DIY rock rail build

blackwidowkj06 · **Posted:** Sat Oct 01, 2011 9:57 pm

I need some sliders, like Tom has.
Ones with steps that stick out on the side. It would help my short mother get into my Liberty. :ROTFL:

Sad to say they would be mostly for looks as I don't off-road much.

But would come in handy when I come across some rocks in my path :wink:

candpliberty · **Posted:** Sat Oct 01, 2011 10:37 pm

blackwidowkj06 wrote:

I need some sliders, like Tom has.
Ones with steps that stick out on the side. It would help my short mother get into my Liberty. :ROTFL:

Sad to say they would be mostly for looks as I don't off-road much.

But would come in handy when I come across some rocks in my path :wink:

My mother in law was visiting so I just packed a milk crate!

blackwidowkj06 · **Posted:** Sat Oct 01, 2011 10:43 pm

candpliberty wrote:

blackwidowkj06 wrote:

I need some sliders, like Tom has.
Ones with steps that stick out on the side. It would help my short mother get into my Liberty. :ROTFL:

Sad to say they would be mostly for looks as I don't off-road much.

But would come in handy when I come across some rocks in my path :wink:

My mother in law was visiting so I just packed a milk crate!

My mother can get into the Jeep okay, but a rock rail with a step would help her though.

candpliberty · **Posted:** Tue Oct 04, 2011 10:45 pm

As you see the plastic is gone.
I made a pair of front and a pair of rear main frame plates out of 3/16 x 3 steel stock. The front one is 11 inches long and the back one is 12 inches long. I used 1" x 1"- .120 tubing running almost the whole length of the pinch weld. It is 67 3/4". This is what was on there. OEM rockrails:

front frame mount. used both nutzerts plus some self tappers. after the legs are figured out, I'll add a few more:

Rear frame mount, used one nutzert hole, bolts and nuts(access through existing frame access holes) 1x1 to be added under frame.

1x1 running the length of the pinch weld. only three bolts until legs are placed:

I want to angle the legs to aid in sliding off of obstructions,

candpliberty · **Posted:** Thu Oct 06, 2011 12:16 am

Legs tacked to mount points. Main rail laid on legs for marking to trim legs.

ramlebliberty · **Posted:** Thu Oct 06, 2011 2:42 pm

Going to be welding them to the frame and pinch? or just bolting?

candpliberty · **Posted:** Thu Oct 06, 2011 8:27 pm

ramlebliberty wrote:

Going to be welding them to the frame and pinch? or just bolting?

7 bolts per pinch and 5 bolts and 3 self tappers on each frame rail. I think I'll add a couple more to the frame rail as things progress and I can see where I can put them.

candpliberty · **Posted:** Sat Oct 08, 2011 12:54 am

Maybe MadMaxish? Before the main rail, all tacked together.

Out from underneath.

The left side almost ready for paint.

candpliberty · **Posted:** Mon Oct 10, 2011 3:04 am

Just got done rattle canning the rock rails. Krylon black hammer finish, 2 1/2 cans over red primer. It should be done by tomorrow evening. i got to spray the rockers with some Krylon flat black truck bed spray. 3/8th plastic plugs in the holes left from removing the oe plastic covers. Boy, is that sheet metal THIN. :shock:

RED_KJ_666 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 10, 2011 4:54 pm

Nice Rails why not add some plate with counter sunk Machine head screws to smooth out the bracing? I will be doing a write up soon on Cut out DIY rock rails that I am doing on my jeep, I'm going to plasma the entire rocker off and weld in 2x4 1/4" wall like the XJ guys do.

candpliberty · **Posted:** Mon Oct 10, 2011 5:16 pm

Thanks for the suggestions. I got a surgery coming up and I got to get this done before wednesday.

the wifey won't let me cut up our jeep! She freaked when I put the winch on!

candpliberty · **Posted:** Mon Oct 10, 2011 5:18 pm

I reread your post and I definitely will add later

candpliberty · **Posted:** Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:56 pm

Found 3/8" nylon plugs at Home De Pot. reamed the holes in the rockers with a 25/64th bit and it fit perfect.

Bed linered rocker:

Painted and ready to install:

Final weight= 42# a side.

arengant · **Posted:** Mon Oct 10, 2011 8:06 pm

looking great!

good luck on wed!!!!

(any xj pics showing what you are talking about RED_kJ??)

RED_KJ_666 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 10, 2011 8:19 pm

The Product

Before

Cut Out

After
Doing it this way and tying it in properly also strengthens the Chassis quite a bit, as well as giving you loads of clearance beneath the rails. I'm lucky my GF loves the idea of cutting the jeep up to make it more capable, just not the $$$ and time I give it lol. Good luck with the surgery.
Here's a Link to His Complete Build it has the details.
http://nsjc.proboards.com/index.cgi?boa ... 826&page=1

candpliberty · **Posted:** Mon Oct 10, 2011 10:43 pm

arengant wrote:

(any xj pics showing what you are talking about RED_kJ??)

I bought some 3/16 x 2 to run parallel to the pinch weld and the main slider to fill in the gaps to minimize hangups but at 42 pounds already, I don't know. I'll just have to try what I got and see how they work. The extra "V" might be all I need.

Thanks for the luck. I need it.

candpliberty · **Posted:** Tue Oct 11, 2011 10:54 pm

All done!

candpliberty · **Posted:** Tue Oct 11, 2011 10:56 pm

candpliberty · **Posted:** Tue Oct 11, 2011 11:12 pm

A floor jack, a bottle jack, some drifts and 1/4 in punch came in handy to jack it all into place.
A magnetic retriever worked great for starting nuts inside the frame rails.
Someone wanted dimensions:

The main rail can be an inch shorter. I might or might not shorten them. They do protect the rear flares. If you're running bigger than 31" tires, go shorter. outrigger arms are approximate because I took the plastic thingies off the rockers. Tack them up and snap a line and cut them all off, off the Jeep.

Pippobug · **Posted:** Wed Oct 12, 2011 2:38 am

Candpliberty,

Great Job & Thank you very much for posting the information & measurements, I have asked in the past many members to post on here measurements of Rock Rails, as shipping cost to UK make the prohibitly expensive to buy & ship over. Now I have a plan to try and get them built over here.

Thank you again,
Fil.
PS: Hope all goes well with your operation.

DIY rock rail build

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