Mopar Rock rails question?

touro1979 · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 8:38 am

I am planning on ordering Mopar rock rails from the dealer for my 2006 Liberty on Wednesday or Thursday. I know there are better choices out there that are stronger and will hold up to abuse better but I would like to have some peoples opinions that have mopar rails. Common sense dictates they are better than nothing but How much better then noting are they? Are they a complete waste of money and mainly cosmetic or will they hold up to mild abuse?

I am planning on using my liberty for a couple of Jeep Jamborees this year and next year in the Northeast so huge boulders prob will not be an issue but after that I hope to have a 97-00 wrangler for that purpose. I already have all the mopar skids including the transmission and I am getting towhooks installed on Wednesday of this week. Will the mopar rails provide me with some protection and will they suitable for my intended use? Again, I know there are much stronger alternatives out there so I do not need suggestions on alternatives but need opinions on the Mopar rails. Thanks for your thoughts and opinions.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 8:48 am

jerbacher has been running with a set on his for a while and done a lot of 4 wheeling , with that said you will pay as much from a dealer for them as a good set of real rock rails

jerbacher · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 9:26 am

the only reason i originally got them is because i needed them quick and got them used for cheap.

i dont think i'd pay what they ask for them new, although i cannot remember how much they are new. $250 or so? what is the price of some better ones? i'm not sure of that either.

regarding the performance, they are cetainly not as strong as others. however, they are not just cosmetic either. you can sit the jeep on them on a rock ledge and they'll hold. just dont come down with force or they will not. i saw meh_kick turn one into a tent in the chute at Daniel Boone National Forest. also, the nutzerts that they have you use to attach them can be troublesome.

just weigh the cost differences and think about what you actually plan on doing with them. if you're just going to do some mild wheeling and forest roads for sight seeing, then they will be fine.

in this pic, i'm sitting right on the middle of the drivers side rail. i would not put them under any more stress then this. i think mine might have a very slight bow to it now, but its still holding.
[img][img]http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w162/jerbacher/DBNF%20Feb%2008/IMG_0015.jpg[/img][/img]

Fulltimer · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 10:01 am

jerbacher that is a real good picture. Especially for showing the slider in action.

I agree on the Mopar sliders. I have them, got them used. I have used them for their intended use also, and they held up. But, it is true that they will NOT stand up to hard use. I have dented mine (not bad) on some pretty mild stuff. If you have the time to wait for something better, I would.

Terry

Kugellager · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 10:23 am

The first mod I did to my KJ, even before I put on a lift, was to get a good set of rock rails. In CO they are a necessity unless you have a 12" lift...still might need them at times.

I was under the impression that the Mopar rock rails sold for more like $400...but I am not sure. For that money I would go with a more sturdy after-market rock rail.

Personally, I would recommend All J's Boulder Bars or Rock Lizard's Skink Sliders I have the All J Boulder Bars and have clunked down full weight on granite boulders with them many times with no dents or bends to date (Scratches yes - dents no). I have seen the same with the Skink Sliders as I wheel with Marty and LOST Rockies several times a year.

For a similar amount of money you can't beat either of the rock rails I mentioned.

@Fulltimer - Where do you see hard rock in FL? I lived in Gainesville and studied geology there for about 9 years. The hardest rocks I saw there was some crappy limestone akin to weakend concrete...which generally breaks very easily...though I suppose the Smokies and Blue Ridge mountains are only a day away from St Augustine. They have 'real' rocks that can bite you.

John
];')

stumpjumper_09 · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 11:51 am

I've been down onto my mopar rails a few times and personally i would like something stronger. just looking at them the look like the are going to bend. but they have held up without any damage what so ever. why don't you give me retail for mine and i'll call up the rock lizard?

Fulltimer · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 1:00 pm

Kugellager: Your right about Florida's so called rocks! :lol:

But, like I said "mild". Even the coquina, which stopped cannon balls at the old fort, are not hard.

