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ICTrains
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2011
Posts: 95
Location: South Alabama
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 Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2014 6:42 pm Post subject: Rocker Rot |
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Noticed some rust on my DS rocker today while working in the wheel well. Hit it with the wire wheel and viola, rocker rot. Not bad compared to others I've seen and just one more little spot to repair. However, there's debris packed in behind it, which undoubtedly caused it to rot out. I thought about drilling a hole (~5/8") on the underside to vacuum the junk out and just leaving it (plugged of course). This will allow me to clean that out if anything else accumulates there. But I've never heard of anyone doing this so I'm hesitant without the input of everyone here.
Thoughts?
FYI: I've already filled the little triangular holes in the door jams.
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JohnD
'73 Thing
'16 Wrangler JKU
My Rebuild Project
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"If you take something apart and put it back together enough times, eventually you'll have two." |
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NOVA Airhead
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2005
Posts: 5221
Location: Richmond, VA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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If you are going to cut out that area for a repair patch that will provide access. The vacuum will work but you might also want to consider compressed air or a magnet on a long handle used for fishing out parts - even rusty metal will stick.
Good Luck.
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Your rocker rot isn't bad at all! The two Things that I own both have rot in this exact spot. As far as debris, don't be surprised if there is a mouse nest trapped in there. Before you cut a hole, there should be an access hole with a steel plug at the bottom of the inner fender well that is about the size of your thumb. Remove it and you might be able to somehow vacuum it out. |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50334
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| Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 7:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Drill a hole and flush the "H" out of it with a garden hose. |
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Shoyrtt
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1009
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| Drill a hole and flush the "H" out of it with a garden hose. |
I did that to my pan before sending it off to be sandblasted. I raised the front of the pan as high as I could on my friend's forklift (I actually got it completely vertical) to make sure all of the water I pumped into it came out. Maybe for the rocker, you should jack up or put the car on an incline so that water doesn't get trapped up front and more rust issues.  |
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ICTrains
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2011
Posts: 95
Location: South Alabama
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| Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not really sure how much "H" is trapped in there amid the other debris, but it's gotta go too. 
I have the body and pan separated now and tilting it at any angle is not an issue with my hoist setup. I found the hole mentioned above and think that a combination of compressed air and water might be a good solution here.
Then it's just a matter fixing the holes.
Thanks for the input everyone.
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JohnD
'73 Thing
'16 Wrangler JKU
My Rebuild Project
Thing Rebuild Threads
"If you take something apart and put it back together enough times, eventually you'll have two." |
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4118thing
Samba Member
Joined: July 26, 2016
Posts: 120
Location: WNC
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| Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 5:05 pm Post subject: Re: Rocker Rot |
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| I realize this is an old post, but I have the same question. Does anyone have a cross section view of what is inside the rocker tunnel. I'm getting ready to do a patch, but it s really not very big, and before I cover it, I'm curious of what strength is inside. |
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Semper_Dad
Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2005
Posts: 3509
Location: Indiana
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4118thing
Samba Member
Joined: July 26, 2016
Posts: 120
Location: WNC
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 6:43 am Post subject: Re: Rocker Rot |
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| That helps, a lot. Looks like there is no bracing, at either end. |
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4118thing
Samba Member
Joined: July 26, 2016
Posts: 120
Location: WNC
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 6:44 am Post subject: Re: Rocker Rot |
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| That helps, a lot. Looks like there is no bracing, at either end. |
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lqqkatjon
Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2013
Posts: 36
Location: St. Cloud, MN
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 9:37 am Post subject: Re: Rocker Rot |
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the mouse nests are tricky, they can be really crammed up in there and do not always let loose. Lots of log wires with hooks, air, vacuum, ect... bigger access as you can reasonably do. I had/have rust, and had to cut a pretty large hold to patch, and was surprised to find more of the mouse nest up in the rocker after I had spent a bunch of time pulling stuff out of a smaller hole.
now that i have it pretty well patched up, there is still a larger hole when I cut some more rust out, in the bottom of the rocker that you cannot see without getting on the ground. that will be my future access to keep track of what is going on in there. I am also going to spray the heck out of the inside of the rocker with Eastwood internal frame coating.
another tool that is getting cheaper is a scope for computer/usb:
https://www.amazon.com/Crenova-Megapixel-Endoscope...=USB+scope
can be used to see what you have for junk in the rockers. |
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