Over the last week I have been going over my car for a full detail and upgrade. Inside out front to back.
Last night I got around to the rockers and figured I would share my pics. The rockers were "clean" as you wash the car, yet with the sponge reaching you could feel/see it was still very dirty, caked on and would not come clean with standard washing. Figured I would remove them to properly clean them. I wont be driving the car daily or in bad weather and after a few years of use from the previous owner I thought its a perfect time for me to detail the car.
Removal only takes about 5-10 minutes each. Super easy.
1. Start by removing the 4 plastic torx screws. You may need to use a panel popper to put pressure from behind them so they unscrew, when they do, pop the platic torx screw along with the plastic insert out as one.
2. Remove the 2 10mm bolts at the front of the panel.
3. Remove the 2 jacking pucks. There is a large flat blade screw insert that unthreads and pops out from the center of the puck. Then pop the pucks off with with panel popper.
4. Unsnap the panel and remove.
- The panel is snapped to the car right behind the front wheel and infront of the rear wheel. There are white plastic pop clips under the panel in the door jamb. (I will add pics later) There are two "painted screws" that stick down from the body through the panel into the jacking pucks, so removal should go as follows.
- Unsnap the front and back by the wheels.
- Pull the panel from underneath the car down towards the ground and out towards you to clear the 2 painted screws that go down through the puck opening.
- Open the door and unsnap the panel with the white plastic clips.
- Remove the rocker panel.
Few pics:
Panel removed with mounting hardware
Attachment 48622
3+ years of caked on road grime
Attachment 48623
The back side of the panel Yes that is even dirty. Notice the points where the panel snaps to the rocker of the car, front and rear.
Attachment 48624
And cleaned, I used Turtle Wax bug/tar remover. I coat, soak, scrub and repeat. I did that about 4 times per panel. I still need to claybar and apply my 3M paint protection film.
Attachment 48625
Figured I should whipe down the rocker anyways. Notice the attaching points for the rocker panel front and rear. You can hardly notice the painted screw where the front puck would be. Pointing down to where all the dirt fell on the ground.
Attachment 48626
Here is the door jamb with the panel removed, notice where the clips snap in place.
Attachment 48627
Attachment 48628