Rocker Panel Construction
Thanks!
Just curious if anyone knows how these are put together?
Looks like it's a big beam that is made to fit snugly inside the rocker assembly, but is not directly welded to the tortion bar crossmember or rear subframe assembly like subframe connectors are. So it stiffens the standard rocker assembly from the inside, and then they used the same rocker assembly stampings they used for the 2 doors?
Imagine a pile of separate stampings. If the rockers were built as sub-assemblies the order would be:
1. Put one outer rocker onto a table into a quick and easy holding fixture.
2. Place thick inner reinforcement into place and spot weld to outer rocker. (self locating) Convertibles only but could possibly be in station wagons, don't know.
3. Place inner rocker in place and spot weld and fillet weld as required.
4. Remove weldment and stack onto cart for transport to assembly line.
As the body moved down the line, additional parts were welded into place. Notice how the floor lays on a ledge formed into the inner rocker. Those were spot welded in place.
The best way to replace floors is to drill out the spot welds, clean and prep ledge, place and clamp new floor in place and spot weld or plug weld as required. Very easy to see with the new floor on hand.
The torsion bar crossmember welds to the inner rockers. You can see the construction after the floors are removed. I welded short 1/8" bars on the inside of the T-bar crossmember and welded them to the top of the T-bar socket to stiffen the anchors. Once the T-bar crossmember starts to rust, the sockets twist out.
