Inner to outer rocker weld
 

While under my truck the other day installing the step rails, I noticed that the body shop did not weld the inner rockers to the outer rockers. In fact, it is worse than that. From what I understand, the inner rocker should match up to the outer rocker and be spot welded together along the bottom flange. Well, what they did instead, is cut the inner rocker so that it sits just above the flange. From the outside, it looks decent. You see the flange, don't see any double metal (cause there is only one layer) from the inside (under the cab) you can see the inner cut just above the welding flange and not attached to anything.

Structurally, or long term, will this be a problem? does the weld add strength to the outer rocker? I guess it seems like it really would. The truck is all painted. I have had it back from them for a while now and just never noticed this. I'm not a body work person and wouldn't have thought to even look for something like this. I only noticed it because I was putting on the step bars. I have not been driving the truck yet, so I can's say that it has or hasn't been an issue, but want some opinions of other's who would actually know.

Re: Inner to outer rocker weld
 

OMG! WTF ?!

Instead of drilling the spot welds out they likely just cut the original rockers out at the flange and didn't bother to fab. new metal back onto the inner rocker.

The rockers are a 'box-beam' and that shape is crucial to a stiff floor and door frame, so yes, without the third side tying the whole triangle together (looking at the rockers in cross-section), the floor, the rocker, the door opening and the whole cab will not be as stiff as it should be.

The good side, if there is any, is that it'll be easy to keep from rusting (easy to wash out with that gap), and strength-wise it's really no worse than a cab with rusted-out rockers.

But Yikes !

Re: Inner to outer rocker weld
 

It is all new steel. They replaced the outer couple inches of the floor. I bought the pieces that includes the outside four inches or so of the floor, front to back. This piece also includes the inner rocker. I had at first also thought.... well, good, that should help let moisture out. But honestly, the gap is so close where they cut the inner rocker, that it isn't going to help let the moisture out. One side is closer than the other. I think it probably could be welded from the back side, but that will certainly ruin the paint.

I at first didn't think that it would be a big deal. Then the more that I started to think about it, I started to think that maybe structurally, it should be welded. This really stinks. So close do being done with the truck and now I have to deal with stuff like this.

The shop was trying to change hands at the end when I had my truck in there. They were great to work with at first, then it started getting weird. In the end, I think they just wanted to get my truck out of there, and, I sort of did too, in fear of having it held up in the middle of some sort of legal battle. I have found so many things that they didn't do really all that correctly. most have not been that big of a deal. maybe this is.

Re: Inner to outer rocker weld
 

Yup that's cardinal rule #1 for any of us who've ever done bodywork and paint
"Everything has to be Perfect before the paint goes on".

The good thing here is if it's still relatively new paint, and hopefully not a custom paint mix ? (or candy, pearl or flake ?) blending shouldn't be a big deal, especially down there, using rocker to fender and cab corner seams and door-opening as natural breaks can hide a lot of sins.

It sucks but at least it's fixable.

Re: Inner to outer rocker weld
 

It is a custom color, but at least it is a black. I would think that it should be able to be blended in pretty easily. Any idea how many welds should be on either side, or is it just something like one every inch or so?