Rock Sliders / Rocker Guards Guide

[Bowhunter]

One thing I wanted to bring up to the group to discuss is the spacer plates on some sliders that cover under the tub… the need for spacer plates is because the torque boxes are not level, they bend up about half way through the rocker area

For example Cavfab (most cost effective choice for me at the minute) has one metal spacer plate between the rear most body mount and the middle body mount (these sliders are not body mount mounted, they bolt into the tub). My understanding is that spacer (circled in red in two pictures) mounts up against the torque box in the rear. Cav fab only has one of these where a much more experience slider (5x the cost) has 3 spacer plates (circled in blue).

My simple point of view is that more spacer plates help distribute the load into a bigger surface in the torque boxes.

What do you guys think?

 

[JMT]

One thing I wanted to bring up to the group to discuss is the spacer plates on some sliders that cover under the tub… the need for spacer plates is because the torque boxes are not level, they bend up about half way through the rocker area

For example Cavfab (most cost effective choice for me at the minute) has one metal spacer plate between the rear most body mount and the middle body mount (these sliders are not body mount mounted, they bolt into the tub). My understanding is that spacer (circled in red in two pictures) mounts up against the torque box in the rear. Cav fab only has one of these where a much more experience slider (5x the cost) has 3 spacer plates (circled in blue).

My simple point of view is that more spacer plates help distribute the load into a bigger surface in the torque boxes.

What do you guys think?

View attachment 430947

View attachment 430948

View attachment 430949

I think that you put the size spacer plates you need. In my corrections I found the JCR plate near The rear was 3/16”. It needed 3/8”. I added a 3/16” plate to make it 3/8”. I also added a 3/8” plate in front of that. I discovered that was too thick for that section. My point is the torque boxes are sloping upward behind the center body mount. There’s not a “step” up”

Here’s what is as accurate as possible as far as I can see.

You need 3/16” just behind the center body mount. You need 3/8” farther back.

 

[RINC]

I would definitely install the bolt by the W, it’s not hard to drill a 1” access hole inside by the seat belt torque box area, it’s thin sheet metal. If you didn’t install the bolt, it’s a pretty big span of unreinforced slider.


I can try to grab some when I get home. If any bowing, there is a long gap of bolts on the front end of the slider under the jeep logo where a little gap formed against the body. Maybe the bowing was referring to that..

They’ve held up great, I don’t wheel in AZ type rocks but landed on them a few times.

My big dummy head drilled a hole ahead of the seatbelt on my '04. Also under "Jeep" I can see the barest of space between the body and slider.

 

[IPerkWVU]

My big dummy head drilled a hole ahead of the seatbelt on my '04. Also under "Jeep" I can see the barest of space between the body and slider.
View attachment 431088

Yeah, you do have to unbolt the seatbelt to put a hole for the behind the “w” location.

@Boboddy @Bowhunter

Jeep inflation is crazy, I got these in 2018 for $215 on Amazon. I think it was one of those random price drops but way less than current prices.

 

[Bowhunter]

I think that you put the size spacer plates you need. In my corrections I found the JCR plate near The rear was 3/16”. It needed 3/8”. I added a 3/16” plate to make it 3/8”. I also added a 3/8” plate in front of that. I discovered that was too thick for that section. My point is the torque boxes are sloping upward behind the center body mount.

Here’s what is as accurate as possible as far as I can see.

You need 3/16” just behind the center body mount. You need 3/8” farther back.

Thanks for the info. I wasn’t aware that all sliders needed plate spacers to get good contact with the torque boxes. Must be why there are a lot of sliders that don’t cover the torque boxes

 

[JMT]

Thanks for the info. I wasn’t aware that all sliders needed plate spacers to get good contact with the torque boxes. Must be why there are a lot of sliders that don’t cover the torque boxes

Yeah, it sucks the Warn only wraps under the tub edge.

 

[RINC]

Yeah, it sucks the Warn only wraps under the tub edge.

Sliders appears to be where I did not buy once, cry once.

 

[jjvw]

My big dummy head drilled a hole ahead of the seatbelt on my '04. Also under "Jeep" I can see the barest of space between the body and slider.
View attachment 431088

Use nutserts

 

[The4bangertj]

Now I see the concern with cost of making them too. A local shop quoted 2 sheets big enough for the base sheet for sliders at $400. Is just big enough they have to use their big sheets they get and plasma cut it down adding costs. Then additional costs of tools or paying them to bend it would make it close to just buying them.

 

[Bowhunter]

Use nutserts

Is a nutsert a nutsert? Or do we need to be looking for specific quality nutserts?

