MereAnatomy Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Wondering if anyone has any knowledge on the quality between some of the builders for rock rails/rocker guards? I'm in the market as soon as my credit card recovers, I know they're available from Nates 4x4, rigidco, rocky road. Anyone have any experience or ideally anyone seen more than one of these company's offering and know how they might stack up? After painting the ol beast, I really do not want a crushed rocker panel... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirteatr717 Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 My rockers and cab corners were in great shape and I was scared to cut them at first but I just got some 2x6x3/16 at work and this is the result. Not hard to do and if you split the other 12 feet of a full length with a friend with a cherokee can do the same :thumbsup: I cut along the pinch seam and welded the box tube to the sheetmetal, after I wash my truck id like to put some paintable silicone over all the welds just incase theres a leaky spot. They're tucked up higher than regular sliders and can be used as a base for a cage after proper structural supports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GirsMJ86 Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 But how strong is that? Because the problem I see with that over actual sliders is that it isn't going to take much to still damage the truck, and for the OP and quite a few others I'm sure, it doesn't actually protect the rockers since they would be hacked out. One solid smack to a rock would cause the sheet metal to pucker, bend, or rip since it isn't very strong stuff. They should have supports attached to the frame to be used for much hard stuff. The best looking sliders I've seen are on H3RESQ's rig, if I ever worry about needing any I'd rather find a shop and have some like these made rather than aftermarket stuff since it can normally be done for less than companies ask for their product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirteatr717 Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 They're not finished yet so they will have aupports to the frame but they're also 3/16 thick and being as long as they are the load spreads pretty evenly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW86 Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 i bought the rocky road ones but never installed them. they were pretty stout IMO. they didnt account for my RK long arms on mounting points, so i sold them :dunno: if i had to do it again, id make my own. the guy i sold them to made exact copies for around 70 bucks vs the 319 plus shipping from rocky road Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 I have a set of the Rocky Road sliders on my blue truck. Plenty strong but i opted to have them welded on over using bolts likey theyre orgionally designed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 But how strong is that? Because the problem I see with that over actual sliders is that it isn't going to take much to still damage the truck, and for the OP and quite a few others I'm sure, it doesn't actually protect the rockers since they would be hacked out. One solid smack to a rock would cause the sheet metal to pucker, bend, or rip since it isn't very strong stuff. They should have supports attached to the frame to be used for much hard stuff. I used 2x4x1/4 for rocker replacement for my '86 mounted the same way I opted for the 4" wide box so it sits flush with the body. This also provides less leverage for a rock to twist the box around when compared to the 6" box. I have come down hard on the driver side when dropping down a ledge. Seems I forgot I was in a LWB MJ on 235's and not in my TJ with 35's..... The box didn't move or twist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GirsMJ86 Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 But how strong is that? Because the problem I see with that over actual sliders is that it isn't going to take much to still damage the truck, and for the OP and quite a few others I'm sure, it doesn't actually protect the rockers since they would be hacked out. One solid smack to a rock would cause the sheet metal to pucker, bend, or rip since it isn't very strong stuff. They should have supports attached to the frame to be used for much hard stuff. I used 2x4x1/4 for rocker replacement for my '86 mounted the same way I opted for the 4" wide box so it sits flush with the body. This also provides less leverage for a rock to twist the box around when compared to the 6" box. I have come down hard on the driver side when dropping down a ledge. Seems I forgot I was in a LWB MJ on 235's and not in my TJ with 35's..... The box didn't move or twist. Those look stronger, and they are braced. Being flush with the body they don't have the pivot the wider ones have if they were to get smacked down hard on the outermost edge. Dirteatr just didn't mention anything about braces being added so that's where my main comment is directed to, because without that the wider ones are very prone to making the sheet metal flex with enough force. Well he did sort of, but not in a way that made it sound like they were in the works unless a cage was being added as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 I built mine to hang free from my rotted rockers and compensated for that lack of outer support by punching holes through my frame and welding the bars to both sides. works great! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 I don't use rock sliders. I grease the rock first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 I don't use rock sliders. I grease the rock first. ... says the guy has no idea what rusty rocker panels look like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MereAnatomy Posted May 19, 2013 Author Share Posted May 19, 2013 i guess I'm totally in the aftermarket realm at this point since the paint is fresh and the idea of taking a cutting wheel to them would probably cause a heart attack. I don't doubt that the rocky road setup is a good one given the quality of their lift kit. To comanchekid45: The rocky road kit is designed to bolt through the frame rails, correct? Or does it bolt up to one side somehow? I want them free from the sheet metal ideally to have room to take a blow and slightly deform similar to Pete's philosophy. Anyone able to run the rock road kit with long arms (another thing in the future)? Anyone seen the ones from rigidco or Nate's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 Why not go to a local fabricator and have them build you exactly what you want. Most rock rails seem to use the pinch seam on the rockers as a support so IMO most of the off the shelf sliders can damage the rockers on a hard hit. I have heard of people adding additional supports to help with that but who wants to spend $300+ then have to modify them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 To comanchekid45: The rocky road kit is designed to bolt through the frame rails, correct? Or does it bolt up to one side somehow? I want them free from the sheet metal ideally to have room to take a blow and slightly deform similar to Pete's philosophy. RRO supplies a handfull of self tapping bolts and a dozen or so bolt/nut combos to attach to the pinch seams........I couldnt get them to line up with the frame and pinch seams equally at all so just had a friend weld them on, theyve held up awesome over the abuse ive put them through and have been nothing but happy with them after i managed to get them installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoryMJ89 Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 I got mine from trail gear 67" ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 mine were cheap to acquire, easy to make (had to farm out the welding) and I've dropped the truck on them a few times now and the results were nothing more than scratches. :D on the subject of attaching to the rockers, mine don't exist so that wasn't an option. but if I had pristine, structurally sound rockers, there's no way in hell I'd be punching holes in them. but then, I live in the rust belt so that skews my view of things... :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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