1976 Jeep Wagoneer Rocker Panels and Rocker Panel Molding

What Is a Rocker Panel?

Rocker panels are the sections of your vehicle’s cab just beneath/behind the side doors. These highly structural panels are crucial to protect passengers in the event of a side impact. However, they have a major weakness—rust. Especially in northern areas of the country that frequently apply road salt to counteract extreme weather conditions, it’s common to see vehicles as young as five years old with significant rust forming around the rocker panels, severely compromising structural integrity. 

However, this rust doesn’t form overnight. It often results from paint chips and abrasions, exposing the bare metal to the elements. To help prevent serious structural damage, consider installing premium rocker panel moldings, skids, and protectors from RealTruck.

Styles of Rocker Panel Protection

Rocker panel protection comes in several forms—check out some of the most popular offerings below.

Rocker Panel Molding

Rocker panel moldings are protective trim pieces that attach to your truck's rocker panels. These moldings not only enhance the appearance of your vehicle but also safeguard it from dings, scratches, and other potential damage encountered on the road.

RealTruck Expert Pick: Putco Rocker Panels

Putco Rocker Panels are robust alloy panels that adhere to your vehicle’s painted rocker panels, protecting the underlying steel against rock chips and abrasions. These panels feature a simple peel-and-stick installation with integrated 3M double-sided adhesive, requiring no more than 30 minutes a side. 

Why we love it: 

• Vehicle-specific fitment

• Protects your truck from rust, chipping, and peeling

• Heavy-duty stainless steel construction

• Easy no-drill installation

• Mounts with automotive-grade 3M adhesive

• Made in the USA

• Limited 1-year warranty

Rocker Panel Covers

If you love the functionality of rocker molding but aren't sold on the aesthetics, consider getting sleek, discrete rocker panel covers. Rocker panel covers are also ideal for vehicles that have already incurred unsightly rust but aren't worth the cost of repairs. In these cases, simply neutralize the underlying rust and install the rocker panel covers right over the top to hide any damage.

RealTruck Expert Pick: Bushwacker Trail Armor Rocker Panels

Bushwacker’s rocker panel covers are constructed from durable textured Dura-Flex® TPO and feature a simple peel-and-stick installation. All trail armor rocker panels feature a vehicle-specific design that perfectly molds to the contours of your vehicle’s rocker panels. 

Why we love it: 

• Dual-purpose rocker panel and door sill guards

• Protects the rocker area from chips, dents, and scratches

• Robust Dura-Flex® TPO construction

• Subtle, textured black finish

• Hides unsightly pinch welds and rust

• No-drill installation utilizes clips and 3M automotive adhesive

• Driver and passenger sides included

• USA-made with global materials

• Limited lifetime warranty

What to Consider When Selecting Rocker Panel Protection

It’s always important to conduct research before selecting a product—rocker panel protection is no exception. To ensure you settle on the right product, consider the following factors: 

Panel Type

What style of panel protection do you prefer, and does it match your driving needs? For an avid wheeler, we’d suggest rocker panel covers. However, for a daily driver looking for protection against rock chips, rocker panel moldings should do the trick.

Finish

What’s your preferred aesthetic? We offer rocker panel protection in various finishes, from subtle textured black to lustrous polished stainless steel. Remember to account for your vehicle’s other upgrades, like wheel finish, side steps, etc. 

Material

Depending on your needs, one material may suit your application over another. If you’re planning to slide your vehicle’s rockers over rocks and trees on the trail, steel rocker skids will be your best bet. However, TPO and thin stainless steel will be sufficient to deflect road debris and pebbles.