Cab Restoration
It was time to get onto what I originally thought was the only cab restoration work I would need to undertake: rocker panel replacement. This tutorial starts sort of "mid stream" because I've already removed the rocker panels using my sawzall, air-powered cut-off saw, and grinder zippy-cut disc.
Here is a look at the side of the cab, propped up for easy working, with the rocker panel removed. You will note I started on the passenger side. If I don't get it 100% right and looking 100% like a factory job, then I'll not have to stare at it every time I get into the vehicle. I would rather make small errors on the passenger side so that I have honed my craft somewhat by the time I make it ot the driver side.
Now, it might be instructive to show what rocker panel replacements I am using. Some people buy the ones that run from just inside the door post to just inside the other door post. I prefer to use the ones that go partway up the cab. Here are a pair of new vs. old rocker panel photos to show you the difference:
Kind of a huge difference. Also, if you are wondering how I knew what metal to cut out of the cab, then wonder no more! I had no idea at all. The only thing I could think of was to put the new rocker up against the side of the cab, trace it out with a felt marker, and cut along the line with painstaking precision. That is exactly what I have done. Now, with a little grinding and trimming of the rocker and cab, I am able to mock up the rocker panel and where it will go. See the image below:
You can see it pretty much fits rigth into place. Now, this is the part that guys always screw up on. It is very important to measure up your rocker panel location BEFORE YOU WELD the damned thing. You need to bolt a door onto the cab, onto the hinges, and test that it opens and closes without binding or without large gaps. You don't want water pouring in while wheelin unless you are really in the muck, and you don't want simple rain water blowing in when some dude drives through a puddle beside you. My way of determining proper clearance (to allow for the weather strip as well) was to go to my friend's truck with some moulding clay (plastecine) and putting a lump in 3 spots along the bottom, 3 spots along the top (left, right and middle), and closing the door. I then removed the plastecine and measured how thick the blobs had been compacted to by the door. Plastecine holds it shape well so you can pull it off and it retains it shape. I then used a Vernier caliper to get a good read on how thick it was.
Thickness of the moulding clay was around 1/4 inch but was as close at 1/8 in some areas. Now I have to go back to my truck and install the hinge and door and open and close it while doing the same process to determine how much clearance I have. This might sound like a pain in the ass, but it really is a pretty simple system that takes only a minute or so. What happens if I have it wrong? Well for starters, in an extreme case the door might not close. In a less extreme case I might have screwed up body lines where the door gaps are, or might have suble wind whistles, drafts, or inlets for moisture and therefore rust. I don't want to do this process again in 5 years, so I am going to do it right.
Here is a photo (taken with a cell phone - I was a tard and forgot my camera) with the rocker held into position with those same fancy patch-panel clamps from Eastwood:
Once the gaps are sufficient, I tack the rocker into position and then immediately try closing the door again and ensuring that the gaps are maintained. The welds contract as they cool. Not much, but it might be enough if the tolerances are close already to make the door bind or possibly not close at all. Once I have tacked it firmly in place I try one more test close. If it is all good, then I start to lay a bead down more generously.
I did the same thing with this panel that I did with the floor panel replacement pieces and cab supports. I want to mimick the spot welds with full penetration, so I drilled holes all along the inside ridge of the rocker panel so that once it is tacked into position firmly, I can weld through the holes and combine the weld pool of the underlying metal with that of the rocker so it is like a 100% penetration spot weld (you normally wouldn't get that type of penetration using a spot weld). I was unable to retrieve the picture for the first side from the cell phone, so I'll do so with the other side.
You will note that despite having to do the cab corners, I have done the rockers first. Why? Because the original body line is still in tact on the cab corner. Once I have the rocker all straight and correct, I'll weld in the cab corners to match and the entire lower ridge of the body line will be in the original position.
Here is another shoddy picture of the inside of the welds:
You can see the spots that I welded through on the inner lip of the rocker panel. I'll be grinding them down smooth and using a finishing putty to make the surface flawless so you cannot even see them.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION SEPT 24th, 2006 LAST UPDATE