Rocker panel dent

2022 Tacoma had three weeks and already picked up a dent driving down a rocky dirt road. Must have perfectly hit a rock to fling it up into my rocker panel. Any hope for a somewhat easy repair on this? RCI sliders already ordered a week before this took place.

 

Damn

 

Have a beer, or two, but three would be better. And forget about it.

 

I don't think so.

But ask a local PDR person what he thinks. It's possible he could at least make it better.

But I'd not bother actually doing anything until the sliders arrive and you clamp them in position for a test look. Just to see if they distract your eye enough not to fret over it.

 

Only way to fix that one is with a stud gun and bondo. That section is too strong and has very limited access for a pdr person to fix.

If your not too worried about it, I would ignore the dent, but repair the paint thats cracked.
If you have to get it fixed, its going to be a full on body shop and paint repair.

 

Am I the only one that doubts a thrown rock would do this? How fast would you have to be traveling for your tires to kick up a rock with enough force to do that?

 

No your not the only one, the impact pattern of that dent shows that is was a side impact that would be impossible for a rock getting kicked up. The lack of paint damage also makes it look like its not from scraping/landing on a rock.

If I had to guess this is from sliding into a tree stump or pole.

 

I second this suggestion.

Rocker panel repair ain't exactly a cheap or easy fix. Better to just say it adds character and be proud of it. Maybe come up with a better story to tell anyone who asks.

 

Not at all.

It would be quite unusual.

 

Sorry OP!

 

Are you sure you didn’t hit something while off-roading?

 

Last I heard a Tacoma is a TRUCK. It's meant to have dings and scratches because of use...Unless it's a "show car"

 

Mine likes to be both a show car and a truck with dings and scratches. Is that okay too?

 

Now if only toyota knew that and provided factory TRD dents for their customers.

 

That is not from a rock thrown up by your tire. Somebody hit your truck while it was parked somewhere?

 

Had to have been a rock. I’m in Colorado and was headed back down a rocky dirt road after a hike. Wasn’t any crazy off-roading as there was a RAV4 at the trailhead too. Was probably going around 25 mph at the time. The road was snowy and icy in places so I was in 4H. Not sure if that contributed to having a rock get kicked up hard.

Anyway thanks for the input. May just leave it since I got it as a camping truck. Just hate to have a dent when I haven’t even made the first auto loan payment lol.

 

Like holes in jeans.

 

If that was caused by a rock being kicked up the paint would be fooked.

 

I slipped into a rut and did similar damage to mine.

The fix was $350 at a body shop that has done work for me in the past (pretty friendly with the guy). That's on the very low end of the pay scale.

They welded studs to it, pulled it out, and resprayed. Can't tell mine was even touched.

Like you, sliders were on the way. Should be a 3 day turnaround on the body work.

 

OP you want a perfect repair? Relief cut dent stud gun and Slide hammer , weld it. Do your mud work (Bondo) prime and match color paint. That’s area is hard just to stud gun relief cut makes metal work easier.
Good luck