Terry

ridah011 · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 2:02 pm

i bought a set for $85 off of ebay, because I to needed a set fast. for the money not bad, but they do bend. i was out in Rausch Creek, PA and banged around alot and they did bend slightly but they did their jobs.

touro1979 · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 2:11 pm

Thanks for your opinions so far. Sounds like they are a lot better than having nothing and sounds like they should work for my intended purpose. Like I said, I am a beginner and will not be taking any 7-9 level trails and will stick to more intermediate trails so I think they will add extra insurance if I take it easy and do not do anything stupid.

The reason I want to go with the Mopar ones are that they will only cost me $345.00 and that includes Tax and installation and money is a concern right now for me. If I got aftermarket I would pay that or more just for the rails and then have to find someone to put them on that would probablly charge me 80 an hour just to install them. I am not mechanicaly inclined or else I would just order the better ones and do them myself. Another consideration is that I can get them fast and I want them installed and ready to go for the Jeep Jamboree in bradford and I know the Jeep dealer will get them fast and get me in fast.

Fouros · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 7:14 pm

standard skinks are $305.00 + shipping

super skinks are $415.00 + shipping

and they come with the hadware to fit them and templates to help you drill the bolt holes

and the fitting is free if you have a drill and a couple of free hours

then you can say the Jeep is your cause you drilled your first hole in it

2006 KJ · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 7:18 pm

i also have the stock rock rails... and i've abused mine pretty good. They have done their job but show the signs.. i used a frame machine to pull down on my driver side one.(after being bent up to the rocker). and it is now bent back up against the rocker... they have a few dents in them and i've repainted them once due to scraches/rusting dowing down both sides of the rails. they came on my jeep and have saved me serious damage to my jeep many many times. with that said.. if my jeep did NOT come with them i would not buy them to add to it. i would save my money and buy rocklizard ones with the extra bar.. it's not only the rocker protection that will cost you money... if your in situations where you'll need rock rails the lower part of your door is most likely going to be in harms way and will cost you just as much as the rocker if damaged...

save for a few extra months and get these... it's less than buying mopar ones twice (which if you use them.. you will need another set sooner or later) and they will save your doors.

http://www.rocklizardfabrications.com/SuperSkink2.jpg

they are the 'superskinks'

not to mention rock lizard is a huge supporter of this site and liberty's. great products and customer service.

and the jeep jamboree in bradford is outstanding!!!!! i did the orange and yellow trail with my liberty and had a blast.. if you do the orange and yellow trail you WILL use your skids and rock rails... not much... but you will.

stumpjumper_09 · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 7:56 pm

my dad lives in jamestown ny and has a very capable garage. I know that he won't charge you anything like 80 an hour. probably 60 or 70 for the job. let me know if you want to talk to him

DryBones · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 8:35 pm

my Mopar skids look a bit differnt and seem to be a bigger diameter but shorter. I believe Fulltimer's are the same style. Can't say I have had a chance to test them....yet.

Uttles · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 10:02 pm

All I have to say is that most of the time, I am not stupid, and I take the easier line on light to moderate trails.

However, everyone knows that when out wheeling, sometimes there is no easy line, and no bypass, and no way through without going for it....even with great spotters.

The mopar rails worked well until they were brought down on a rock.

I now have custom rails for $400.00 including tax, and installation. That's cheap protection.

here's what i did last spring on my one and only wheeling trip in the NewB run with my local jeep club...

I still have one Mopar drivers side in great condition and one passenger side with a "slight LOL" bend if anyone lives close enough...

Fouros · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 10:11 pm

i hope marty doesnt mind me pinching the photos and prices from his website

Silverdiesel · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 11:45 pm

Got mine off craigslist cheap....
One thing I did not like is that off center towards the rear posture install. I installed spacers but the most I can do and still have strength was 1" towards the front.
Already got a few deep scratches as they do a fairly weak job but they do protect....
But my build is for maintainment of higher mileage so hence a mild lift.

Roland

Mopar Rock rails question?

Who is online