Autobody Advice - Welding

[MacMcMacmac]

How successful do you think I might be trying to MIG weld in a replacement set of rocker panels on my 09 Focus?

Nobody, and I mean NOBODY makes replacement rockers for the second generation Focus. This is disheartening, as mine have all but disappeared after 8 Ontario winters. The rest of the car is nearly untouched, and it has only 120,000km ( ~70,000 miles) on it. As usual, the body gives up the ghost long before the drivetrain. I can't bring myself to dump the car when it has performed flawlessly for me since 2010, the front stabilizer struts excluded, since they seem to need replacement yearly.

I was planning to make up some of my own, since we have a sheetmetal brake and shear at work. I think I can make up a set from 3 or 4 straight, flat sections that could be welded in separately, then tacked together along the seams. However, I have never welded anything like this before, and sheetmetal seems like a recipe for a bad time. I do have access to another 2009 Focus with pristine (as far as I can see) rockers with a smashed in front end. Maybe it would be easier to cut them out and have them welded in?

The car is in that grey zone where I'm not sure how much money it is worth putting into it, yet it seems like there is plenty of life left in it.

 

[kd3pc]

likely more cost effective to cut them from the donor car...

 

[lilredex]

Make them if you can, start with a short practice length to see how it goes. Probably not a wise idea to cut them out of another 09....you already know the weak area of those driven in Ontario.

 

[jamesemery728]

Check out Gibson63 on Utube. He has a lot of MIG welding videos on a couple of pickup trucks that he is restoring. Most of the videos involve him welding and fitting parts which he does quite well. Go to a junk yard and pick up some metal and just practice with it until you feel like you can handle it on your Focus.

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[MacMcMacmac]

Make them if you can, start with a short practice length to see how it goes. Probably not a wise idea to cut them out of another 09....you already know the weak area of those driven in Ontario.

True. But the kicker is I see some with way more miles on them than mine and there isn't a spec on them. Almost like Ford had different suppliers for the same part, and the quality wasn't the same between them.

 

[Kaizen]

You'll have to take apart the floor and padding. I've made my own and welded in but it ***** unless you have a lift. Getting it to stick and last is the issue. Making them is easy as you can't see much of them.
They don't recommend it but I had good luck putting on rockers on my f150 with panel bond. Not sure if yours is structural.


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[MP&C]

Multiple pieces will mean multiple welds, for more shrinking and distortion. If you can find an original OEM or suitable reproduction, welding the replacement in using spot welds or plug welds will result in far less distortion than a bunch of welds putting parts together.

 

[yhprum]

Searching google I found a few replacement rockers, here is one:https://www.appleautosparts.com/oem...g0Ures9poEm9tYclZOV2l3wf_l6ByXuBoCoDEQAvD_BwE

 

[countryroad82]

Another alternative to welding would be to use panel adhesive and weld the ends. Just food for thought. I didn't look at yhprum's link but something I've had to do in the past when a rocker wasn't available and it was going to take more work (time, time is money for me and my customers) to fabricate a set is look at other vehicles that are similar that you can adapt them to yours. I recently had to do this for a Ford Expedition, the rockers were gone on the vehicle and no one made a rocker. Ford would sell the entire side of the vehicle for $1,100 iirc. So I studied a quad cab F150, while it was different on the bottom (where nobody will ever pay attention) the topside and side was very similar. So I ordered a set and made them work, a few relief cuts to make it match up and after reinstalling the running boards after painting and unless you know what to look for nobody will ever know.