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Replace rocker panels on an LT with running boards?

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 8:17 am
by SteveTR6
Has anybody attempted to replace an entire rocker panel? My passenger-side rocker is almost completely rotted away, thanks to GM's brilliant installation techniques for the factory running boards. It seems the the running board assembly is designed in such a way as to trap water, mud, road salt, etc between the steel rocker panel and the fiberglass upper cladding where the running board mounts up beneath the doors. Add 6 or 7 years of Chicago road salt, and PRESTO the running board cladding is now hanging in space. I had the driver's side rocker replaced under the factory rust-through warranty, but they basically refused to do the passenger side at that time. The body guy at the stealership insisted the passenger side was in "great" shape and wouldn't do it. He also commented that the driver's side would have cose me "at least $1800" if I had to pay for it, which probably goes a long way towards explaining why they wouldn't warranty-replace the passenger side. So now I'm left with a van that looks great except for the passenger rocker. I can buy a new replacement for under $100 from Raybuck. All I need to do is remove the old remains and weld in the new one, then put the running board assembly back on. Sounds pretty straightforward, but I'm a pessimist so I know there's got to be some heinous secret hidden in there that makes it virtually impossible to accomplish.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
Steve

Re: Replace rocker panels on an LT with running boards?

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 3:55 pm
by 1Gary
Steve-look under the van where the rocker mounts to the body.There is a round component that is part of the unti-body frame between the sub frame and the rear section frame.Take a small screw driver and try to poke holes in it to look for rust.It traps water once the rocker rusts out and will rust from the inside out.