Lower Rocker Panel Drain Holes

[diesel_driver_3500]

Way back in 2004, when I ordered my 3rd gen truck, word was the factory ran out of the plastic plugs that closed off the holes on the backside of the rocker panels. Instead of the plastic plugs, they used good old duct tape.

Today, I was looking over the underside of my just delivered 2021 3500 HO SB 4x4 Big Horn, and what do find? It's 2004 all over again! There are about 8 oval holes on the backside of each rocker, and they are all covered with a gray tape of some sort. Several of mine were not fully sealed, and a couple pieces of tape were not centered over the holes, exposing the edges of some of them.

While your trucks are new and clean, I would check yours out and cover them all with larger pieces of duct tape, or some other sealing product.

I have to say, besides the rocker panel holes/tape, my truck seems put together quite well. Definitely a more complex exhaust system, and more electrical connections than I can count. I would say this 2021 looks cleaner and of higher build quality than my 2004 did. If it turns out to be as reliable as my '04 was, I will be quite happy!

 

[Bozo]

I thought that was a cheesy way to cover the holes on my 2017, added duct tape to mine as well. Haven’t gone underneath my new one for any length of time yet. Probably do it when my Duraflap’s come in.

 

[jadmt]

might be wise to spray some fluidfilm in the holes before covering them back up.

 

[Will_T]

There are about 8 oval holes on the backside of each rocker, and they are all covered with a gray tape of some sort. Several of mine were not fully sealed, and a couple pieces of tape were not centered over the holes, exposing the edges of some of them.

might be wise to spray some fluidfilm in the holes before covering them back up.

Are you referring to the holes shown in the attached photos? They look kind of high up to be drain holes? The purpose of covering them must be to keep out road spray, especially in winter climates where salt is used on the roads?

Mine are pretty much covered sloppily with some duct tape but I can certainly cover them better using Eternabond RV Tape. But I wonder why, if they covered some with the tape, not others? You can see in photo B there is one uncovered that has a metal brace or something at the hole. And in photo C, you can see some of the smaller holes they did not cover. Should they all be covered?

 

[jadmt]

I don't see any photos.

 

[Frank]

Those aren't drain holes. They are attachment points for various step bars and whatnot. The tape is for debris not water. The new style 1500s eliminate the holes altogether and the hardware is part of the frame.

 

[Will_T]

I don't see any photos.

Not sure what happened but thanks for the catch. Uploaded now to original question.

 

[jadmt]

Not sure what happened but thanks for the catch. Uploaded now to original question.

the hex holes are used for rivnuts for holding side steps on. looks like you have some after market steps and they used a different bracket than factory.

 

[Will_T]

the hex holes are used for rivnuts for holding side steps on. looks like you have some after market steps and they used a different bracket than factory.

I have the power steps from Ram. Installed at time of truck build. They may use different holes than the fixed steps, which are probably what I should have gotten. That is for another thread though.

So it is up to individuals how much they want to protect those openings from allowing in debris. The factory does not seem like they were too concerned about it judging from the little bit of taping they did.

 

[jadmt]

I have the power steps from Ram. Installed at time of truck build. They may use different holes than the fixed steps, which are probably what I should have gotten. That is for another thread though.

So it is up to individuals how much they want to protect those openings from allowing in debris. The factory does not seem like they were too concerned about it judging from the little bit of taping they did.

yup sometimes it is better to let them air out. It is an easy place however to just spray some fluid film in and never have to worry about rusting from the inside if a person lived where that is an issue. It is not for me so I have not done it.

 

[diesel_driver_3500]

Are you referring to the holes shown in the attached photos? They look kind of high up to be drain holes? The purpose of covering them must be to keep out road spray, especially in winter climates where salt is used on the roads?

Mine are pretty much covered sloppily with some duct tape but I can certainly cover them better using Eternabond RV Tape. But I wonder why, if they covered some with the tape, not others? You can see in photo B there is one uncovered that has a metal brace or something at the hole. And in photo C, you can see some of the smaller holes they did not cover. Should they all be covered?

Those are the ones. on my 2004, they were referred to as drain holes, although I never verified that they might have been for some other purpose. On my new truck, after seeing some were not fully stuck down, I was thinking about getting a better product to replace them with. I just don't want them filling up with mud and dirt and causing any rust problems.

 

[Brutal_HO]

Tape tells the railyard offloaders where the drugs are stashed.

 

[dm6]

I was wondering about this too. Just peeled off the tape to install some steps. There are drain holes at the bottom so it looks like water won't get stuck in there, but I was still wondering if I should put tape over the holes again while it is clean under there.

 

[whitexc]

Be nice to get some fluid film up in there.....

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

 

[dm6]

Be nice to get some fluid film up in there.....

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

I didn't know what that was but just looked it up. So just spray some of that in the holes and then tape them up? Do you spray that stuff anywhere else underneath the truck?

 

[whitexc]

Everywhere. I have a guy spray my vehicles every fall. It's the best $120 one can spend, especially in our climate where salt is used excessively during the winter months. He does inside the doors, under the hood, the entire bottom side and anywhere else he can coat with it. The stuff actually crawls.

I know some people have bought the spray gun and fluid off Amazon and are doing their own vehicles. I don't have a place to do that at the moment so I opt to pony up.

 

[Much2fast]

Have been searching the web and other forums for a while now to find a rubber plug to fit the oval hole. I sprayed some woolwax today and of course now the tape doesn't really want to stick, would prefer to just replace the tape with a plug. I measured the hole at approximately 1.5" x .75" (38mm x 19mm). Anyone found a plug that will work?

 

[Much2fast]

FYI in case anyone is interested in finding a plug instead of the factory tape for the oval holes on the inside rocker...I confirm this part number fits perfectly - 68073528AA

 

[flan]

FYI in case anyone is interested in finding a plug instead of the factory tape for the oval holes on the inside rocker...I confirm this part number fits perfectly - 68073528AA

Thanks, I’m going to order some.

 

[Dirt_Farm]

FYI in case anyone is interested in finding a plug instead of the factory tape for the oval holes on the inside rocker...I confirm this part number fits perfectly - 68073528AA

going thru the same thing right now on my 2022 2500, just sprayed Woolwax in the rockers and all over and looking for plugs. can you confirm these fit?.

what vehicle did these fit the rockers?

There is a lot questions in forums out there and nobody has found a plug yet. hopefully these are the plugs