 

[Bowhunter]

Cavfab provided me with this picture. Looks like there are 4 bolts on the under side of the slider (like Brain said in a precious one said)

Wanted to share my suggested “modifications” and if others have different/better modification suggestions:

1. Use the 4 supplied bolts on the underside of the slider (I’m assuming they provide nutserts). My understanding is at those 4 bolts, the skid is in contact with the torque boxes. I’m guessing the slider is somewhat “free floating” off the tub/torque boxes in the middle of the slider

2. Add another 3-4 bolt holes into the slider and tub (into the torque boxes)

3. Using nutserts and various different thicknesses of bare stock, add the extra 3-4 bolts on the bottom side of the slider. Use the flat bar stock as spacers that fill the gap between the torque boxes and the slider (slider is flat, torque box bends up/down from the factory) so that when the weight of the jeep is on the slider, it distributes the load over more area than just the front and rear torque box bolt locations that cavfab recommends

4. There looks to be 7 bolts that bolt through the front of the rocker into the tub (into the cab of the jeep). I assume these bolts go all the way into the cab of the jeep. This mod I’m not so sure about but could add a long piece of bare stock or aluminum plate to the inside of the cab and run the 7 bolts through it. Kind of like a backer plate (similar to Savy’s design I believe)


Other them not being WW2WW, these modifications seem to be minimal and for under $400 shipped and they cover all the way back to the body mounts, these seem like a viable option for those that don’t want to spend $800 (to then have to modify) or wait for Savvy

Haven’t made my mind up yet between Cavfab and wait g for Savvy

 

[JMT]

Cavfab provided me with this picture. Looks like there are 4 bolts on the under side of the slider (like Brain said in a precious one said)

Wanted to share my suggested “modifications” and if others have different/better modification suggestions:

1. Use the 4 supplied bolts on the underside of the slider (I’m assuming they provide nutserts). My understanding is at those 4 bolts, the skid is in contact with the torque boxes. I’m guessing the slider is somewhat “free floating” off the tub/torque boxes in the middle of the slider

2. Add another 3-4 bolt holes into the slider and tub (into the torque boxes)

3. Using nutserts and various different thicknesses of bare stock, add the extra 3-4 bolts on the bottom side of the slider. Use the flat bar stock as spacers that fill the gap between the torque boxes and the slider (slider is flat, torque box bends up/down from the factory) so that when the weight of the jeep is on the slider, it distributes the load over more area than just the front and rear torque box bolt locations that cavfab recommends

4. There looks to be 7 bolts that bolt through the front of the rocker into the tub (into the cab of the jeep). I assume these bolts go all the way into the cab of the jeep. This mod I’m not so sure about but could add a long piece of bare stock or aluminum plate to the inside of the cab and run the 7 bolts through it. Kind of like a backer plate (similar to Savy’s design I believe)


Other them not being WW2WW, these modifications seem to be minimal and for under $400 shipped and they cover all the way back to the body mounts, these seem like a viable option for those that don’t want to spend $800 (to then have to modify) or wait for Savvy

Haven’t made my mind up yet between Cavfab and wait g for Savvy

View attachment 431221

Yes, add the backing plate inside. Only 3 bolts will go through into the tub area for the backing plate. The maximum flat length is 23”. The front one is inside the engine bay. The second, sixth, and seventh are enclosed so you’ll use nutserts.

Add the spacers underneath. They can be welded or free.

Add more nutserts and mounting points underneath.

Replace those dumb button heads underneath.

Call Cav Fab ask them if they can and will make you a ww2ww version. You never know. Offer them extra $$. They do have “Fab” in their name. On this note, I suspect most companies don’t make ww2ww because they want it to be super easy for a customer to install. Most of them applaud their product for being able to install with any flare/fender. Those of us who care about function are willing to figure out the fender/flare issues, but most are not.

 

[bluescapegoat]

So I have a set of Poison Spyder "Rocker Knocker" sliders that have to go. The only ones on the market I really like at the moment is the Savvy, if you call their availability on the market.
My thought is I probably want to do new corner armor and front fenders and rockers all at the same time, so I can go to WW2WW and flare-less since it's no longer my daily driver. I originally went with the PS rockers because I liked how they tied into the PS fenders and armor, I liked their flare design and styling the most. But that was when it was a DD.

Anyway, until the Savvys come back on the market -if ever or as a SAVVYZZZ- I'm considering modifying the PS to at least do what it's doing in a less shitty way. I previously had JKS body lift pucks and trimmed the body mount. I have a savvy BL now and new body mounts all around. I'm considering cutting around the body mounts in the PS rocker and using 3 or 4 nutserts in their stead. Additionally, I'll make a backing plate inside the tub for the side anchors. I'm also considering cutting off the tube that I don't use as a step anyway, but I'm wondering if given the design of the armor if that'll actually compromise the strength in a side impact situation.

