Shaving the drip Rail

I was working on by truck this morning and got to wondering how hard it would be to shave the drip rail. I know on some vehicle you have to cut like an inch then tack it up then cut an inch and weld it up and so on. I didnt know if it was the same way on a mazda or if there was an easier way. Times are getting hard around my place so buying parts has slowed down. Im just looking for small FREE/ CHEAP things to do to make it stand out. Any info Or pictures of a truck with this done would be cool. thanks

This truck has shaved drip rails. . . . I don't know any info bout how to do it though. . . .



-Josh

shaving the drip rails is always a cool mod. gotta think about rain coming in tho. they're there for a reason! you'll need to either think of a new rubber seal or make your roof come over the top of the door so the water won't leak in.but yeah you've got the right idea, cut a few inches, tack it a few spots(because the gutter is where the roof skin is attached to the door frame), cut a few more inches tack some more until you've got it all tacked together, then go back and fill in the spots between the tacks until its fully welded. you'll want a wire wheel to clean all the crap tho. rain gutters are a dirty bitch.
you just don't want to cut it fully off before tacking it together, it might separate.

I had seen in a classic truck magazine on the shaving drip rails on a 69 ford f-100 i had assumed it was about the same way. im not really planning on driving it in the rain or leaving it outside. The seal on the door already looks pretty tight dunno though. i guess i will find out. haha. thanks for the info.

you don't really need to worry about driving in the rain, the drip rail is like an eavstrophe to keep rain from running off the edge of the roof and onto you through a window or as you exit/enter the truck.

Cutting them off does clean up the truck, but a problem can arise when cutting them. Sometimes the drip rail actually helps hold the roof onto the body.

The roof panel meets the cab metal, and then they are crimped together and bent to make a drip rail. So if you cut them, you may free the roof from the truck. I don't know if that is how the newer mazda trucks are built, so i can't offer any help.

You should go to a scrap yard with a hacksaw and cut into the drip rail on a truck like yours and see how it's formed.

i shaved the rails on my truck and i thought it didn't look good so we made new ones and put them back on

Ummmm. . . no. .

The drip rail keeps rain from entering the truck. . . Thats why people that have em shaved say that rain leaks in. . .

The weatherstiping wasn't made to lock out direct water flows that you would get without a drip rail. . so therefore it leaks in. . .

-Josh

I shaved my rails and it stays dry in side...if you do it right it will not leak on you ...and yes it is part of the roof welds and if you cut it out you need to weld it back,on the A-piller it is welded under but on the roof it is welded inbetween the outside roof and the door frameing, I had to reshape and weld in some to get it to look right to have the right roll to it

If you do it right? ? As opposed to smoothing the body in a way to allow water to get in? ? Or smoothing it the right way so water hits the door differently. . . .

I'm sorry, I'm jus in a very critical mood I guess, but that makes no sense what so ever. . .

-Josh

well guys thanks for the info. It has kinda went both ways so im still undecided on wether or not im gonna do it.