replacing rockers

[1Fast340]

need to replace the rockers on my duster atleast partialy but after alot of thinking and looking i have noticed that they seem to be a real pain to replace is there any special advice on doing this job?

what i have figured out so far is

i will have to get the floor out of the way to be able to change the insides of the rockers.

i will have to weld some good subframeconectors in before doing this job.

will probably end up changing the whole rockers while im at it even if they are mainly rusted to crap in the front and back while the centers looks pretty solid.

how do i get to cut out the spotwelds where the leafspringmounts attach to the rockers?

would it be stupid to put some square profile into the rockers? would weld them to the crossbars where the front and rear subframes go out to the rockers and to the underside of where the floorbords attach basicly using square beams as bottom and inside of the rockers.

anything more that i may want to think about? this is not a stock type restoration its more of a fun overpowered streetstrip toy

i apreciate all the input i can get on this subject since i couldnt find much looking thru all the thread in this section and the rockers seem to be a pretty complex design in the first place with lots of layers to look at

 

[dbphemi]

Some pictures of what your trying to repair might help. Auto Metal Direct sells the inner and outer rockers. You have to drill out all if the factory spot welds holding it to the floor and a and b pillars ,spring mounts,wheel wells.
You'll need a good mig welder, lots of free time and patience .
I wouldn't cut out anything you don't have to. Do it with the car sitting on its suspension. Use the door to line up the new parts.

 

[Tony Fields]

need to replace the rockers on my duster atleast partialy but after alot of thinking and looking i have noticed that they seem to be a real pain to replace is there any special advice on doing this job?

what i have figured out so far is

i will have to get the floor out of the way to be able to change the insides of the rockers.

i will have to weld some good subframeconectors in before doing this job.

will probably end up changing the whole rockers while im at it even if they are mainly rusted to crap in the front and back while the centers looks pretty solid.

how do i get to cut out the spotwelds where the leafspringmounts attach to the rockers?

would it be stupid to put some square profile into the rockers? would weld them to the crossbars where the front and rear subframes go out to the rockers and to the underside of where the floorbords attach basicly using square beams as bottom and inside of the rockers.

anything more that i may want to think about? this is not a stock type restoration its more of a fun overpowered streetstrip toy

i apreciate all the input i can get on this subject since i couldnt find much looking thru all the thread in this section and the rockers seem to be a pretty complex design in the first place with lots of layers to look at

Thought you were talking about these. ops:

 

[rjsjea]

I would not do it sitting on "its own suspension" as suggested above. That sounds like a lot of lying on your back with a welder and grinder in your face. Brace up the door opening and start drilling out the spot welds if your removing the floor.

Not sure about a square profile. Might look pretty chunky down there

 

[1Fast340]

unfortionaly it will be hard to get any good pics,i have a pretty small garage and the jackstands are not very tall and i belive it will be lots of ours on my back on a cold floor no mather how i look at it:/

the more i look at the job the more i think that the worst part will be to find an angle to be able to reach the spotwelds holding the leafspringmounts to the rockers,i just cant figure out how to get a spotweld cutter in there without cutting the spotwelds from the outside,basicly having to cut out both layers forming the outer rocker just to get to the spotwelds that are under the car.

i have time,and patience simply because i have to,and a fairly good MIG welder only a 220volt,i would gues its similar to what is offered in the US as 110volt welders that i believe will do the job,im fairly confident in my welding skills since i weld quite alot where i work but thats a bigger 380 volt welder.

lol at the pic,i sort of wish it was "that" kind of rockers,much easier...

thanks for the help this far and feel free to ad more if you think of anything,will try to post some pics as i get further into this project.