Unibody Rock Sliders *TESTED*

Inc · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 4:17 pm

Here is where it sits now.

I got 2 tanks from my buddies. One is super small but supposedly full. The other was darn near empty but it allowed me to finish welding the upper/outer seam of the 5x68.

Here is the driver side almost done...

Still need to cap the front end triangle...

Here is the rear with a cap. I left a little space for debris and water to escape out the back. The front will not have an opening.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 4:46 pm

Lookin' good! :wink:

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 6:29 pm

Noice!

Pics from the side at rocker level showing the "boatsides"? Pics from underneath?

yeah I know i'm never satisifed. :roll:

Inc · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 7:39 pm

JJsKJ wrote:

Noice!

Pics from the side at rocker level showing the "boatsides"? Pics from underneath?

yeah I know i'm never satisifed. :roll:

These are all I've got so far. I haven't finished welding the bottom seam where the flat bar meets the pinch weld so I didn't paint the "boatside". Doors are back on and close perfectly. The front is super close to the rails near the front fender/bottom front corner of the door but nothing scrapes at all. I do think I'll add a 3rd brace, but who knows when I'll get around to it. :roll:

(that is not paint on the door by the way, just brushed off dirt)

2006 KJ · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 8:28 pm

AWESOME! great job Inc

Inc · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 9:25 pm

Thanks. So far I am really happy with the project, and I do mean project. This was more than expected to be honest, but it is turning out to be great.

On the passenger side, the main bar is up (not fully welded but maybe 1/4 of the way), the angle iron pieces are fully welded in, and I am out of gas once again. :roll:

This things gets done tomorrow.

Boiler · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 10:00 pm

Ah, I get it now. Was hard to understand what you were doing with that flat 1/4 x 5 in my mind. That looks great! Should help you dismount the rocks a little better than flat.

Inc · **Posted:** Mon May 25, 2009 11:57 pm

Boiler wrote:

Ah, I get it now. Was hard to understand what you were doing with that flat 1/4 x 5 in my mind. That looks great! Should help you dismount the rocks a little better than flat.

Yeah, without an actual picture it can be hard to imagine or describe.

I gained quite a few inches of clearance from my old rock rails and they are infinitely stronger. The flat bottom will be free from hang ups as well which is nice. I wish the welded seam on the body was a little more hidden but it doesn't bug me. This jeep is such a far cry from a stock KJ in appearance with the front and rear bumpers, hood louvers, lift and tires, that I gave up trying to keep it looking close to one a while ago. I am so close to getting them done now I just wish it was finished. I went back out and checked my three tanks of gas and one had a tiny bit left, so I tacked up the mini boatside on the passenger side as well. So now I just need to weld the seams on the pinch welds, weld the seam where the rail meets the boatside, and weld in the braces on the pass side. Paint and go wheeling.

After I pull the jeep out of the garage I'll have to get a picture of all the crap that came off my jeep when cutting, welding, grinding and sanding on it. There is quite the pile.

Sport · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 2:45 pm

Very nice work, very low profile I like that. Also can double as a step for kids and other shorties. Good stuff.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 3:02 pm

Ended up pretty close to what I had drawn up a good while ago. Well, except for the "I had the angle piece like you have on the pinch weld, then the boatside piece going back past the pinch weld another 2 to 3 inches (being angled at the pinch weld to be flat ) and the cross bars from the frame welding into the back side of the pinch weld like you have plus the top of the boatside that came past the pinch weld. Tied in several different places.
Have to wait another month or two on mine till I return to see them :cry:

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 3:30 pm

very nice work Mike, very nice!

I love the idea, it does look like a complete pain in the arse fab though!

I'm not near enough a good welder to dive on that one, pretty much all i do is stick, and even that isn't too pretty

i have access to some pro welders but they are VERY.. very proud of their skills if you know what i mean!

Xodius · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 3:51 pm

You impress me every time I see one of your projects! Great job man!!

ken · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 6:45 pm

Yep pretty cool

Inc · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 7:05 pm

The process was a complete nightmare. It is worth it, but holy crap it was a process. Sooooo glad I am done with them now and was able to pull the jeep out of the garage finally.

This is the pile of metal, dust, dirt, and other junk I used in the process. Quite the pile of garbage after I swept it all up.

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 8:00 pm

that looks awesome Mike!! You did a very good job

2006 KJ · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 9:02 pm

now picture it with a SFA :twisted:

great job

Boiler · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 9:10 pm

You used a red compact disc in your project?

Inc · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 9:57 pm

Boiler wrote:

You used a red compact disc in your project?

There is no Compact Disc in that picture. There is a lot of tape, an empty roll of wire, and paper from the wrapping of various cut off wheels etc. but no CDs.

I am ordering a set of 35" Kevlar MT/Rs here shortly for the SFA project.

Inc · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 10:14 pm

yellocoyote wrote:

I like it - but I don't think I'd have the nerve to do it myself... welding abilities or not. :shock:

Looks great!

That first cut was a scary one. I told JJ that I had to sit there with the grinder going for quite a while, just sitting there staring at it hoping I wasn't doing something stupid. Eventually just had to do it. After I did the first side cutting, I still hesitated and went back and checked and rechecked the first side to make sure I didn't screw up the 2nd side.

If anyone is considering doing this, feel free to ask questions, and go for it. It is a ton of work but worth it. I am sure if anyone does it, they will come up with a way to improve on what I did. I think it is an essential modification to any unibody jeep that is going to get abused quite a bit and since I plan on keeping mine for a really really long time, I knew I should get it done sooner than later. I am still going to add plating to the frame rails and maybe put in a new transfer case crossmember that is beefier than the old one. Should add another crossmember beyond that too if I have room.

KJ 119 · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 10:42 pm

I gotta start checking out the Fab section more often,Fine job Inc!
Those are some sliders to be proud of.
Two thubs up..

Unibody Rock Sliders TESTED

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