[brookman007]

I have an 83' Chevy Silverado, short bed. I need to replace rockers and cab corners. Anyone have any experience with this work? I am trying to figure out an approx. cost. I have a friend who is a mechanic and his body man is going to do it on the side.

Thanks in advance,

John

 

[coolhandluke]

cab corners I've done takes about 3 hours or so of test fitting before you weld them in. never replaced rockers though. sorry I couldn't help with guesstimating the cost

 

[Standox]

I have an 83' Chevy Silverado, short bed. I need to replace rockers and cab corners. Anyone have any experience with this work? I am trying to figure out an approx. cost. I have a friend who is a mechanic and his body man is going to do it on the side.

Thanks in advance,

John

ive been I painter for over 20 yrs, I,ll get you exact cost tomorrow if you l like

 

[brookman007]

Standox- That's really helpful, but please don't go to too much trouble.

Thanks again !!

 

[brookman007]

cab corners I've done takes about 3 hours or so of test fitting before you weld them in. never replaced rockers though. sorry I couldn't help with guesstimating the cost

Thanks for the info coolhand, much appreciated

 

[coolhandluke]

just remembered, the bed of the truck and the filler neck have to be undone so the bed can be slid back.

 

[Standox]

just the bottom cab corner section with a rocker panel, aftermarket is under 100

to get a entire cab corner from roof down you will have no choice but to go used which is fine, or section in just the bottom

 

[brookman007]

just the bottom cab corner section with a rocker panel, aftermarket is under 100

to get a entire cab corner from roof down you will have no choice but to go used which is fine, or section in just the bottom

Thanks much, labor is the primary cost for this work, right?:thumb:

 

[Standox]

http://www.lkqcorp.com/us/en/auto-light-truck-parts/collision-repair.aspx

this is probably the best place to call for aftermarket stuff, they have every piece of sheet metal replacement

 

[bearhawk]

Just done the rocker panels and cab corners on my 1981 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup. The cab corners was very easy after I unbolted the bed and jacked it up and put some wood blocks between the bed and the frame and slide the bed back to the rear a couple feet. I tig welded every thing.
Took about the same time for the rocker panels and I also installed new inter fender wells and one new front fender. All the parts were very cheap at a local business that sells panels for all trucks.

 

[patdaly]

Rockers are a crap shoot, many times you have inner rocker work as well. Figure 5 to 8 hours per side labor plus paint.

Doing it right can get expensive.

 

[neo71665]

Rockers are a crap shoot, many times you have inner rocker work as well. Figure 5 to 8 hours per side labor plus paint.

Doing it right can get expensive.

This, that body style most often needs inner work done and if its 4x4 I can almost promise it needs inner work done. I almost cringe everytime one rolls in to my shop but they are a pretty popular body style around here right now.

 

[brookman007]

This, that body style most often needs inner work done and if its 4x4 I can almost promise it needs inner work done. I almost cringe everytime one rolls in to my shop but they are a pretty popular body style around here right now.

To do both sets of rockers, cab corners and wheel wells what would you guess a ballpark labor cost to be? I have no experience with this and want to make sure the costs I get are "in the ballpark". Thanks a ton for the info.:thumb:

 

[last1standing]

why not just look for a rust free cab?.....if they exsist

 

[riverrat]

I just replaced the right rocker and cab corner on my '98 GMC last fall. I removed the box, and cut out the rusted areas. The rear portion of my rocker was the only rust, so I cut it about 1 1/2 feet from the rear and cut the new rocker in the same area to butt it up flush. I cut a short section off of the remaining front part and used it as a sleeve inside the rocker to join the old front with the new rear section. I used a body panel adhesive to join everything together. The rocker has to go on first, then the cab corner wraps over in the door jam. The adhesive is very strong, but also hardens quickly. The new cab corner, I underlapped right where the trim molding goes. It took very little bondo to make it strait. Now I need to do the corners on my '78 chevy. It never ends here in the salt belt.

 

[patdaly]

To do both sets of rockers, cab corners and wheel wells what would you guess a ballpark labor cost to be? I have no experience with this and want to make sure the costs I get are "in the ballpark". Thanks a ton for the info.:thumb:

See, that's the problem, most shops are doing collision work, they don't want to play around with rust work because of the time and cost.

Most shops around here are 55-60 bucks an hour, so you can have 600-950in labor just for the metal work, add a couple hundred minimum for materials, plus the cost of the panels.

Rust work SUCKS, and most decent shops price it out of sight because frankly, there are much easier ways to make a living.

One thing to consider, you might have the rockers and cab corners roughed in, and spray bedliner from the moldings down, that way you save a bunch on finish work and it doesn't show.

 

[neo71665]

To do both sets of rockers, cab corners and wheel wells what would you guess a ballpark labor cost to be? I have no experience with this and want to make sure the costs I get are "in the ballpark". Thanks a ton for the info.:thumb:

I've been burnt on blind estimates, what you think might just be rocker panels could very easily turn into needing the whole floor replaced. If it in indeed just rockers and a cab corner i would charge around $300+ depending on the current cost of the new sheetmetal. That does not include paint. Thats a whole new headache trying to match old faded stuff. Sometimes its easy and fast to do resulting in cheaper prices.

 

[neo71665]

why not just look for a rust free cab?.....if they exsist

You change the vin number (the biggest headache), the labor (time) to swap the interior, and the biggest labor (time) is getting all the body panels to line back up. You then have the little things like hardware because you are gonna break and strip bolts nuts, and trim clips. If you are lucky the new cab has good glass, if not new windshield weatherstrip and the cost to swap it. If the back glass weatherstrip is in good shape it often can be reused. I've never seen a windshield rubber reused come out good.


If his problem is only rockers and cab corners with no hidden issues its faster and cheaper to fix. Even if any hidden issues pop up as long as its not the whole floor needing replaced its cheaper to fix. Cab swaps are a last resort and not cheap. I'd suggest finding a good truck rolling chassis to put his motor in before trying to swap cabs.

 

[Standox]

why not just look for a rust free cab?.....if they exsist

we do that all the time, just picked up 2 06 Jaguars one for a parts car and one to fix