I've got quite a bit of rust and holes on my drivers side rocker panel on my 1995 Legacy L. I know there are no direct replacements for it so I was trying to think of some ideas to repair it so it will pass a Pennsylvania state inspection.

 

I was thinking about getting a piece of sheet metal as long as the panel and riveting it about a half inch below the doors and folding it under and finding something to rivet it on to. Then, fill it with expanding foam, Bondo if needed, and paint.

 

Suggestions? Other ideas?

Edited May 9, 201213 yr by mattocs

good idea with the rivets, bad idea with the expanding foam as it will harbor a rusty environment. find some sheet aluminum such as box truck or trailer skins.

 

the less bondo it takes to cover up the repair, the better.

Bondo gets messy, so I like to avoid it, but I'm sure some will be required. I thought about the foam holding water and helping along new rust., but also about the foam filling the void and not allowing water to pool in there.

 

I need to figure out the thickness I need. I need it thick enough to be sturdy but pliable enough to wrap around. The entire area is about 70 inches long and I'd need it about 8 inches wide so I can wrap it around all the way.

 

I'm painting both rockers with bed liner coating.

Aluminum is very forgiving and can be hammered down to meet contours.

 

you will want to install rivets in the middle and work towards the end.

 

getting wet inside is no big deal as long as it can drain out. what you don't want is dirt, crud, and leaves hanging out anywhere as this is what keeps it moist and causes rust.

Yeah, I am looking for 18 or 20 gauge aluminum. I need to find a place in Pittsburgh that sells that kind of thing. I'll have to make a few phone calls tomorrow.

Go to an office supply or thrift store and look for aluminum clipboards. They work great for small projects and repairs and are pretty inexpensive too.

Edited May 6, 201213 yr by Crazyeights

I found an online source that does custom metal. For a 70" x 9" .040" thickness aluminum it will be about $35 shipped. That isn't bad.

 

I don't know if I should bend it over the pinch weld or bend it in the shape of the pinch weld. Bending it in the shape over it would be a pain in the rump roast. I'll probably just bend it right over it and have a 1" lip on the other side of the weld and rivet it there.

 

Perhaps I will just pound the pinch weld flat, or what is left of it (the parts that have not rusted off..)

Edited May 7, 201213 yr by mattocs

Sorry, didn't know you needed such a large piece;) Good luck with the repairs.

It is all pretty rusty. I don't want to patch here and there...i'll just do the entire length.

I would make it end at the edge of the seam weld and rivet in. maybe make it a little longer to serve as a drip edge. Wrapping it around may trap moisture.

 

you could maybe use some sort of epoxy or butyl sealer between the metals to prevent water behind the layers.

Quick question involving rocker panels and lifting the vehicle...

 

As the car cannot be lifted by the rockers now, what lift points should I recommended to any garage that would put the car on a lift?

Here is a picture of the rust. This is the drivers side rocker near the rear wheel. Sorry its upside down..

I place the jacks on the pivot for the cntrol arm and trailing arm if lifting the side of the car. do not stand the car on the end of a control arm so that the suspension is unsprung instead of loaded on the jack stand.