Airjunky
TJ Enthusiast
This is what I ran with. Found them on Ebay for about 1/2 the price. I like that they protect the tub, no reduction in clearance, give me a step up if needed and the "bedliner" looking finish is easy to touch up if needed.
Yeah. The thing is, once you get rails mounted to the body that have steps built in, they are nearly as high as the door opening, and start to be useless as a step. Mine at least perform beautifully as a step.He really will argue about anything won’t he
Nice TJ. I'm using the same ones and they work great as a step for my vertically challenged wife. I'm average height and they work great for me too after the 2" lift! I knew when I bought them they weren't real sliders, and I am perfectly fine with that. I researched on here before I bought them and other members gave good reviews, and also warned me about this caveat. They are solid for a step, look great, and do provide protection from car doors, shopping carts etc. For light off-roading, they are better than nothing to keep most brush and sticks at bay from popping up and scratching the tub. And, they are so much nicer than the shitty quadratec nerf bars with plastic inlay steps that were on my TJ when I bought it.I'm using these. The install is fairly easy as they mount between the body and frame mounts, no drilling. They're very sturdy and work great as steps, and probably to some degree for protection. I like the fact that they tuck up under the tub pretty good, they don't hang down too much.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NP1PPG/?tag=wranglerorg-20
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If metal on metal is your concern, your going to be busy separating the TCase skid from the frame, the coil springs from the perches, et al.One thing I've always been leery about when looking at guards/steps/sliders were ones that mounted against the outside of the body. I've always wondered how much of an issue one would have with sand, salt, and grit getting between the protection and the Jeep's body. I don't like gaps that I can't flush with water. Then you also have the problem with dissimilar metals and the possible corrosion that may cause. These are the thoughts that keep me awake at night. That's why I never liked the stock Rubicon protection, and always went with something that may not be as durable, but at least it gave me a step and didn't make me wonder what was going on between the protection and the body of my Jeep.
-Cheers
He really will argue about anything won’t he
I would encourage anyone considering a rail of any kind to avoid that mounting system like the plague. 100% pure bullshit way of doing things.
If metal on metal is your concern, your going to be busy separating the TCase skid from the frame, the coil springs from the perches, et al.
For offroad sliders that will bear a lot of weight, yes of course. But just for steps they are perfectly fine for average sized folks. I had this concern at first when I bought mine, but the mounts are solid for use as a step unless you are a very large person. The ugly nerf bars that most hate are rated at 300 lbs per side, and these hang out further\lower as compared to the body armor flush mount steps that were posted. At 175 lbs, I don't feel any flex at all when I step on my body armor steps. If I did, they would be gone in an instant. I know of many TJs, like mine when I bought it, that have had these type of steps on their entire life without issue. But, if one weighs 300+, then these are not going to be a good idea as a step either. In this case, your point is important to consider.I was going to question that as well. Using the body mounts? That is too much of a cantilevered beam sticking out to be able to bear much weight safely.
The fact that you are splitting hairs between 300 and 175 should tell everyone what they need to know.For offroad sliders that will bear a lot of weight, yes of course. But just for steps they are perfectly fine for average sized folks. I had this concern at first when I bought mine, but the mounts are solid for use as a step unless you are a very large person. The ugly nerf bars that most hate are rated at 300 lbs per side, and these hang out further\lower as compared to the body armor flush mount steps that were posted. At 175 lbs, I don't feel any flex at all when I step on my body armor steps. If I did, they would be gone in an instant. I know of many TJs, like mine when I bought it, that have had these type of steps on their entire life without issue. But, if one weighs 300+, then these are not going to be a good idea as a step either. In this case, your point is important to consider.
Respectfully disagree, I am not splitting hairs and I do realize the force is amplified in a lever system, this is simple physics. Anything designed to bear weight has a reasonable safe limit and a suggested maximum limit. How much weight would you say is safe for a step like this and how have you determined this?The fact that you are splitting hairs between 300 and 175 should tell everyone what they need to know.
Respectfully disagree, I am not splitting hairs and I do realize the force is amplified in a lever system, this is simple physics. Anything designed to bear weight has a reasonable safe limit and a suggested maximum limit. How much weight would you say is safe for a step like this and how have you determined this?
I realize you dislike the design and I 100% agree depending on the usage. But, seeing that there was no ill effects after 13 years\100k when I swapped my shitty nerf bars out for the body armor mounts (shorter lever and stronger materials) is good enough for me. If this design was a big problem for use as a step, it seems to me like we would have thread after thread of folks damaging their body mounts and moving away from these kinds of steps.
Now something like this really scares me. A very short lever, but the hardware on a door latch holding 400lbs?!!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JMTVP9N/?tag=wranglerorg-20
The gasket is only about 1-1.5" tall. Unless I'm missing something.The Rubicon guards do have a rubber gasket, and that makes shit getting behind the guards very unlikely.
I don't know about many aftermarket types, but the Rubicons are not just metal mounted to metal.
The green arrows show the top of the rubber gasket:
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Respectfully disagree, I am not splitting hairs and I do realize the force is amplified in a lever system, this is simple physics. Anything designed to bear weight has a reasonable safe limit and a suggested maximum limit. How much weight would you say is safe for a step like this and how have you determined this?
I realize you dislike the design and I 100% agree depending on the usage. But, seeing that there was no ill effects after 13 years\100k when I swapped my shitty nerf bars out for the body armor mounts (shorter lever and stronger materials) is good enough for me. If this design was a big problem for use as a step, it seems to me like we would have thread after thread of folks damaging their body mounts and moving away from these kinds of steps.
Now something like this really scares me. A very short lever, but the hardware on a door latch holding 400lbs?!!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JMTVP9N/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Also problem rust areas.If metal on metal is your concern, your going to be busy separating the TCase skid from the frame, the coil springs from the perches, et al.