2008 Rocker Panel Rust Options

Hi All,

Asking for some some advice. I have an '08 Tacoma that got a frame replacement (prior to me) in 2019. Mechanically, it's still in great condition. I bought it while living on the East Coast and brought it with me to the West Coast when I moved.

I'm looking at some considerable rust on the rocker panels. It's mostly hidden from view (at this time.) So the truck still looks okay. I had a ~2.5" piece fall off in my hand when I touched it. My question is....

-Is there a reasonable solution to rocker panel rust?
-Where's this going...aesthetically the truck still looks okay. Mechanically, I feel good about owning it for another 100k miles. But I don't want to spend a pretty penny for control arms, front suspension, rear drums if it's going to start falling apart.

 

What you see is only part of the rust that actually exists. Only way to fix it [really fix it] is to cut all out it out back to good steel and weld in new rockers and such. Problem is, once you start, you'll quickly find yourself cutting, and cutting, and cutting some more to find that good steel. It's why rust repair tends to get real expensive real fast or if you do it yourself, to be prepared to take the time to strip the truck far further down then you might like and spend weeks or months cutting, grinding and welding before you ever buy primer and paint.

It's why rust free vehicles command so much more then one even a ''bit'' rusty, damage is almost always far more severe then initially thought. You are at the dump it now or spend a lot of time and money on it or drive it into the ground stage.

And nothing is going to come apart on that truck without the use of a gas ax, grinders, hammers, impact tools, and some ''vocal encouragement.''

 

@lynyrd3

 

OP, how did you address? Do they make replacement rockers?

 

@stonybrook did you ever do anything about the rocker panels? I’m in almost the exact same situation and trying to figure what option to move forward with.

 

Took mine to a back yard body man. Cut out the old and weld in the new. It’s a terrible job and not many people like laying in their backs and have rust fall on their face or weld splatter or whatever it’s called burn them constantly

 

I haven’t found a solution. Just keep driving it, enjoying it.

It’s not worth a body shop to fix everything, so if anybody knows a backyard body guy that might be ideal

 

I drive down to Baja frequently. Have entertained the idea of doing it there. But don’t have the time or $$$ for it yet.

 

I’ve been trying to figure out what to do with my Tacoma…06 that runs great and had a frame replacement, but the body is starting to get eaten up by rust. I think for now I’m just going to hose down the inside of the rockers with fluid film (or something like it) to slow the rusting and maybe in a year cut it all out and weld tube steel in their place.

 

I did the rear diff with POR15, and RP342 on the body. It looks better, but I know it's still there and still bad.

 

its under the paint