Waters somewhere in my truck

[mitchhonore]

The last time i took my truck in the mud was a few weeks ago and its been raining the past three days. And now when I turn the raido off and turn or brake I hear water sloshing around, it sounds like a lot of water. I popped off the inside quater panels and its kind if moist but nowhere near as much water as I can hear... Any ideas?

 

[IdahoDoug]

Below the front hinge of each front door is a rubber plug in a hole in your rockers. Pull them and stand back. Then use a bright light to find and clear the slit drains in your rocker that are plugged. They're on the vertical inner surface IIRC.

DougM

PS - don't forget to stand/jump back.

 

[firetruck41]

Pop the plastic plugs under the rocker panels to empty the water out, watch out 'cuz it will splash you! Then you can replace the plugs and ream the tiny slits along the bottom seam of the rocker panels that are supposed to drain the water, use a the end of a zip tie or something like that. Or you could just leave those plugs off permanently.

 

[mitchhonore]

So I strip these plastic flaps and take these plugs out, and I'll be water free?

 

[concretejungle]

Yep, pull those plugs and then look for small slit type holes where the body panel has a crease on the very, very bottom. Use a zip tie to shove up in them to clean them out.

 

[Hayes]

So I strip these plastic flaps and take these plugs out, and I'll be water free?

"Strip the plastic flaps" sounds kind of damaging. Just take a screwdriver and pop em' out. After the water comes out pop em' back in.

If you search with the terms "zip tie" and "rocker panel" you'll come up with a thread that explains the location of the actual drains. Hard to find, but they're there.
I'm too lazy to get the thread for you;p .

Hayes

 

[topend yobbo]

Looking ,Looking

 

[mitchhonore]

I found it, the pictures are the plastic little plugs right underneath the running boards. I will get a picture when I drain it. And see how much water is up there.

 

[Hayes]

I found it, the pictures are the plastic little plugs right underneath the running boards. I will get a picture when I drain it. And see how much water is up there.

Unless I'm misinterpreting your post, it sounds like you found the plugs--but not the actuall the rocker panel drain. There are some little slits hiding on the other side of the rocker that let water drain out--until they become clogged. You use a zip tie or something like it to clear them.
If the slits are clear, then you won't accumulate water, and you won't have to pop the plugs.

Hayes

 

[mitchhonore]

Ok, I got it. There was quite a bit of water up there, it almost feels lighter. Probally like 20 horsepower gain.....

 

[IdahoDoug]

How do you like your Michelin CrossTerrains for on road use? Wear data?

DougM

 

[mitchhonore]

Really good, I've only have them for less than 1k so... But I really wish I would of gotten a more of an off road tire in a 285/75 so I could go with a 2' lift. But for on road I love them.

 

[mitchhonore]

Unless I'm misinterpreting your post, it sounds like you found the plugs--but not the actuall the rocker panel drain. There are some little slits hiding on the other side of the rocker that let water drain out--until they become clogged. You use a zip tie or something like it to clear them.
If the slits are clear, then you won't accumulate water, and you won't have to pop the plugs.

Hayes

what do you exactly mean clear the slits with a zip tie?

 

[Mickldo]

On the underside of the sill is a small vertical lip where the inner and outer skins are spot welded together. Along this lip the inner skin has some little "bumps", under these bumps should be a gap to let the water out. By using a zip tie you won't scratch the paint work.
BTW, there are also drains in the bottom of the rear quarters, doors and tailgates.
Hope this description helps you understand the location of these slits. Although if your sills are anything like mine they're all dented up and hard to keep open. I don't like the word dented, I prefer geologically customised for high clearance.

 

[smokinwheels]

I have a lot of water jumping in the rear end of the truck ... i cant seem to find the drain plugs .. can someone send me the pics of location ... can you provide me with all the locations... thanks ... and what do i have to do to prevent this accumulation from happeneing ... i do not understand the zip tie method ...

 

[sjcruiser]

How do you like your Michelin CrossTerrains for on road use? Wear data?

DougM

Noise level, comfortness, and handling are better than the LTXs from my experience. On icy roads, they tend to drift easier (happened a few times; but my friend was driving so I don' know how much it contributed to it) than the stock LTXs - may be due to the less aggressive tread pattern.

As for wear, mine now have approximately 50K miles; I plan to replace them some time this Summer.

P.S.: Sorry for the thread hi-jack.

 

[Mickldo]

re - the zip tie method

In my post above I mentioned the location of the slits. These slits clog up with dirt, mud and crud. By poking the pointy end of a zip tie up the slit it cleans the crud out. The idea of using a zip tie rather than a screw driver or simillar is so that you don't scratch the paint causing a potential rust spot. The purpose of the slits is to let the water out automatically which they cant do if blocked.
Hope this helps.

 

[Mickldo]

re - location of the holes

If you cant find the holes they're probably blocked! They are located along the bottom edges of the panels where the two panel skins join. The slits are usually on the inner panel.
The doors and rear tailgate have little oval shaped slots in the bottom of the door frame just near where the outer skin wraps around the frame. There is usually one in each corner and a couple along the seam. The ones in the tailgate are easy to see just by dropping the gate and looking at the bottom seam from the top.

 

[mitchhonore]

Is it a plastic flap that covers the seals right on the running boards?

BTW Even after all of that water I drained I can still hear it somewhere else.

 

[IXXI]

you might have water in your running boards too, i don't know, but the drain slits are above the running boards--in the rocker panels themselves. you literally have to lie on your back and get under the truck to see these 3 (on each side) very small 'imperfections' in the seam where the underside of the rocker meets the body--between front and rear wheels, about 18" or so apart maybe more--best viewed under the truck, looking from the ground up and the bottom of the truck's floor. once you find these little slits, you take the end of a plastic zip tie and ream the opening clear--get it up in there and floss it.

do a search; i think theresa (lil' tree?) had a water issue and her thread a lots of pictures, among them a pic of these drain slits in the rockers.