I am just looking for a run down on how to change rocker panels on my jag, is there anything i have to unhook before? as well i know a really good welder and can i just use 16gauge steel to replace them?

 

Unfortunately, severe rust/rot in the rocker area is a common problem in '02 and '03 Xs because, apparently, Jaguar routed the windscreen drains into the A pillar, and then DIDN'T provide drain holes for the water to drain away. I understand that, for a while, original owners who caught the problem could have repairs made under warranty, but second owners (like us) are SOL. Some of our forum members refer to the flaw as 'fatal', in that it compromises the structural strength of the car, as well as looking ugly. I think that they mean that there comes a point at which pouring money into a major structural repair makes no sense from a re-sale point of view. Better off to put the money towards an '04 or newer. My thoughts are that deciding to go the repair route makes increasing sense the longer you plan to keep the car. I have a moderate rust problem on the passenger side of my X which isn't visible (yet) unless you look from under the car, and I have stabilized it as much as possible with rust inhibitors, etc. Other than this one thing, my car has been trouble-free for three years, and I love the little thing! It is a 'known quantity' at this point, and what's to say I might not be buying a whole new batch of Jaguar quirks if I were to unload my current X and buy a newer one? I plan to fix mine, and keep it for many years to come. I found a website called internetparts@byersimports.com that offers complete weld-in sections for these repairs, and I'm looking at this with my Body Shop as the way to go. I'm just not ready to give up on a car I really like if I can save it.

 

i would defiantly like to keep the car for as long as i could, but i dont want to pour money into it either, i would like to rebuild the rockers if i could, i am just looking for some advice or guidance

 

Hi,

Not that it solves anything but there IS a drain hose on each side behind the fender that routes runoff through the bottom of the front fender, not through the base of the A-pillar. I have an '03 and repaired the rust issue back in '10 by cutting out the perforated section just below the lower door hinge, treating the internal structure with POR-15 and spraying the inside of the entire rocker with WaxOyl. This winter I resprayed the internals of the rockers through the bottom drain holes with Eastwood's Internal Frame Coating hoping to keep the rust at bay.

The corrosion problem is caused by the factory not having properly treated the internal structure that is inside the visible A-pillar. It's actually a two-ply structure and the rust starts on the inner metal and gradually migrates to the visible part.

Search on X-Type rust in this Forum and you'll see my posts and others who went through a much more comprehensive fix. It's expensive to fix for sure but maybe you can use patch panels on the front sections where the rust is worse since X-Types sit lower in front. The rust on mine only extended about 10 inches back from the front of the rocker and I was able to treat the rest.

Good luck,

Steve

 

Hi 02Jag,

Welcome to the forum and I see you are getting around nicely, below is Steves post which is a very good point of reference!
Also big thanks to Robert Scott Neilly and I hope to look at mine when I have the time and money although the quicker it is addressed, the better as like you guys I want to keep my Babe Blue and couldn't think of losing her! Yoiks!


https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...pe-rust-35123/
Good Luck! Stu