Drip rails, go or stay?
 

I started the body prep on my '86 GMC and have some "Q"'s.

Factory drip rails, Should I shave them or put 'em back? If I shave them, what's the best way to fill the screw holes? Welding will leave bare metal inside the roof, I can't see any way to seal in side. Dimpleing and filling with "all metal", then normal surface prep, looks like the way to go if I shave them. Any tricks I should know?

What, if any problems will I encounter if I leave them off? Our normal Tropical Monsoon rains, here in so. Florida, have me concerned about water intrusion. What do ya'all think? Thanks, Paul

Re: Drip rails, go or stay?
 

unless your shaving everything on the cab i say leave them, dont get me wrong truck look sick with out them but just a pain in the butt if water starts leaking in...... so be sure all your seals are nice and tight.

Re: Drip rails, go or stay?
 

If you have to deal with even light rain, I'd keep the drip rails. Without them when you open the door the water on the roof doesnt just fall straight down but it can run like a river and go a foot or so to the inside of the cab. They are very useful IMO.

Re: Drip rails, go or stay?
 

Leave 'em....
BUT, if you decide to shave 'em, I'd just weld up the holes. It's not going to rust away. There's bare metal under there as it is (from the screw) and if it's just "dimpled" and filled with filler, it will corrode much quicker than a solidly welded hole.

Re: Drip rails, go or stay?
 

Leave them > my 2 cents

Re: Drip rails, go or stay?
 

leave em

Re: Drip rails, go or stay?
 

shave them makes it look so much better..but yes if its rainin watch for the water

Re: Drip rails, go or stay?
 

I would say with as much rain as you get in your area I would leave them, or really make sure they seal off good. Nothing like finding out later when rust starts popping through. There is a truck here in town that has them shaved, and is starting to rust in areas around the back of the cab where they leaked. Now it not only looks terrible, but it's a lot more work to fix the problem created.

Re: Drip rails, go or stay?
 

My '73 didn't come with them and I added them. I think you will wished you would have kept them if you get rid of them.