Door sill repair this summer, questions and thoughts.

[Kraken]

So yeah in a month or so I plan on sanding down and repainting both sills on the Ram. I'm kinda torn between just rolling the normal primer/paint/clear versus something a bit more protective like Durabak-18.

I mean the latter will def protect the steel better and will be a stronger coating for a part of the truck that does get a large amount of abuse. Road hazards, shoes/boots entering/exiting. But what's the consensus here for a Michigander who deals with road salt annually?

 

[tron67j]

I have used similar material on boat decks, holds up well but doesn't go on easily on curved areas where the roller has uneven pressure contact. IMHO I would go with a dedicated bed liner type formula specifically engineered for our trucks.

 

[Kraken]

I have used similar material on boat decks, holds up well but doesn't go on easily on curved areas where the roller has uneven pressure contact. IMHO I would go with a dedicated bed liner type formula specifically engineered for our trucks.

I don't see how something engineering for vehicles would really be much different than this. Besides when you live in the backwards land of salty roads, whats better than something used on warships?

I'm jesting a bit here.. but seriously if a product is designed to protect a steel surface, does it really matter what the steel is a part of?

 

[tron67j]

Just sharing what I found, those types of materials get weird with different pressures of roller to surface and the bottom rocker of a truck may not be the best place. Figuring the look is important but if not, paint away. Just see bed liner material as tougher as well because it is designed to protect against bumps and things more where the material listed above is for decks that are flexible so the material has to have a bit of flex as well.

FWIW, the paint on the hulls of ships is not designed to stay on and protect like armor, it actually is designed to wear away so that marine material that sticks to hulls will be released as the paint material loosens. So painting the rocker of the truck with hull paint wouldn't necessarily protect anywhere near as well as undercoating.

 

[Kraken]

I read how the Navy puts that stuff on legit warships, I'd doubt there's any flexing going on on the deck of a Destroyer but then again I've never been aboard one so. Not like any rocker panels going to be subject to the same abuse as an average truck bed either. IDK I'm not trying to redneck these things, but then again I can't afford a paint shop visit either. I just thought that this, or perhaps that Raptor 2k in a white would be a nice compromise between looks and durability.

 

[Tyler_h]

I need to do mine this warm season as well. I was going to rattle can bed liner the rocker panels.

 

[caulk04]

Put some vinyl wrap over the high wear areas if you can't keep your feet off. Endless options in color/pattern.

If there's rust, it's coming from the inside and nothing you do from outside is going to help.