87xjco

Here's how I'm doing mine

First I cut out a section of my banged up rockers to see what it looked like inside

I decided I would cut at the black line on the top side



Then looking at the bottom, I decided to cut just inside of the pinch seam and I'll fold that lip up and weld the new 3/16" plate to it


After the cuts were made


Then I ground off paint from the edges that I'll be welding to, and I put some holes in the top edge for the spot welds. I also pre-folded the lower lip to the correct angle for the plate to set flat against it. Once I weld the top edge, I'll apply some force inward on the lower edge to snug up the two panels before I spot weld the lower edge.


I drilled holes along the bottom edge of the 3/16" plate, then clamped it up in place and started spot welding the top edge


Once I welded all the top spot welds, I then put a jack under the lower edge starting at the back, and pushed the plate up tight against the body and spot welded the bottom edge.


Since those bottom welds fill the 3/16 plate, I can grind those flat and still have plenty of the weld strength left. The upper spot welds I'll just kind of knock down the rough edges and still leave a little mound of weld material.


Here's a piece of the old rocker and it shows how much clearance I gained


I wanted to get some clearance on the doors to so I went to work on them




Did the same on both doors


Drilled and tapped a hole and used one of the original fender bolts


Following some good advise from others, I decided to add some support to the Rockers. My idea was to reinforce them from the inside.

Square tube goes thru the inner rocker in three spots and butts up against the boatsides, then is tied into the frame rails with bolts.


Tough to weld inside the tube!




Plate up top with bolts thru the rails, I'll eventually add some type of frame stiffner on the bottom

87xjco

Well there's certainely more reinforcement that can be added if desired to make these stronger, and going all the way to the rails would add strength for sure.

I finally started working on the right boatside (after several weeks )

This time I welded the tubes that go thru the rocker to the boatside first!



Then like the other side I first spot welded it along the top edge, and then used a jack to hold it snug along the bottom edge and welded it up



Inside

87xjco

Right side is finally done with a little bit of flames thrown on for fun!!


The right door was a little bit beat up on the bottom so it didn't fold as nice as the left side, oh well, I'm sure they'll get beat up more soon!!