How to remove drip rails from 79 model
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: Kalgoorlie Australia
How to remove drip rails from 79 model
G'day all, New member and this is my first post, as you may see from my username I'm from Australia. Ive been a fan F series Fords since childhood, I'm about to embark on my first full strip down and rebuild of an 80 model(same as the 73-79s but they ran until september 80 in oz) F100 LWB 4x4 Custom. My question is how do you remove the drip rails from around the top of the the door opening? The only bit of rust in the cab is coming from behind these drip rails and I really want to remove it. My last truck was a 76 F100 Custom XLT swb 2wd and it had the same problem and it had only recently been repainted. I'm not sure if the drip rails are welded on or if they are stuck on with some kind of sealant. Any help on the matter would be much appreciated.
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
they are spot welded,if you open yur door and look from the bottom you can see the spot welds,but I think their molded into the roof making it two peices.Get a heavy wire brush mounted on a drill and run it around the drip rail to clean all the paint and caulking off and you should be able to see it alot better,the two peices will be folded together at the 90,if you drill your spot weldes out you might be able to pull up on the bottom half and pop them apart,I've never done it so I don't know if this will work, but thats were I would start sombodie will jump in with more info for you,good luck.
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Senior User
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From: Kalgoorlie Australia
I will be replacing the drip rails once the rust is fixed but I don't want to destroy them as spares are impossible to find in Australia. If I could find a set I would replace them with drip rails from an XLT because they are chrome but again these are impossible to get.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: Kalgoorlie Australia
Its a regular cab, Australia never got anything other than the regular cab until 2001. In Australia we had a very small selection of F100s, 250s and 350s. The F100 was offered in two trims levels, up to four engines(but not all engines were available with all trim levels) and two wheel base lengths and only the regular cab. There are some other versions out here but they have been imported. That is why parts are hard to find and most times you have to just take what you can get or modify parts from other cars. For example my truck has a toyota Landcruiser steering box and a passenger car pump because the original parts were either too hard to get or too expensive. Anyway that is off the main point, from your post above I gather that the chrome drip rails are a clip on arrangement that goes over the top of the driprails. So am I right to assume that if I grind or drill the spot welds and break through the sealant that I will be able to get the drip rails off.
Thankyou for the help.
Thankyou for the help.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 954
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From: 15 miles west of Venus
The drip rail is made from 2 or 3 layers of metal. 1 is the roof and another is made from the part that connects the A and B pillar where you bang your head. Atleast on the supercabs, there is also a portion that is 3 layers thick.
If you wish to remove them, you will have to cut it off with a die grinder (or plasma) in short sections and MIG the seam back together. It will not be welded together when you cut them off, so you have to do it in sections or it will spread apart.
I did this on a SC but ended up getting a better cab and using the drip rail-less one as a farm truck.
I am told that removing the drip rails makes it down right miserable when it rains and you have to open the door.
If you wish to remove them, you will have to cut it off with a die grinder (or plasma) in short sections and MIG the seam back together. It will not be welded together when you cut them off, so you have to do it in sections or it will spread apart.
I did this on a SC but ended up getting a better cab and using the drip rail-less one as a farm truck.
I am told that removing the drip rails makes it down right miserable when it rains and you have to open the door.
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