Rat repair.

[7dee2]

With both Rick & Vic your repairs are looking great Mike. I've been getting the same 3M N95 ones from HD.

[GASoline71]

Good progress Mike!

I've been slacking on mine since deer and elk season was in full swing. But now back at it before Steelhead season kicks in!

Gary

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

Good progress Mike!

I've been slacking on mine since deer and elk season was in full swing. But now back at it before Steelhead season kicks in!

Gary

Where do ya Steelhead at?? Up north like the Sky?

Oh Thanks for the comps everyone!

[GASoline71]

Skykomish and the Skagit/Sauk. Also make 2 to 3 trips a year over to the OP to fish the Coastal rivers.

Gary

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

Skykomish and the Skagit/Sauk. Also make 2 to 3 trips a year over to the OP to fish the Coastal rivers.

Gary

Cool, I used to fish the Cowletz, Puyallup, frequently for steelhead, and all over the place for salmon but kinda burned out on it a while back.

Hate to admit I have taken a few days off from the truck and it's been really nice out..... 🙄

[GASoline71]

I grew up fishing the Puyallup and the Cow. Haven't fished either of those rivers in over 25 years.

Now we mainly fish for salmon in the salt out of a boat with downriggers.

I got some more done on my rig this week and it feels awesome.

Gary

[swamp rat]

After taking a week off I got back on it today, I started with replacing part of my shop floor LOL! getting a bit muddy in my work shop..

I finished welding in the floor, firewall pinch weld and inner kick panel, also went under the truck and welded more on the inner rocker, then I had to cover the inside floor of the cab with a tarp and brought out a small heater to bring temps up enough to spray some primer on the welds, once dry I applied seam sealer, did this to both inside, outside and underneath.

[swamp rat]

OK, This outer rocker is a POS! way worse than the last one! beginning to wonder if a trip to Olympia is in order again for a better one, the biggest problem is the body line under the door, I also had to slice the front part of the rocker and bend it out of the way just to get the front close to fitting into place, in the front pictures the rocker is still about 3/8" out from the lower A pillar...

[GASoline71]

I feel your pain on the rockers brother.

I had to cut the entire front off of mine and fabricate my own "front". Also the rear was a b!tch to line up as well.









Gary

[swamp rat]

Before I cut the passenger side apart I made references to where the lower edge of the outer rocker was in relation to the rear cab corner and also took a measurement from the bottom of the lower door hinge to the same edge in an attempt to make it easy to maintain the lower door body gap.

I have mounted the outer rocker, it needs to be sliced and pie cut yet but it looks like there is quite a gap between the top of the inner rocker and the sill plate where all the spot welds join the two together. I know of course that the door will need to be remounted to finalize fitment.

My question is would it be absolutely imperative that the inner rocker and outer rocker be touching and spot welded in this area along the bottom of the door? I know if its not welded its going to flex if someone stands on it while getting in and out of the truck ect. (Did I just answer my own question??)

NOTE: On the driver side the outer rocker nested to the inner rocker in the sill area before I even pie sliced it for the final weather strip flanges to fit.

[swamp rat]

Humm, trying to determine if I should do a pie slice at the weatherstrip or if it would be better to do one along the outer edge of the A pillar ( just to the right of the screw)

Driver side was done at the weather strip, but as the outer rocker sits right now the gap at the floor is wider at the front by at least 1/8"

[swamp rat]

Rocker is clamped on the bottom, front fender is in a little which tells me the front of the rocker has to go in a little, that would make the gap in my last post showing the inner rocker/floor to the outer rocker closer.

[swamp rat]

How about a little bit of both... . still a little difference in tha spacing between the inner floor and outer rocker but I can live with it, I'll need to use a washer on the fender.

[swamp rat]

One in the back too..

[rgunlock]

That's looking pretty good to me Mike. Way to make those roughed-in pieces work for you!

[swamp rat]

Thanks again!

Went out to test Fit the door and discovered a crack by the upper hinge, guess I'll test Fit tomorrow. I thought it would weld right up but two spot weld attempts in the center reviled that it was too thin, most likely from the hydro press stretching the shell too thin, had to cut/grind back to better metal and fab a patch, glad I have a stud puller to weld on a handle!

[7dee2]

Making good progress, looks good!

[swamp rat]

ON the driver side when I installed the outer rocker I just pulled the bottom in and spot welded it in place doing so pulled the rocker surface inward and I had to fill with bondo.

Looking at this side I think a better solution will be to do some "adjustment" to the flange at the rear, a little stretch about 1" from the door line, then a pie cut and re weld down lower to get the outer rocker contour closer to the stock cab corner.

1st pic not pulled in, 2nd pic pulled in, 3rd pic not pulled in.

If you had to do an adjustment in this area this can you enlighten me on what you did?

In the hustle for the holiday, may not be getting a whole lot done for the next week.

Happy Thanksgiving!

.

[Vic1947]

Your last photo highlights the problem the best. It appears the rocker isn't formed with the angle needed to match the pinch flange. At this point, I'd try to insert something thin and sturdy at the bend as a stop. Then see if you can gently move the flange that's hanging down, upward and in by using a 1x4 block on a floor jack. With the rocker already welded in place elsewhere, your options are limited.

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

Your last photo highlights the problem the best. It appears the rocker isn't formed with the angle needed to match the pinch flange. At this point, I'd try to insert something thin and sturdy at the bend as a stop. Then see if you can gently move the flange that's hanging down, upward and in by using a 1x4 block on a floor jack. With the rocker already welded in place elsewhere, your options are limited.

There is always the option to go buy a different outer rocker, at least this time i can inspect before i buy it. especially as this one is only screwed in place thus far.. I'll fiddle with it a bit and see what i can come up with.

[7dee2]

My C10 project had a similar issue, ours got a pie cut to make it fit.

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by 7dee2

My C10 project had a similar issue, ours got a pie cut to make it fit.

That's a big slice of pie! I'm hoping I'll be able to do a couple small relief cuts in that rear flange and carefully bend a conture into the lower part to match the cab corner, then bend the flange to align with the inner rocker. Who knows, I may have to do the same after I'm done! We'll see, but first massive house cleaning before Thanks Giving because I'm such a slob LOL!

[swamp rat]

Well true to word I haven't touched the Rat this holiday, but I did clean the house for company on Thanksgiving, took care of 90% of the shopping and cooking for T day.

Yesterday I installed a 2" front lift, today the 1" rear blocks on my daily driver 2005 Dakota, then drove it down to get a new set or tires because my current set of Geolanders are almost slicks. They were sold out of my first 2 choices Goodyear Duratrack and BFGK02, ended up pre paying and ordering a set of Goodyear Duratracks In the next size larger than stock, should have them installed around next weekend. Wanted to try something different than Yokohama Geolander and BFG. I have spent a couple weeks researching tires, they required to be an all terrain with the snow 3 mountain peak symbol because my geolander tires were good in fresh snow but not on compact wet snow

[GASoline71]

Mike, what seam sealer are you using on the cab floor and on the rockers?

Gary

[saltynuke]

Mike,

Just finished reading the entire build thread so much great information you're putting together. Quick question, is your radiator overflow tank an OEM replacement or just a generic kit?

Thanks,
Shawn