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Old 08-13-2015, 02:18 PM   #20 (permalink)
Speeed3
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Finland
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
Discovered possibly easier ways to access inside the rocker panel:



1) This is the screw you described for removing the rear tire spat/deflector. The screw threads inside my rocker were so rusted, I didn't even bother trying. It's one with the car now.

Multiple, easier-to-access points inside the rocker run all along its length in the form of the fasterners that hold the plastic aero panel to the underside of the rocker itself.

2) There's one round plug/fastener (already removed, see below).

3) The majority of the plugs/fasteners have rectangular bases that make up part of the smooth surface of the panel.

...

I would highly recommend that any gen. 2 Prius owner open the forward & rear plugs/fasteners under the rocker panels and spray a liberal amount of rust inhibitor inside. Both sides of the car.

And if you have any rust at all on the shelf area, clean it up, re-coat the area with a suitable sealant (normal paint won't stand up to the road grit thrown at this area) and do regular rust protection via the plug/fastener holes.
Reason why I chose to use the opening behind tire spat/deflector is that I feared that opening those plugs might get them lose. If the plastic plugs(s) from the bottom of the rocker fall off you can’t really even see it and it will allow lots of dirt inside.

That’s why I would recommend using the access behind the tire spat/deflector for rust protecting.

That screw is treaded into plastic peace so no matter how rusty it is it should still be removable.

Last edited by Speeed3; 08-13-2015 at 02:25 PM..
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