Anyone ever changed outer rocker panels on a Duster?

[Tim_K]

Anyone ever changed outer rocker panels on a Duster? The body shop said $300 per side, and I said F$%^ YOU, you bloodsucking M$%^&*@#$%ers!!! NO F$%^&*@ WAY!!! Well, I didn't actually SAY it, but I was thinking it. Actually, I was thinking of doing it myself, it looks like I'd just have to split a bunch of easily-accessed spot welds and that would be it. Right? Or are there more internal structures to take into account? If it is all an external kind of job, I could probably do it without much trouble. One side is rusted, and the other is dented. What do you think?

[70Ted]

isnt bad if are good with a mig welder.
but i think the rear area of the rocker is welder to the quarter panel. will take some skill/time to get it straight.

[This message has been edited by 70Ted (edited December 26, 2000).]

[CUUDA]

ITS REALLY NOT THAT HARD !
YOU NEED A MIG WELDER,WELD-THRU PRIMER,A GOOD PANEL-CUTTER (GRINDER)AND SOME WIT !

START BUY MEASURING AROUND 1" AWAY FROM THE REAR SEAM.SAME WITH THE FRONT.USE THE CUT-OFF WHEEL TO MAKE A CLEAN CUT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM,USE A SPOT WELD CUTTER(DRILL BIT)AND BEGIN DRILLING OUT THE SPOT WELDS AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE HEM FLANGE. BE SURE TO DRILL THRU THE FIRST PANEL ONLY ! IF YOU DRILL THRU BOTH, THAT JUST MEANS MORE WORK !(YOU WILL HAVE TO WELD THE HOLES AND GRIND THEM FLAT,NO HOLES!!!)
USE A COLD CHISEL AND A HAMMER AND SEPERATE
THE TWO PANELS.DO NOT TEAR THE INNER PANEL! IF YOU DO YOU WILL HAVE TO REPAIR IT WITH THE WELDER. USE A HAMMER AND A DOLLIE AND STRAIGHTEN THE HEM FLANGE (WHERE YOU SPOT WELD IT)REMEMBER ! ALL HOLES AND TEARS MUST BE WELDED AND GRIND SMOOTH!!!!!
KNOW GRIND 4"s OF PAINT OFF OF THE PEICE YOU JUST REMOVED (ROCKER).CUT THE HEM FLANGE OFF THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE OLD ROCKER.THEN,CUT TWO PEICES AROUND 1 3\4" IN WIDTH.SPRAY THE HEM FLANGE,THE TWO PEICES AND THE SURROUNDING AREA TO BE WELDED.
GRIND JUST THE BLACK PAINT AROUND THE AREA TO BE WELDED ON THE NEW ROCKER(MUST BE CLEAN METAL).DRILL AS MANY 5\16" HOLES AS THERE WAS IN THE ORIGINAL ROCKER ALONG THE TOP AND BOTTOM HEM FLANGE.COAT ALL AREA'S TO BE WELDED WITH THE WELD-THRU PRIMER.LET IT DRY!
NOW,BEGIN WITH ATTACHING THE TWO PEICES OF METAL THAT YOU CUT OFF THE OLD ROCKER,USE VICE-GRIPS AND ATTACH THE TWO PEICES ONTO THE STRUCTURE WHERE THE ROCKER PANEL GOES.TACK WELD THE PEICES AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM LEAVING ABOUT AN INCH STICKING OUT.THIS WILL BE THE BUTT-WELD WITH BACKING METHOD.VERY STRONG!
CUT THE NEW ROCKER TO THE SIZE OF THE AREA THAT YOU CUT OUT.YOU WILL NEED A 1\8" GAP ON EACH END OF THE NEW ROCKER.ATTACH THE NEW ROCKER WITH VICE-GRIPS AND BEGIN WELDING THE SPOT-WELDS."REMEMBER" TO WELD ONE HOLE AT OPPOSITE ENDS AND ALLOW EACH WELD TO COOL NATURALLY.
NOW YOU CAN WELD THE BUTT-JOINT,START AT THE TOP WITH A SPOT WELD AND THEN GO TO THE BOTTOM AND SPOT WELD IT.LET EACH WELD COOL NATURALLY!! WORK BACK AND FORTH FROM TOP TO BOTTOM WITH SPOT WELDS UNTIL THE ENTIRE GAP IS FILLED."REMEMBER" TO LET EACH WELD COOL NATURALLY."IF EACH WELD DOES NOT COOL,THE PANEL WILL WARP DUE TO OVERHEATING".
GRIND ALL WELDS FLUSH AND PRIME ALL AREAS THAT WERE WELDED WITH A GOOD ACID ETCHING PRIMER..YOU MAY HAVE TO SPREAD A LITTLE PLASTIC FILLER TO SMOOTH THINGS OUT.BUT,IF YOU TOOK YOUR TIME WITH THE WELDS AND GRINDED
THE SURFACE PROPERLY, FILLER PRIMER SHOULD BE ALL YOU WILL NEED TO FINISH THE JOB!!!!

GOOD LUCK,
CUUDA

[okie cruisers]

I think you need to asess your ability and what tools you will need to determine whether or not you can do it. If you have done any panel replacement before then it should not be a problem, but if this is your first attempt then paying the pro's isn't as bad as it seems. Depending on your local labor rate $300 is roughly 8 labor hours and I wouldn't do it for any less. Restoration work is harder than normal collision work and never goes as planned. Good luck.

------------------
Craig
2001 PT Cruiser
88 Ram 100
67 Dart gt Convertable
69 Dart Swinger
64 Valiant Covertable
81 Jeep Wagoneer

[sidlmopar]

Originally posted by Tim_K:
Anyone ever changed outer rocker panels on a Duster? The body shop said $300 per side, and I said F$%^ YOU, you bloodsucking M$%^&*@#$%ers!!! NO F$%^&*@ WAY!!! Well, I didn't actually SAY it, but I was thinking it. Actually, I was thinking of doing it myself, it looks like I'd just have to split a bunch of easily-accessed spot welds and that would be it. Right? Or are there more internal structures to take into account? If it is all an external kind of job, I could probably do it without much trouble. One side is rusted, and the other is dented. What do you think?

please take it to a shop your only good as the tools you have and 600 sounds cheap and if its wrong you can bitch you do it probably have more dents in it after you put the hammer to it I no i have a duster to and i did my body work it's ok but now i have to go back this summer and repaint some bubbles that come up

[sidlmopar]

Originally posted by Tim_K:
Anyone ever changed outer rocker panels on a Duster? The body shop said $300 per side, and I said F$%^ YOU, you bloodsucking M$%^&*@#$%ers!!! NO F$%^&*@ WAY!!! Well, I didn't actually SAY it, but I was thinking it. Actually, I was thinking of doing it myself, it looks like I'd just have to split a bunch of easily-accessed spot welds and that would be it. Right? Or are there more internal structures to take into account? If it is all an external kind of job, I could probably do it without much trouble. One side is rusted, and the other is dented. What do you think?

please take it to a shop your only good as the tools you have and 600 sounds cheap and if its wrong you can bitch you do it probably have more dents in it after you put the hammer to it I no i have a duster to and i did my body work it's ok but now i have to go back this summer and repaint some bubbles that come up