Rocker panels

[hardhead]

I have a 66 stepside I'm restoring and I have run into a problem with the right side. I replaced the outer floor, foot well,and cab corner. When I got ready to install the rocker I have no clearance between it and the bottom of the door. I have measured and scratched my head and cannot figure out what is wrong. I did the left side and everything looks good. I thought maybe the cab dropped and the roof was closer to the floor pan but after measuring everything I can think of there seems to be no difference in either side. The parts are from LMC. I haven't been very pleased with the fit of anything except the footwells. Any ideas ?

[twistedgeartim]

i hate to tell ya, but from what little i know about replacement parts..... be VERY careful, as a lot of them are made overseas and no quality control as we know it here. the parts probably were made wrong to begin with, meaning you'll have to fabricate the correct panel yourself.

[Scooter3]

Well I hate to throw mud in your face but, you should have put the rocker in first. Everything aligns off the rocker. If the rocker is out of alignment your gonna have an extremely difficult time getting the door and the fender corner to line up with rest of your truck. Also...I have had alot of difficulty with LMC's patch panels. The rockers are actually bigger then the stock ones and the only thing right with the floor boards are the placement of the cab mount bolt. The cab corners are not right either. OH and if you do get this all to work and you used the big main floor board patch panel do NOT get the inner rocker panel..it is made to the floor board panel.

[hardhead]

A little persuasion with a 4lb mammer and a block of wood and everything lines up nicely. The LMC cab corners really do suck but if you take your time you can cut and weld and make them work.

[Scooter3]

Yeah thats what had to be done to my cab corners to get them to work. I think a man with a shrinker stretcher could make them better.

[srvblues]

I also have the rockers and pillars and floor pan sections and the kicks to do I was going to weld a piece of tube metal across the door opening, so when I cut out the rockers ai'm hoping to keep the shape of the cab?. I'm also taking the cab off so I can lay it down for better access I also have to replace the braces. Im using a cheap HF welder, Im thinking on running a 220 in the garage and buy a miller welder. Or just pay someone but whats the fun in that! any help would be great Thanks Jeff

[hardhead]

From my little experience this is how I would do the job. Take good pictures of the fit of everything. When you go back together you will be asking yourself was this like this before ? Remove the rocker and install the new floorpans first. Tack only ! Then tack in the new A-pillar. Tack in the new footwell. Check the fit of the rocker. I installed mine with self tapping screws temporarily. When you cut out the old cab corner leave at least 1" of old metal all the way around. If your corners are not very bad only replace the rusted area,not the whole thing.