.

To help stop the rust as well I personally drilled holes in the top of the outside face of the rockers so that I could properly spray the insides of the rockers with oil based rust protectant of your choice.

2) if yu really love the truck go all the way. Get the bed fixed wheel wells fixed and rockers. Have it all repainted and make the truck look new again. It won't be worth it resale wise in the future necessarily but if you really like the truck and care how it looks maybe it would be worth it to YOU. There's a guy on here named Brian who had rockers, front and rear wheel wells and a ton of other rust fixed on his 2000. Was that really financially worth it compared to buying a newer rust free truck? Probsbly not but in the end he got exactly what he wanted with brand new paint and metal despite the age and high mileage on the truck.

 

I like what you said about what matters MOST to me- seeing as I'm on the schedule next month to get this stupid deer damage repaired, I will go ahead and see what they say about prices for the rockers. Anything else is just a temporary band-aid, and if they make me a sweet deal, I'll go ahead and pull the trigger.

 

rockers rust from the inside out. covering them will only prolong the problem. Get an estimate. If the rest of the truck is in good enough shape rust wise, a rocker investment might workout.

 

I'll go ahead and pull the trigger.

So I guess you liked my ar-15 idea!! Be sure to film it lol

How many miles are on the truck?

rockers rust from the inside out. covering them will only prolong the problem. Get an estimate. If the rest of the truck is in good enough shape rust wise, a rocker investment might workout.

Keep in mind starspangled the rockers themselves aren't usually that expensive it's all the labor. Don't one if your into welding, cutting, grinding metal type stuff but if your a hands on guy and want to take on the project if you buy the preshaped rockers it's basically alot of cutting and then all you have to do is weld the new ones in, grind down the welds and a body shop could take care of the rest.

If you play your cards right you can drive the truck still while you do it if that's an issue cause the rockers are mostly cosmetic ecept the part where the ex cab door latches on the bottom.

 

That`s a good looking truck.I think I would try to come up with the money to get it done right. You won`t be happy with it if you take the cheap way out. It`ll look better and probably get you a few extra bucks when you sell it in 4 or 5 years.

 

I'll go ahead and pull the trigger.

So I guess you liked my ar-15 idea!! Be sure to film it lol

How many miles are on the truck?

rockers rust from the inside out. covering them will only prolong the problem. Get an estimate. If the rest of the truck is in good enough shape rust wise, a rocker investment might workout.

Keep in mind starspangled the rockers themselves aren't usually that expensive it's all the labor. Don't one if your into welding, cutting, grinding metal type stuff but if your a hands on guy and want to take on the project if you buy the preshaped rockers it's basically alot of cutting and then all you have to do is weld the new ones in, grind down the welds and a body shop could take care of the rest.

If you play your cards right you can drive the truck still while you do it if that's an issue cause the rockers are mostly cosmetic ecept the part where the ex cab door latches on the bottom.

I love doing that kind of work, and have gotten fairly good at it, but time and space to do it is the issue (blame it on work). Might be able to work something out if I do all the prep work first...

 

Called 10 different shops within an hours drive of where I'm at, and only one would give me an estimate. $4000 to do it is what they came up with. I don't think it's a rip-off, but that's about $2000 past where I need to be, if I wanted to get anything out of the truck when it's time to sell or trade it in a few years. Thoughts on what to do next? I'm leaning on leaving it for now, and maybe this fall or next year just going with the $200 DIY bedliner option , and just re-applying it as needed.

 

I'd just drive it and enjoy it. At this stage in the game, any money you put into it you will never get back out of it.

 

Yeah, I'm resigned to that path.

 

If they aren't rusted through, grind the rust down to bare metal (carefully!), rough the whole rocker up with a Scotchbrite to your mask lines, and spray it with rattle can GravelGuard. Mine are, but then again my truck is black. :lol: You might even find a close color match of GravelGuard, I never looked for it though.

Seriously, black rockers would look better than rusted ones.

Rusted through, not much you can do but make it sorta better and possibly slow it down.