So my question is will nutserts with the PS rockers only making contact to the torque box on the raised section be enough at all or will any impact towards the other end of the rocker just torque them out of the torque box?

I've become a bit more competent with a welder and I'm not opposed to drilling holes or fabbing up something if need be. But I don't have a metal brake. At least, not one that can do 3/16"

 

[bluescapegoat]

CavFabs showed up.

CavFab 63.6 lbs per pair, not counting hardware.
Poison Spyder Rocker Knocker 60.8 lbs per pair, not counting hardware.

Makes perfect sense given the lack of step but the addition of the extra length and under-tub coverage. I'll be modifying these to get the most out of them.

edited for clarity

 

[bluescapegoat]

I'm nowhere near ready for mounting these up, but I couldn't help but carry one outside and clamp it on to see how it looks. I like it.
I really would rather not lose my current aluminum Poison Spyder corners, I like them, I like having a little flare. (I know I said otherwise in a previous post but really I like their front fenders and they don't make them in aluminum anymore for me to get a set of zero-flare) But I'm not going to shorten these rockers. At least not for the sake of the corner armor. I do have my wheel well cut forward which is a whole other issue. Maybe I can cut the corner and leave the flare hanging down to overlap the armor, it would leave just a smidge of weld holding the flare to the rest of the tub armor. Then trim the rear of the rocker forward to match the wheel well opening and weld a plate across the end to cap it off and look finished. tbd

Also, the riser plate welded on the rear does appear to come up maybe 1/4" short of the torque box but I need to take some time to really get it all positioned and accurate and see what it needs.

Another plus: none of the holes in the CavFab overlap the holes for the Rocker Knockers

 

[Bowhunter]

CavFabs showed up.

CavFab 63.6 lbs per pair, hardware not included.
Poison Spyder Rocker Knocker 60.8 lbs per pair, hardware not included.

Makes perfect sense given the lack of step but the addition of the extra length and under-tub coverage. I'll be modifying these to get the most out of them.


View attachment 434096

You say hardware not included but in the upper right hand corner of the picture I see a back of hardware…?

Thanks for sharing the pics! Im about to go with these (the $150 in shipping is a bit hard to swallow). How do they cover wheel well to wheel well if you have stock fenders?

 

[JMT]

I'm nowhere near ready for mounting these up, but I couldn't help but carry one outside and clamp it on to see how it looks. I like it.
I really would rather not lose my current aluminum Poison Spyder corners, I like them, I like having a little flare. (I know I said otherwise in a previous post but really I like their front fenders and they don't make them in aluminum anymore for me to get a set of zero-flare) But I'm not going to shorten these rockers. At least not for the sake of the corner armor. I do have my wheel well cut forward which is a whole other issue. Maybe I can cut the corner and leave the flare hanging down to overlap the armor, it would leave just a smidge of weld holding the flare to the rest of the tub armor. Then trim the rear of the rocker forward to match the wheel well opening and weld a plate across the end to cap it off and look finished. tbd

Also, the riser plate welded on the rear does appear to come up maybe 1/4" short of the torque box but I need to take some time to really get it all positioned and accurate and see what it needs.

Another plus: none of the holes in the CavFab overlap the holes for the Rocker Knockers

View attachment 434099

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View attachment 434101

Can you swap the passenger side rear flare with the driver side? Looking at your second picture that might solve all your problems.

 

[bluescapegoat]

You say hardware not included but in the upper right hand corner of the picture I see a back of hardware…?

Thanks for sharing the pics! Im about to go with these (the $150 in shipping is a bit hard to swallow). How do they cover wheel well to wheel well if you have stock fenders?

Hardware not included in the weights. Just the steel rocker. It does come with mounting hardware, some stickers, no instructions.

I don't have stock fenders and you can see the coverage as well as me in the photo... My guess is they come up a couple inches short of the factory flares in the front and they would run under the factory flares in the rear right up to the wheel well opening. But I have no real way to verify that. They're not "ww2ww."

If it helps, they measure 54-3/4" along the top edge, and approximately 50-3/4" along the bottom of the outer face

 

[bluescapegoat]

Can you swap the passenger side rear flare with the driver side? Looking at your second picture that might solve all your problems.

The flares are welded and I don't have the equipment nor skill to weld aluminum.

 

[Bowhunter]

Just wanted to give anyone looking at the JCRs, I talked to them last week and they foresee ending the 10% sale end of this month and there would be a smaller discount for the 4th of July