The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop replacing rocker panels

I’m about ready to fix the floor of my 66 C 10. I need to replace inner and outer rocker panels and a lot of the floor. I don’t have a mig or tig and so I plan to lap braze the whole thing together. Someone told me I should take the doors off and braze pieces of angle iron across the door opening to keep it from contracting so that the door will fit when I put it back on. So my question is… should I take the door off and add the angle iron across the door opening or will it be OK without the angle iron?

I didn't, done two now-left the cab/body bolted to the frame usign new mounts, doors fit just fine. Prolly depends on how much you are cuttin out. I used a MIG to weld up holes I drilled in the rockers to simulate the factry spot welds.

Sandcaster,

I just replaced most of that on my 64 back in the spring and did take my cab off the frame. I also braced up the cab real good from back to front and side to side. I am not the expert but I was going off of what some of the other folks said to do. If it were me I know I would brace it up again. I would be too worried I would warp something with out it. Like Brian, I used a MIG welder. I have had pretty good luck with it so far. I know nothing about brazeing so that may be a cooler process with less chance of warpage.

I thought there was some deal with using braze welding with auto body repair? I was thinking you should not braze because it really did not fuse the metals like a MIG would. I don't know, I thought I had read that somewhere.

Like 64Fleetside, I didn't use any bracing when I did my rocker repairs. Check out my story on the website, and you'll see just how far you can go without worrying about fit when it all comes back together. Just take your time and be patient. These old trucks are very forgiving.
DJ

Borrow a MIG or have someone stand by with a bucket of water and rags to cool off the weld area when you braze. Too hot and you'll warp. Go slow alternating from one side of the rocker to the other and keep it cool.