Trim Piece Below Door Sill Coming Off

[lazabby]

There is a long piece below the door sill (skirting?) that is coming off on my car. I just noticed it this morning. I haven't looked at it closely yet to see why. Any have this issue with theirs coming off? How do you re-attach?

[DMCMW Dave]

There is a long piece below the door sill (skirting?) that is coming off on my car. I just noticed it this morning. I haven't looked at it closely yet to see why. Any have this issue with theirs coming off? How do you re-attach?

You need a bunch of these. They work one time, if you ever pop the rocker panel loose they break.

http://store.delorean.com/p-9369-pin-retainer.aspx

[WelmoedJ]

You need a bunch of these. They work one time, if you ever pop the rocker panel loose they break.

http://store.delorean.com/p-9369-pin-retainer.aspx

THat's omly a start.
The real problem is to get the screws out of the lower edge of the rocker panel.
Most of these screws are seized and only can be drilled out.
Drilling creates heat and deforms the plastic around the screws.

Dave, do you have advice on how to get those screws out without destroying the rocker panel?
Soaking them in WD-40 doesn't seem to work (for me anyway) and tapping them doesn't either.

[DMCMW Dave]

The real problem is to get the screws out of the lower edge of the rocker panel.
----------
Dave, do you have advice on how to get those screws out without destroying the rocker panel?
Soaking them in WD-40 doesn't seem to work (for me anyway) and tapping them doesn't either.

Don't take them out at all. Just replace the pin retainers and the two bolts that hold the ends. I can think of no reason to remove the rocker panels unless you crash the car. If the panel is damaged you don't care about he plastic.

[lazabby]

Don't take them out at all. Just replace the pin retainers and the two bolts that hold the ends. I can think of no reason to remove the rocker panels unless you crash the car. If the panel is damaged you don't care about he plastic.

I looked closely at the white retainers. How do these come out and how do the new ones go in? I want to be sure I do that right. I agree about not removing the entire trim piece. The screw are rusted and would be difficult to remove. Since the trim piece sags, it's eay to pull it down, replace the pin retainers and push the panel back in place.

[DMCMW Dave]

I looked closely at the white retainers. How do these come out and how do the new ones go in? I want to be sure I do that right. I agree about not removing the entire trim piece. The screw are rusted and would be difficult to remove. Since the trim piece sags, it's eay to pull it down, replace the pin retainers and push the panel back in place.

Pop them out with a small screwdriver. Yes the bolts will be rusted. Let them break out, you can replace with new stainessl screws/nuts/washers.

Do not ever remove the screws at the bottom unless you are replacing the rocker panel. You will spend hours drilling them out.

[Trstno1]

Pop them out with a small screwdriver. Yes the bolts will be rusted. Let them break out, you can replace with new stainessl screws/nuts/washers.

Do not ever remove the screws at the bottom unless you are replacing the rocker panel. You will spend hours drilling them out.

Alright, so lets say the car I got, the PO already drilled out the screws on the bottom leading edge and left the riv-nut in the rocker panel. Any procedures as to fix that and the hardware needed to re-install the trim piece? I just noticed that there is no access to the riv-nut on the other side of the rocker panel from inside the vehicle. Maybe drill them out slightly, just enough to shoot a stainless self tapping screw to hold the trim piece on?

[DMCMW Dave]

Alright, so lets say the car I got, the PO already drilled out the screws on the bottom leading edge and left the riv-nut in the rocker panel. Any procedures as to fix that and the hardware needed to re-install the trim piece? I just noticed that there is no access to the riv-nut on the other side of the rocker panel from inside the vehicle. Maybe drill them out slightly, just enough to shoot a stainless self tapping screw to hold the trim piece on?

The proper repair is to drill out the rivnut and put in a new one. There is no access, that's why they used rivnuts. The old one will press into the cavity and stay there.

I don't really see a problem using some sort of self-tapper other than to maintain originality, although if the rivnut comes loose and spins you may not be able to get the screw all the way in or out.

I would not bother with stainless screws, as stainless into aluminum may as well be welded after the first time or two it gets wet.

[painterdave72]

I just put a new drivers rocker panel on my car.. i drilled out all the rivnuts very easily and used newer style plastic push in pins.. they work great and hold just as tightly as the screws would. i can take a pic if anyone is interested in seeing this..Dave.

[Trstno1]

I just put a new drivers rocker panel on my car.. i drilled out all the rivnuts very easily and used newer style plastic push in pins.. they work great and hold just as tightly as the screws would. i can take a pic if anyone is interested in seeing this..Dave.

Interesting...... yes, pic please.

Thanks for the tip!

[painterdave72]

here is a pic of the bottom of rocker with the plastic push pins...