Rocker panels: structural or not?

[Peter]

Hey all,

I was just under my 04 dodge stratus sedan the other day, and noticed some more rust on my rocker panels. I was doing some poking around with my fingers, and then my thumb went through the bottom of my passenger side rocker (near the center of the car)… I’ve seen MANY a dodge stratus driving in the rust belt with rockers that have practically rusted away, but since this is a unibody car I wasn’t sure if the rockers are a structural component (or just for looks).

I’m going to be buying a mig welding setup soon anyway, and my friend’s father is a welder with 30 years experience (who has offered to help me weld ’em in). So if they are indeed structural, I’ll bite the bullet and fix it properly. If they aren’t, I’d much prefer to just weld in some patches and bondo/primer/paint to make it look a little better/less rusty.

I know that rust almost always comes back, but I’m not necessarily looking for a “permanent” repair. I’m more concerned with safety, since I need to drive this car for at least the next few years.

Thank you for the input!

Topic

[Shaun Flichel]

every body part is structural to a point. a rocker panel is just another piece. its better to have something other than nothing

[Author]

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