Dodge Challenger Rocker Panel Problems

[Masked Man]

Originally Posted by STONEWHITE R/T

I haven't had any yet. But MY suspicions are that water gets behind the plactic trim and freezes. Water expands and cracks them. I had noticed this concern has dropped off to almost nothing over the summer. Now with freezing temps and precipitation it is back. Maybe instead of plastic they need to make it from a more pliable vinyl material.
These aren't pick ups with frames so it is unlikley body twist. Hoisting problems, maybe. Anyone have an old one to see if there is a "water pocket" behind the trim for water to collect and freeze?

I don't think it is a water freezing issue, although it could be poor Quality Control allowing mis-sized rockers to be put on the cars.
Also, there are cars in the south that don't experience any water freezing situations that have cracked rockers.

Sadly, my car is currently sitting outside (daily driver) and not under any car cover/carport or any protection (yeah, I know). We get 4 seasons here - heat and snow and rain and slush and wind, etc... I'm currently under snow.

Car is roughly 1 year old.

I have not had any cracked rocker panel problems.
Although I have always told anyone who services that car that the rockers have been known to crack if not properly lifted and I keep a copy of the lift points sheet in the glove compartment and give it to them telling them that there are no cracks on the car now, as I drop it off.

So far, so good.

I think it is mis-sized rockers - the QC tolerance is not tight enough, or damage caused by lifting or some other situation.

[rcapooch]

I own a 09 R/T. I only have 200 miles on my car. Trust me i will be keeping an eye on them.

[High Rise Torker]

Cracked at 25 thousand miles/ 13 months. Why, cause they suck.To short, to cheap, to crappy. Time for a new pair of crappy panels. Anyone remember the supplier changed the formula for the plastic? Did Dodge not have them fix that issue? Mine shrunk to the point that they were tighter than Wonderwomans bra.

[Blackout]

If the crack in my rocker looked as good as what was in Wonderwomans bra, I would not be having an issue!

[High Rise Torker]

Originally Posted by Blackout

If the crack in my rocker looked as good as what was in Wonderwomans bra, I would not be having an issue!

Yea man. Thats a crack I for one could live with.

[Hemi R/T]

I haven't had any broken rocker panels yet but one thing I have noticed is that the rocker panels are diffinately affected by temperature changes. In the summer my rocker panels showed the warpage under the doors on both sides from expansion and now with the cold weather they have no warpage. With this in mind if the skrinkage is extreme in colder weather along with the rocker panels becoming more brittle from the cold this could be causing the cracking. Has anyone else noticed this.

[Blackout]

I have not had a problem with them warping, just cracking.

[Valley]

Originally Posted by Hemi R/T

I haven't had any broken rocker panels yet but one thing I have noticed is that the rocker panels are diffinately affected by temperature changes. In the summer my rocker panels showed the warpage under the doors on both sides from expansion and now with the cold weather they have no warpage. With this in mind if the skrinkage is extreme in colder weather along with the rocker panels becoming more brittle from the cold this could be causing the cracking. Has anyone else noticed this.

Definitely and in fact mentioned it on another rocker crack thread. Noticeable bow in mid-Summer. I suggested maybe a two piece overlap design to alleviate it but appearance wise I don't know.

[Blackout]

Originally Posted by Valley

Definitely and in fact mentioned it on another rocker crack thread. Noticeable bow in mid-Summer. I suggested maybe a two piece overlap design to alleviate it but appearance wise I don't know.

I was thinking the same thing. I will include this in the letter to Brampton Engineers.

[Yellow Harley]

I had the 2009 R/T for a year and the DY R/T for a couple months now. I put Mud Flaps on both cars right away. I wonder if that made any difference? The cracks may just be harder to see behind the mud flaps.