Cleaning under the rocker panels - how-to and results

[Tallymav]

I have a 22 XL hybrid. I park it outdoors. Periodically I vacuum out leaves that fall from the windshield down the side channels and accumulate in front of the door hinges. But I noticed today that there is a small gap that extends under the plastic rocker panel.

I pulled the first three clips on the rocker panel and twisted the panel out just enough to reach into the gap. I had some pretty good compost percolating up in there. Years of leaves and sand. Mostly the forward two feet of the panel. Blew everything out with compressed air. I will be doing this occasionally from now on.

I found a guide to pulling the clips here...

...and I will say that if you're doing it correctly it's more twisting and almost no pulling.

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[HeyBales]

Now there's a problem looking for a solution - to keep junk out better, or make it easier to clean out.
Now the cowl gutter screens do catch some of what ends up down there - of course a flap was already there.

@MABETT seems to be curious about places on truck that could use improvement.

Think back wheel forward holes.

Might be useful for a couple other pics of how you got to the clean out point for Mabett.

 

[MABETT]

Now there's a problem looking for a solution - to keep junk out better, or make it easier to clean out.
Now the cowl gutter screens do catch some of what ends up down there - of course a flap was already there.

@MABETT seems to be curious about places on truck that could use improvement.

Think back wheel forward holes.

Might be useful for a couple other pics of how you got to the clean out point for Mabett.

That’s actually pretty surprising

A lot more debris gets trapped in there than most owners realize.

We’re going to start digging into this issue more seriously and do some research on it.

 

[ScottyC]

This post/thread should be pinned and highlighted - awesome job @Tallymav !!

 

[Tbone289]

Front mud flaps should be effective at keeping that accumulation at a minimum.

 

[Tallymav]

Front mud flaps should be effective at keeping that accumulation at a minimum.
[/QUOTE

There is a debris path from the base of the windshield all the way to the inside of the rocker panel.

If you regularly park under trees you will get leaves behind the door hinges. And some of those will migrate to the inside of the rocker panel.

I can't think of a fix because anything that would let the leaves fall out might let road salt and mud spray in.

For now I'm just treating rocker panel cleanout as an annual maintenance issue. And trying to vacuum behind the door hinges more often.

 

[Tbone289]

If you use mud flaps in combination with Maxzina's cowl drain barriers, you'll find very little debris finding its way into the front of the rocker.

Avoiding parking under trees and blowing out the cowl area frequently in the fall also helps.

 

[Tallymav]

... or make it easier to clean out

That idea appeals to me. The Ford clips holding on the rocker panel are weird. Easily damaged. Overly complicated. If we could pop out the panel quickly this would be an easy detailing chore.

 

[Braindead]

Front mud flaps should be effective at keeping that accumulation at a minimum.

In Theory... In Reality.... it's not the wheel wells that are causing that

 

[Tbone289]

In Theory... In Reality.... it's not the wheel wells that are causing that

I didn't say that it was.

Mud flaps don't just protect the wheel well. They keep dirt from being flung up onto the rockers, and making it past the seams and the holes in the rocker and wheel liner. Have you ever noticed the amount of dirt that is on the back side of the fenders from being thrown up past the wheel liners where they meet the fender? I suppose not.

He shows leaves and dirt in the picture of his clean-out. I understand the leaves are likely coming from the cowl, and thus my comment in post #7 where I addressed that. At least some of the dirt is finding its way in there from the front tires.

In reality...

 

[Braindead]

I didn't say that it was.

Mud flaps don't just protect the wheel well. They keep dirt from being flung up onto the rockers, and making it past the seams and the holes in the rocker and wheel liner. Have you ever noticed the amount of dirt that is on the back side of the fenders from being thrown up past the wheel liners where they meet the fender? I suppose not.

He shows leaves and dirt in the picture of his clean-out. I understand the leaves are likely coming from the cowl, and thus my comment in post #7 where I addressed that. At least some of the dirt is finding its way in there from the front tires.

In reality...

I'm With you a 100%...

Just that i notice more junk making its way from the "A" pillar side/ windshield due to poor design, than anything flung from the wheel wells. (it's a funnel shape with the tapered part seald off lol) The reason i noticed the amount of debris that made it that way in the first place, was when i installed the aftermarket mudflaps!
That made me realize more junk made its way from the cowl area than that from the wheel wells!

 

[Tbone289]

I'm With you a 100%...

Just that i notice more junk making its way from the "A" pillar side/ windshield due to poor design, than anything flung from the wheel wells. (it's a funnel shape with the tapered part seald off lol) The reason i noticed the amount of debris that made it that way in the first place, was when i installed the aftermarket mudflaps!
That made me realize more junk made its way from the cowl area than that from the wheel wells!

Yeah, I recommend those Maxzina (or Mabett) inserts for the cowl. They're not perfect, but they do stop most of the leaves from getting in there. Anyone that doesn't have the ability to park indoors and can't avoid parking under trees should definitely consider cleaning out that area on a regular basis, and hopefully that will reduce the need to pull the rockers apart.:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDF61NS6

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

This product may help with your leaf problem. I don't think the leaves are picked up by your tires and tossed underneath the rocker panel.
https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/forum/threads/-mabett-new-product-maverick-hood-water-barrier-protector.82929/

 

[El Kabong]

Front mud flaps should be effective at keeping that accumulation at a minimum.

I hope so, love my @MABETT mud flaps out here in the countryside!

 

[Cherokee]

Front mud flaps should be effective at keeping that accumulation at a minimum.

I just unclipped and checked mine, nothing at all. I do have mud flaps.
But there might be other reasons it gets up under there.

Op,
Do you drive in muddy water ? Or off the pavement?

I personally think Ford leaves All those cavities and places MABETT makes covers for on purpose.
To cause our trucks to die sooner.
Best way to sell more of a thing is to build it with a short service life.

My older Rangers and F-150’s never had places like that with plastic covers hiding cavities that harbor corrosive road salts, sand and rotten organic matter.

Best get on the Tree of Woe and contemplate this people.

Ford wants to lower parts counts.
And this is a perfect reason to do that.

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