I've had rear aluminum corner armor for years with the inner fender/plastic thingy!
2004 LJ In Flux
- Thread starter Fluxor
- Start date
I've had rear aluminum corner armor for years with the inner fender/plastic thingy!
No, definitely preload, did you miss the point in the video where you mount the stainless rash guard to the aluminum backer with the bottom outer bolts? That should align the stainless/aluminum holes exactly.
They came with the bottom bolted together. I could lift the car off the ground and it didn't change the alignment
You absolutely DO preload. The rockers are slightly over bent so the parts are in some tension when installed.
Leave the bottom rash guard hardware mounted, loosen it slightly so the bends can self center and line up. Your really focused on centering the lower edge bends on each other not the holes. Clamp and preload the rockers like shown in the install video. Once the pieces are home and you start drilling you see the aluminum in like butter compared to the SS. The hole will center and line up with the rash guard.
I ship them with the rash guard installed so they don't get damaged. I am not really lining them up when boxing them.
Please reach out if you have any questions.
Just let the tab set in the body hole. If you like, you can grind it down abit but not necessary. The fender liner will stay in place.
So if I understand this correctly, its normal to drill some aluminum out. No amount of preload was going to fix that slight misalignment. When I said you dont, I meant you dont get the holes to align perfectly and it doesn't matter at all.
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@Hackyman I don’t think your understanding the the concept.
The preload has nothing to do with the misalignment.
First step: Loosen the 3 bolts so you can align the other holes. If you wish you can put all the bolts with nuts and tighten everything down so the other holes line up then remove every bolt but the 3 that were originally there.
Then you preload everything together on the jeep. You shouldn’t have any misaligned holes.
DO NOT drill when the holes are not aligned your going to fuck it up
The preload has nothing to do with the misalignment.
First step: Loosen the 3 bolts so you can align the other holes. If you wish you can put all the bolts with nuts and tighten everything down so the other holes line up then remove every bolt but the 3 that were originally there.
Then you preload everything together on the jeep. You shouldn’t have any misaligned holes.
DO NOT drill when the holes are not aligned your going to fuck it up
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So what does "
Yea no amount of anything was going to get those bolts to all align exactly perfect, even with the bottom bolts totally loose. Drilled out a small amount of aluminum, spot weld cutter centered in the stainless hole beautifully, and rockers are installed.
Yea no amount of anything was going to get those bolts to all align exactly perfect, even with the bottom bolts totally loose. Drilled out a small amount of aluminum, spot weld cutter centered in the stainless hole beautifully, and rockers are installed.
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If you install it with the torx screws torqued through the holes, how would they not line up when preloaded together?
As aforementioned, the bends matching are more important than the holes lining up, and the aluminum can be drilled if needed without any harm, but they should be really close if not aligned already.
Okay I think we need to make it easier for you. I think I understand what you’re doing now.
Put the everything on a table. Get the three bolts loose so that everything can be aligned. Bolts and nuts can help you align the holes better. Tighten everything down. After remove all the bolts expect the three main bolts that Flux installed.
DO NOT attempt to align the holes when it’s under preload it’s not going to work even if the three bolts are loose. You already found this out.
Again the bends matching are more important than the holes lining up.
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Yes.
There is no way to put holes in laminated sheet metal parts with multiple bends and have the holes line up. All in takes is the press brake back stop move slightly or the cut width of the laser to vary batch to batch which they do every time. Once you line everything up visually (not the holes) and start drilling you will see what I mean. The aluminum drills like its not there and the sheet metal holes center to rash guard hole perfectly. Then you oversize the holes that get nutserts.
Thanks Klay,
This makes sense to me and matches my expectations. I drilled out the aluminum to match the Stainless piece once it was installed. Drilling through the aluminum with the spot weld cutter is like a hot knife through butter as you mentioned. Rockers are on and look perfect.
Some updates. I got got the proto LJ Rub Rails back from the machine shop!. Now if I bend them with correctly we are making movement forward lol. Does not look like much sitting on the table but I am stoked.
