• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

rocker panel rust ... how long until its an issue?

B

BrApple

No Life But CEG
Moderator
Joined
Dec 23, 2001
Messages
21,731
Location
Gales Ferry, CT
Wanted others take on this. The rocker panels on my dd Contour have started to go. I'm pretty sure at this time it mostly cosmetic. However I know that the pinch weld has been compromised towards the back of the car. I tried to jack the car up there and I heard a crunching noise. I do need to get back under the car and check it out some more. I have not noted any change in handling/performance of the car.

I haven't removed teh side skirt yet but I have a feeling alot of the rocker panel is gone behind it. I know I pulled some chunks out last year around this time near the very end at the wheel well.

IMG_1002.jpg


IMG_1001.jpg


and for reference

DSC_5174.jpg
 
It is hard to make a definitive statement about that, since you don't know the condition of the other side of the metal. It might be fine for quite a while, or the metal might disappear before winter is over.

By the point you are at right now, I would say it is a good candidate for rocker panel replacement.
 
well with 158k, even with it running pretty well, I wouldn't want to put that kind of money into it. Hence why I am looking for a new daily driver.
 
the driver side will be a nightmare when removed. I can see it already.

I had to cut half of my green cars rockers off on the passenger side because you could literrally push it in with your thumb. Lucky for me there are plenty of rustfree replacement rockers at the local yard.
 
I had rust like that on my old exploder. It was there the entire time I owned the vehicle. About 3 years. I don't see the rust becoming a serious issue like you won't be able to drive the car. Atleast not for a long time. Longer than it will take you to find a replacement vehicle if that's why you're asking.
 
I wouldnt spend the money on it. Its pretty nasty looking now. If the outside has holes and looks like that....its gonna be a mess inside. Just let it go and drive the wheels off until you find something else.
 
not planning on fixing it and I am currently looking for something else. Just trying to decide if now is the time to buy or if I should wait it out alittle longer. There are some small things that are annoying me with the car. They should be fairly easy to take care of but with the rust I don't feel like putting any money into it ....
 
I know you probably like me....and every noise sqeak or rattle pisses you off and you cant take it till its fixed....but sometimes its better to leave it alone....dont spend the money and drive the wheels off. If it goes A to B....milk it for all she's worth until you find the right car to replace it with.
 
oh it isn't noises or rattles that are bothering me at this time. the brakes need to be replaced, they often pulse under braking. however under heavy breaking they are nice and smooth. The rear calipers should most likely be replaced. Soming is funny with the rear brakes also, they are making contact with the rotor but not full contact, just in the middle. Also it either needs a new imrc box or something else is very wrong. often after getting hot, it will loose power, like the secondaries are not openning. not sure it is the imrc or plugs and wires, etc.

Just don't feel like spending the time and money on it since the body is rusting away. So the search is on. FSVT or Mazda6 S Sport seem to be the choices at the moment.
 
I wouldn't worry about it. Other than it being ugly, the structure of the car hasn't really been compromised. The rocker hides the actual structural "rail" so as long as that thing is in good shape, you'll be fine.
 
mine looked just like yours, with just a little bit of rust peeking up from the sideskirt. Its just the tip if the iceberg. My dad and I just dumped close to 100 man hours replacing 2/3 of the rocker panels on both sides. Outer layer, inner layer and the body. It went very very deep and required a dozen new sheet metal panels custom fabbed in. I am going back to my parents this weekend to fiberglass in the corners because We can't get the welder in there. And in May we patched a rust hole in the subframe near the gastank and a suspension arm mount that could you could almost 2 fists through. Just 2 years ago we did a small 1ft long patch on the passenger side rocker and the only thing holding it together was the paint :blackeye:

I'm really hoping that I can get another year to year and a half out of it.

cimg00333.jpg


cimg00383.jpg


cimg0040m.jpg
 
mine had holes all over. the rockers were f'n gone. i started poking the paint that was bubbling and there was nothing left behind it. just park that thing where you can't see it LOL
 
My Sport is looking like that. Not to mention the oilpan gasket has started leaking and the A/C doesn't work anymore. It's time for me to move away from a tour as a DD as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top