Budget rockers

[TheRedBull]

My goal is to get some rockers in a few months or so. I may go the custom route.
I know a couple of good welders. For my '92 Cherokee sport 4door, I'm looking to ask any of you describe any info they might need for building the rockers. [if they even do it]
Otherwise I'll browse aftermarket ones.

[Reminder - I'm a Jeep newbie and beginner mechanic]

[4.3LXJ]

There are several designs that are good. The main thing is to bolt to the pinch seam on the rocker panel and the frame. The rest is preference and how many shop toys you have.

[zr2toxj]

I'm not sure what your future plans are for wheeling and whatnot, but check these bad boys out. A good friend of mine bartered with me for electrical work and he fabbed these up for me. They are 2x6 tube that he capped and tapered to fit the wheel well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders010.jpg

He cut out the rockers and welded them in, then added the supports to the frame rails.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders004.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders003.jpg

I am tickled pink with them. They stiffen it up a lot and are very solid.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders005.jpg








I took it home and started notching my flares from Napier Precision Products (http://www.napierprecisionproducts.com/)



Got them to fit pretty easily.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders007.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders006.jpg


I then seam sealed the braces where they contact the floor and sprayed it with undercoat on the bottom. I taped off the very edge of the 2x6 and painted the rest with 2 coats of black primer, then 2 coats of semi-gloss.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders012.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders013.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders014.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders016.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders017.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders020.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders021.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders023.jpg


Got to love custom work. Monkeybars offroad. PM me for more information if you are interested. I don't know if he is willing to ship, but I bet I could talk him into it.

[steph74]

That definitely look like a good job....

[zr2toxj]

Thanks, they work real well too. :D

[Mudderoy]

Thanks for all the pictures. That makes it very easy to understand. Almost as good as laying under there but with out the dirt! :popcorn:

[TXstiGUY]

they look great. but I know there's always a nay sayer with no backing plate on the "frame" unibody, just having it welder on the front a good strike or bind i be worry about it ripping out not off the welds on the rocker look great, but ripping out the sub frame since its not spread to both sides.:poke: either way they look awesome and love that blue:):):check:

[zr2toxj]

I'm not sure if I'm understanding you, but they are welded all the way around on all 4 sides with a continuous bead and are very solid. I've hit them hard enough to rattle my teeth and they don't move at all. Much more rugged than anything you can buy. The braces tie it back to the frame rails. It stiffened the unibody up as well.

I'm not worried about them going anywhere.

[DETOURS]

Thats nice work, I'm going the same route.

[TheRedBull]

[insert jealousy here] ..hmm nice! I didn't get a good start with my used xj sport. Other things need fixed too. Love the color of urs and good pictures too. Nice rocker work!

[96xj]

real nice work , what thickness did you use and about how heavy would you say 1 is ?

[zr2toxj]

I'm pretty sure he used 1/4" for the 2x6 tube. I should have weighed them before he put them on, but I bet ~70-80lbs or so. I was surprised when I picked one up. Maybe more than that, but I worked them over pretty good in the rocks last weekend and they did great.

[DETOURS]

I'll be doing 3/16......considering mass & span.......give me rock!!
It's the better weight/mass consideration.

[DeftwillP]

I used 2x6 3/16" on mine. Still haven't made tie-ins to the "rails" yet though.

[alwaysxj]

that is some mighty fine work.

I need to do this soon, before my jeep is ugly dented.

[jeepxj95]

I'm not sure what your future plans are for wheeling and whatnot, but check these bad boys out. A good friend of mine bartered with me for electrical work and he fabbed these up for me. They are 2x6 tube that he capped and tapered to fit the wheel well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders010.jpg

He cut out the rockers and welded them in, then added the supports to the frame rails.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders004.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders003.jpg

I am tickled pink with them. They stiffen it up a lot and are very solid.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders005.jpg








I took it home and started notching my flares from Napier Precision Products (http://www.napierprecisionproducts.com/)



Got them to fit pretty easily.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders007.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders006.jpg


I then seam sealed the braces where they contact the floor and sprayed it with undercoat on the bottom. I taped off the very edge of the 2x6 and painted the rest with 2 coats of black primer, then 2 coats of semi-gloss.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders012.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders013.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders014.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders016.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders017.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders020.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders021.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/zealr2/XJ/Sliders023.jpg


Got to love custom work. Monkeybars offroad. PM me for more information if you are interested. I don't know if he is willing to ship, but I bet I could talk him into it.

i want to do something like this to take care of my rusted rockers

[bluedragon436]

I don't have rusted rockers.. but would still love to have a shop do something just like that.. That looks real clean... but I'll just stick with purchasing some rock rails for now..

OP check out Detours sliders/stiffners (http://detoursusa.com/xjrokslyders.php), AJ's Offroad (http://www.ajsoffroadarmor.com/home.php?cat=250), or JCR Offroad (http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=XJS)..