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Are you asking about the black rockers that are a factory option. Those are just for the look.
I have aftermarket carbon fiber skirts just to keep rock chips off the lower rear quarters.
Are the Rocker Panels something that most owners recommend, or is this something that just adds to the overall appearance?
Thanks
DonD
Originally Posted by C5racecar
Are you asking about the black rockers that are a factory option. Those are just for the look.
I have aftermarket carbon fiber skirts just to keep rock chips off the lower rear quarters.
Yep, here is my history with the need for FULL LENGTH Side skirts to stop rocks thrown by the front tires. mud guards, when large extra width are only a partical solution.
Here is the first Pic with prior two Vette having some rocker panel dings when sold:
Have sold all my prior 6 Vette on my own. All DDs and all with relative low miles. All in mint condition except the first two had dinged rocker panels. Was determined not to have the same thing happen with my 3rd Vette a C8 Z51. Added these rather large, contoured body color painted splash guards. The rears worked fine BUT even the large deep, wide front still left rocker panel dings near the rear AND in front of the rear wheels.
My next Vette was a 2014 C7 Z51. GM put cheap think PPF where they new rocks hot. It was dinged within a monh s and looked bad. I removed and installed full length side skirts that solved the issue.
My next Vette a 2017 Grand Sport also had some cheap GM PPF I removed. But I ordered it with the $4000 Stage 2 Aero that came with full length side skirts. When sold NO DINGS.
Added GM Type 5VM side skirts to my 2020 C8 Z51, when sold zero dings! This is a good Pic to show why full length side skirts are needed. It's from a Tracker who showed where Track Rubber hits the car. Track rubber comes off ROCK DINGS affect resale!
I had to have them. In addition to providing some protection, it looks awesome compared to having nothing. I bought them and them shipped Criswell and they installed them at delivery.
Are you asking about the black rockers that are a factory option. Those are just for the look.
I have aftermarket carbon fiber skirts just to keep rock chips off the lower rear quarters.
I bought them on ebay from a seller BURNINGDESIGN. Was very happy with the quality. The price was right.
Need to drill holes in the bottom of the rocker. I used 3/16 aluminum pop rivets under the car.
JOGON2013 is another ebay carbon fiber seller that has good interior parts.
There is always some risk buying carbon parts on ebay. You never know if it is going to fit right.
You always need to test fit before you peel off the double stick tape film.
Quite often there is tape on two perpendicular surfaces that make it almost impossible to get the part all the way on before it sticks.
The rockers are not real hard to install. You need to be sure the carbon panel is fitting tight to the body before you drill the rivet holes under the car.
Last edited by C5racecar; Apr 11, 2026 at 02:14 AM.
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If talking about side skirts, then yes, that is a very good item to install on the car. Really protects the rocker panels. If you are looking at extended coverage splash guards, then it really depends on the width of coverage, fit to the car and price. I have both full length side skirts and extended splash guards on my C7 and the protection offered is excellent.
Thanks to all for the comments. I will say that I do like the Carbon Fiber side skirts - they look more aggressive than the factory, but then again, the GM configurator doesn't give that great of an image. Thanks for sharing, and the others for the detailed info.
