I Drilled 58 Holes In My Truck Body ?

[Bandolero]

I don’t understand why people freak out about this. The body is full of holes. The cab has huge holes in the floor. Mud, which is basically blasting grit, from water crossings, gets caked all over the underside of the truck around these factory holes. In 120k miles I had zero corrosion issues on my TJs ARB sliders. I do pressure wash the underside of my truck when I go through mud, along with the brakes and engine bay. A lot of people never do that despite all of those scary HOLES everywhere. Aaahhhhhh!!!

Measure twice and cut once unless you’re OCD, in which case you measure 15 times. Also, drill 1 hole, insert the rivnut, mount the panel and use that 1 correct hole to align the rest of the holes. Use the panel as a drill guide for pilot holes and enlarge to rivnut size. Easy. You deburr the holes, paint, and optionally RTV the rivnut.

Meanwhile the factory has created all sorts of pockets around pinch seams that trap mud and debris and promote body cancer. The lower back side of the body front fender opening for example. Then people happily drill holes in their frame, the one place where you can’t cut out the rust and rivet in new material and fill with bondo. You can easily cut out and replace an entire rocker panel on a body-on-frame vehicle. But I’ve never seen one of these types of rocker guards cause problems if they were done correctly.

I think it’s mostly the guys up North who are used to Salt eating perfectly good vehicles. Down south we drive trucks from the 70s that are barely starting to patina.

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[Lunentucker]

I think it’s mostly the guys up North who are used to Salt eating perfectly good vehicles. Down south we drive trucks from the 70s that are barely starting to patina.

It rains here too.
I mean normal rain, not wrapped up in a twister with your neighbor's tractor and cattle.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Air isn't the problem, salt is. Air doesn't neutralize salt.

Wish I knew what you were talking about - what's this salt you talk of??

 

[Wolf Island Diver]

I think it’s mostly the guys up North who are used to Salt eating perfectly good vehicles. Down south we drive trucks from the 70s that are barely starting to patina.

In Virginia on I-95 one of the car ride games used to be looking for flood cars being towed North and salt corrosion cars being towed South.

 

[Tommyd]

What’s the point of this body armor? It doesn’t seem like it covers enough body to be worth the install? Looks good though!!

 

[JTenn]

What’s the point of this body armor? It doesn’t seem like it covers enough body to be worth the install? Looks good though!!

It's rocker panel armor. Rocker panels are definitely an area subjected to more potential abuse than say a door or upper bed side. It's just added protection down low for rock, tree, log strikes, etc. I know this has become a long thread but there's a picture of my damaged rocker panel with rock sliders (post 9 I believe) that this armor would have protected had it been installed.

 

[JTGuy]

If those skids get damaged are they easy to replace with new ones with the same hole pattern.

 

[JTenn]

If those skids get damaged are they easy to replace with new ones with the same hole pattern.

I would assume they are cut out on a cnc water jet somewhere deep in China. I would also think the holes are cut out on the same cnc at the same time then counter sunk in a different operation. So yes they should always be the same as long as the cnc program doesn't change. But if I damage one of those plates I would need to replace more than just the plate.

 

[BajaTym]

I don’t understand why people freak out about this.

Mostly, IMO, because the average "modern" man has very little understanding of how things work and/or have very little mechanical experience.

 

[BajaTym]

Mostly, IMO, because the average "modern" man has very little understanding of how things work and/or have very little mechanical experience.

Basically, if someone has to always rely on others, even the smallest projects can get very expensive.

 

[Zero_Accel]

Mostly, IMO, because the average "modern" man has very little understanding of how things work and/or have very little mechanical experience.

While I can't speak for everyone, I'll throw in my 2 cents.

I'm a younger guy (still in my 20's), and for me personally, it's not that I don't understand how mechanical things work, or a lack of mechanical experience. I feel pretty damn comfortable in both those areas.

It's the fact that I'm drilling holes in my 50k+ truck! Not exactly in love with that idea, especially if something goes wrong. I'm not a paint and body guy, so kinda hard to DIY a fix.

On a slightly related note, I'm getting ready to cut up my tailgate in search of more storage.

Just waiting for a sale an excuse. And a tailgate is easier to replace.

 

[JTenn]

Basically, if someone has to always rely on others, even the smallest projects can get very expensive.

Very true. I have done 100% of the work on my truck and by myself. Well, except for the time I had to have my wife reach up inside the dash to unplug that damn security gateway module to install the tazer. Lol.

 

[JTenn]

While I can't speak for everyone, I'll throw in my 2 cents.

I'm a younger guy (still in my 20's), and for me personally, it's not that I don't understand how mechanical things work, or a lack of mechanical experience. I feel pretty damn comfortable in both those areas.

It's the fact that I'm drilling holes in my 50k+ truck! Not exactly in love with that idea, especially if something goes wrong. I'm not a paint and body guy, so kinda hard to DIY a fix.

On a slightly related note, I'm getting ready to cut up my tailgate in search of more storage.

Just waiting for a sale an excuse. And a tailgate is easier to replace.

Exactly! And that's why drilling these particular holes took me almost a year to bring myself to do. A hood or door or tailgate can be replaced. Absolutely would suck to do it but they are ancillary parts. Not the cab though. I've been turning wrenches my whole life and you better believe I've screwed up along the way. But by doing so I've also become very good at repairing things if/when needed. I love seeing younger folks turning wrenches and doing mechanical work. Keep at it, it's made a good life for me.

 

[GOCAMPN]

It's funny showing people all the holes I've made in my JT lol. On my old JKU I did the metal fender install and it wasn't nearly 60 holes but a good dozen or so. On the JT I have installed and removed a spare tire carrier, so that left 6 holes in my bed floor. Then I installed 2 Swing Cases and removed them, that's another 6+ holes each fender/bedside. Now I have a Decked Cargo Glide mounted to the floor, more holes in the floor. Doesn't bother me to do one bit. Rock on!

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