New rockers

[Hard frank]

Well, replacement rockers at least. :oops: 

 

I read a thread somebody wrote some time back over on www.NAXJA.com , about using a rear tail gate cap for rocker protection. Well its only aluminum so its not really much protection,. but its really nice to cover rusted out rockers!! Its DeeZee part number 2143B for a 2002-06 Dodge Ram pick up. The contour/profile is almost exactly the same as the XJ/MJ rockers!!

 

When I got my MJ, the rockers where not that bad, but would have been if not taken care of right away. There was small rust holes for most of their length. I removed all effected metal, back to solid steel and cleaned and prepped area for RUST BULLET. This is much like POR15 but a top coat is not required. I left it like this for about 4 months.

 

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Tonight I decided to tackle the diamond plate rocker covers. They are WAY long for the MJ, but almost perfect on a four door XJ. I positioned one end so it tucked up under the flair about 2". Then marked for the cuts at the beginning and ending of the door opening and then again at the end of the cab. 

 

For the front cut its to remove the lip/fold that is the back side of the cap where it would screw to the back of the tail gate. 

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In the door jamb area the lip of the diamond plate is a bit too much for the front portion of the door. So I just bent it up so it would ride up the vertical portion of the rocker. This allowed the whole panel to be tucked up nicely against the body for a nice tite fit.

 

At the rear of the door, I choose to just cut the lip and flatten the piece so the plate extends up higher on the body behind the door.

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At the end of the cab, I just cut to kinda match the contours of the cab.

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Then I attached everything to the MJ using some BLACK Silicone at the door jambs and lotsa pop rivets!!

 

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Here is the Pass side finished:

 

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Here is the Drivers side all done:

 

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I ran out of light so I do not have any really good shots in day light, but I like it and it looks very nice. Almost like they where made for this purpose!!

 

Took me about 3 hours start to finish. NEXT is my actual rocker protection!!!

 

Maybe one of you needs this, Good luck

[gogmorgo]

A friend of mine was talking a while back about building rockers for various vehicles by harvesting the top bed rails off junkyard trucks. I’ve also seen diamond plate aluminum rocker panel covers… I suspect more decorative that protective, but it’s a thing. Doesn’t look bad either.