Build
simple, inexpensive, and effective Rocker Panel
Armor for your Samurai.
Here is a list of parts and tools you
will need to do the job. Metric equivalents may be used.
Depending on local costs, you should be able to build these
for around $75, U.S.
Parts:
12' of 4"x 4"x.250 steel angle iron. 8 ea. 7/16" x 1.5" grade 8 bolts 8 ea. 7/16" flat washers 8 ea. 7/16" lock washers 8 ea. 7/16" grade 8 nuts Cut-Off Discs Grinding Disc Fine Sanding Disc 1 can Primer Spray Paint 2 cans Black Enamel Spray Paint
Tools:
Drill motor ½" Drills to ½" Jack - Hi-Lift or Floor Vice Grips or Clamps Welder - Arc or Wire Feed Hand held Grinder
Safety:
Face Shield Gloves Fire Extinguisher
Start
by cutting two pieces of angle, 44.375 inches each, using a
cutting torch or cut-off wheel. Don't forget to wear your
face mask! These pieces will form the main protection for
your rocker panels.
Cut four more pieces,
each 11 inches long. These will form the "legs" or
mounting brackets. Lay each long piece on the floor facing
the way it would be when mounted on the vehicle: i.e. the
"open" part of the angles facing each other as if
the vehicle were between them.
Wwe need to remove some of
the material on the "legs" in order to ready them
for attachment. Using a grease pencil, make a mark on one
side of the angle 4.375" from the end.
Remove
the material from the leg where the white 'Xs' are in this
picture. Notice that the two 'legs' are cut opposite each other. Once that is done, set these aside for later.
Now we need to prepare the rocker panels themselves to
accept our new protection.
Remove the existing rocker
panel plastic facing on each side of the vehicle and save
it. (Someone is always looking for parts!)
Using an ¼ " drill bit, drill a
hole through each spot weld holding the metal mounting frame
that held the plastic rocker panel to the side of the body.
Try to put the hole in the center of the spot weld, if
possible. This will save patch work later. Remove the
mounting frame from the body and discard. Using a sanding
disc, remove any sharp edges left from the spot welds and
any rust found on the body panel.
Before
painting the area we just worked on, make a template of the
bottom of the fender flare. I used a piece of newspaper
to make one. We'll use this template to make the main piece
uniform on both ends.
There
are several ways to do this: I simply used my finger and
creased the paper along the edge of the flare and around
under it. Then cut the paper on the crease.
Measure the distance from the back of
the front wheel well to the front of the back one just below
the fender flare. This figure could vary from stock
depending on whether you have modified your front fender for
larger tire clearance. Subtract the length of the new skid
plate (44.375") from that figure, then divide by two.
We'll call this distance "A". That will give you
the distance to come in from each end of the new skid plate.
Make a mark there (on the new skid plate).
Using
a small mallet, flatten the body ridge (lip) under the edge
of the rocker panel. If you don't get this flat the length
of the panel, your new skid plate will not sit straight on
the vehicle.
You need to make one more measurement
before you can trace the template. Take one of the 'legs'
that you set aside earlier and press it up to the side of
the vehicle --as if it were the new rocker skid plate-- just
behind the front fender flare. Measure up from the bottom of
the 'leg' to the bottom of the fender flare. Mark that spot
and then measure the distance from the top of the 'leg' to
the mark that you just made. This is the distance that you
will mark on the new rocker panel piece in the same place.
This way you will know how far down the new rocker piece to
make your cut for the fender flare to fit into. This we'll
call measurement 'B'.
The bottom corner of the
fender flare template should be at the mark you just placed
on the new rocker piece. Laying the paper on the main skid
plate, trace around the cut-out area with a grease pencil.
Do this on both ends of each skid plate, turning the
template over for each opposite end.
Now you can clean, patch,
prime, and paint the area of the body on each side that the
skid plate will cover. While that is drying, use a cut-off
wheel or a cutting torch and remove the unwanted material
from the new skid plates.
The
finished edge should look like this. This is the driver's
side rear or passenger side front end of skid plate.
Time for a cold drink! You
earned it! J
By the time you're finished, the paint
should be dry enough to work around. Grab your high-lift
jack and one of the new skid plates and carry them over to
the car. Slip one of the new skid plates in place on the
side of the rig and hold it in place with the jack. Don't
use a lot of pressure, you need to be able to move it a bit.
Grab two of your new 'legs' (one for each end) and slip them
in place over the skid plate and up against the
rear of the front spring hanger and the front of the rear
spring hanger. Using vice grips or clamps, hold one of the
pieces in place while you tack-weld it to the skid plate.
Check out the pictures below to see what I mean.
Tack
the other end in place, making sure that they won't move
around.
Using
a 3/16" drill, make two holes in each 'leg' going all
the way through the spring hanger. These will be pilot holes
for the larger ones you'll drill later. Once all four holes
have been drilled, remove the skid plate and finish welding
the 'legs' on. Do the same for the other side. Using a drill
1/32" larger than 7/16" or 15/32", enlarge
the pilot holes that you just drilled in both the spring
hangers and the skid plates.
Grind all edges smooth and
clean and paint all sides of the skid plates. When dry, bolt
the skid plates in place using the high-lift jack method to
reduce back strain! Be sure and use the lock washers on the
grade 8 bolts.
This
is what your finished product should look like. Well, maybe
a little better than mine! One final option is to seal the top edge where the plate
meets the body with silicone to keep mud and dirt out. Notice
the gash on the skid plate in the picture above? That would
have been bad news if not for the protection!
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There
are several ways to do this: I simply used my finger and
creased the paper along the edge of the flare and around
under it. Then cut the paper on the crease.
Using
a small mallet, flatten the body ridge (lip) under the edge
of the rocker panel. If you don't get this flat the length
of the panel, your new skid plate will not sit straight on
the vehicle.
