I started my new rock rail unibody project this morning.
I took off my old rails, and the crappy plastic body panels that cover the rockers. Then I took measurements for the length and width that the rails need to be.
The figures I am using are 70" lengths, running the entire side of the jeep from here:
to here:
I am going to use 2"x5" square tubing for the main bar of the rail.
After that I am going to run a 5"x68" piece of flatbar, .25" thick, that will connect from the bottom of the outer lip of the rock rail to the pinch weld. I am going to weld the flatbar to the rail obviously, and then weld the seam that will be created where the flat bar meets the pinch weld. I am going to weld the pinch weld to the flatbar. So in essence the rails will be mini-boatsides on the bottom for 5". I will also cap the front end of the triangle shaped hole that will be created between the rail , the pinch weld and the bottom of where the rail meets the cut out unibody. After that I will be welding in two, maybe three, 2"x2"s - .25 wall tube for side supports from inside the pinch weld to the unibody frame.
The issues that I will have to deal with are that there are front fender body panels that bolt to the pinch weld under the front fender. So if I cut and weld that panel to the rail, which I am, I may have to cut that off and re-cut the new piece if I ever get in a fender bender or accident. I won't be able to just unbolt it and replace it like I would normally. Oh well.
I am going to cut the uniobody right beneath the door so I don't have to cut the doors shorter like the XJ guys do on theirs. The weld will be visible right at the base of the door.
The steel for this project cost me $181 out the door.
I should be done in a week or 2, depending on how motivated I feel.