Rocker Panel Patches

[MistaGavin]

I saw I had two rocker panel patches missing which exposes primer and holes in the rocker. One other looks like it’s barely hanging on.
These just look like stickers with undercoating and paint over top.

Not sure if this was from car washes, road spray, or crazy temperature swings over the winter going from the garage to -40.

Anyone have some tasteful/smart recommendations to keep junk out? They’re going to get covered with gorilla tape temporarily.

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[MistaGavin]

Hello, Im searching for similar information, did you already find anything?

I peeled one off and confirmed they are nothing more than clear stickers with undercoat and paint sprayed over.

I ordered some white rubberized waterproof tape that should hold just as well or better. Not ideal, but neither is Ford’s method.

 

[acmepa]

Wow, almost like access points you'd see for a rustproffing wand to get in there, but those access points are typically under a vehicle. Fortunately you caught now before it has too much element exposure

 

[Tooold]

Bump.
We just found these yesterday when at the ppf shop. This is an important area that needs protection from rock chips. The ppf guys and I are concerned if they cover the whole rocker including the holes and or the painted stickers, that water drainage may be effected and cause damage to the rocker or adhesion issues for the ppf.

Does anyone actully know what the purpose of the holes and the stickers covering the holes are?

I don't want egress of water and dirt into the holes to cause rust over time. Yet I don't want to cover the holes with ppf, plugs or line x type product if that is going to trap water.

Any one with knowledge on this subject?

Thanks

 

[indio22]

Bump.
We just found these yesterday when at the ppf shop. This is an important area that needs protection from rock chips. The ppf guys and I are concerned if they cover the whole rocker including the holes and or the painted stickers, that water drainage may be effected and cause damage to the rocker or adhesion issues for the ppf.

Does anyone actully know what the purpose of the holes and the stickers covering the holes are?

I don't want egress of water and dirt into the holes to cause rust over time. Yet I don't want to cover the holes with ppf, plugs or line x type product if that is going to trap water.

Any one with knowledge on this subject?

Thanks

Shoot, hadn't noticed those rocker "patches" before. My Bronco has them as well, and in one case looks like two patches were applied kind of haphazardly over the same hole.

I'm not sure you'd get much drainage out of those holes even if they were open. You might even get wet mud and stuff thrown into the rocker to cause problems later.

But it's something to keep an eye on, rust from the interior out has been a problem with body and frames on some of my older vehicles.

 

[MistaGavin]

Bump.
We just found these yesterday when at the ppf shop. This is an important area that needs protection from rock chips. The ppf guys and I are concerned if they cover the whole rocker including the holes and or the painted stickers, that water drainage may be effected and cause damage to the rocker or adhesion issues for the ppf.

Does anyone actully know what the purpose of the holes and the stickers covering the holes are?

I don't want egress of water and dirt into the holes to cause rust over time. Yet I don't want to cover the holes with ppf, plugs or line x type product if that is going to trap water.

Any one with knowledge on this subject?

Thanks

I wouldn’t hesitate to cover them in PPF. They aren’t supposed to be removable as far as I can tell, though a few of mine fell off and had to be replaced.

 

[Tooold]

Shoot, hadn't noticed those rocker "patches" before. My Bronco has them as well, and in one case looks like two patches were applied kind of haphazardly over the same hole.

I'm not sure you'd get much drainage out of those holes even if they were open. You might even get wet mud and stuff thrown into the rocker to cause problems later.

But it's something to keep an eye on, rust from the interior out has been a problem with body and frames on some of my older vehicles.

Agreed. Thank you for adding a picture. I should have grabbed one myself to post. I hope someone with insight into the matter can post up. I can see this being a bad rust/cancer death spot for our rigs down the road. I'm thinking some sort of rust inhibitor applied inside the rocker would be a good starting point. I'm debating if sealing the holes better would cause more harm than good?

 

[Tooold]

I wouldn’t hesitate to cover them in PPF. They aren’t supposed to be removable as far as I can tell, though a few of mine fell off and had to be replaced.

Mine Are not missing, however several are flapping due to poor adhesion.

 

[MistaGavin]

Mine Are not missing, however several are flapping due to poor adhesion.

I had a couple barely hanging on as well that I replaced. Wouldn’t hurt to squirt a little fluid film in there before PPF. I wish I would have done that years ago on my 24 year old F-150.

 

[Tooold]

@MistaGavin. Before you sealed your missing patches, did you notice if there was any internal gussets/guttering to channel water to those holes? If there wasn't, they are not in a logical location to be drainage holes.

 

[MistaGavin]

@MistaGavin. Before you sealed your missing patches, did you notice if there was any internal gussets/guttering to channel water to those holes? If there wasn't, they are not in a logical location to be drainage holes.

Hmm, I didn’t really pay attention. I suppose I could remove one after work and see if there is any water or dirt trapped in there.

 

[Tooold]

yeah, I'm wishing I had pulled one off yesterday when the PPF shop had me stop by. I don't want you to have to deal with any resealing issues, but if that's not an issue and it's easy for you, it would be appreciated.

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