rocker replacement/slider install

Well the rockers werent worth protecting, So before my superrails go on I decided to replace my rocker panels. Boy I had no idea it was going to be as big of a job as it is! Front doors are half doors with the "hinge fix" so no problem there. The rears were a bugger, cant get a ratchet in on the torx fasteners! (I will be using normal hardware on re-assembly). I had to remove the seatbelt retractors to get access the wiring connector for the rear doors, and the passenger side has no connector,wtf? Had to cut the wiring for now, will solder it back together later. Now comes the painstaking task of centerpunching and drilling all the spot welds, there plenty! Now if you got them all you can start prying the old rocker off, I had to drill out a few hidden spot welds. I found some surface rust on the inside of the inner rockers, removed all the loose stuff and used rust convertor on it, I also found some pretty good cancer where the rocker meets the inner rear wheel well I'll have to address once the panels are spot welded in. Heres a few pics of my progress so far:


















I'll get some more pics of my progress tommarow, and next time someones getting paid to do this!

Nice!! Looks like fun.... :gee: Those replacement rockers, where did you get them? Keep the pics coming!

do u need to take off the rear doors?

rockers are replacements from napa up here, think they are sourced from a place called cross canada auto supply $30 each, and yes unfortunately the rear doors had to come off! well back to the grind I go, I'll post up more progress tonight.

Well total job took about three days in the hot sun, my face is now a shade of brown. Installing the new rockers was fairly straightforward not as bad as I thought. I drilled 1/4 inch holes along the perimeter of the rockers to serve as new spot weld holes, I think I have twice the amount that I needed. After the metal was prepped,ground and bared I started welding them in using vice grips to clamp the rockers together and I used a big ratchet strap to suck the b pillars together. I used a jack and some wood on the underside to even up the rocker to the pinch rail leftover and burned them all in. I wire wheeled all the welds, didnt bother grinding them smooth because I didnt want to compromise any of the welds and it doesnt really need to look pretty. After some seam sealer, primer and paint they were on and looked good.

Now on to the rock rails, My choice was Aj's super rails,plenty beefy enough for me. I followed the instructions on Aj's website for the install, pretty dummy proof and straightforward. I did have some minor grinding to do to fit them. I have hd framerail stiffeners, I had to smooth down some of the rosette hole welds and also had to trim the pinchseam where the rails go on the front and back. After fitting, drilling and painting the actual install was like 15 minutes a side. Heres the rest of my pics:

Looks like a lot of work and expense that could have been spared by doing a box tube replacement instead. Good on ya for repairing it, but *I* think it was unnecessary...

ECKSJAY said:

Looks like a lot of work and expense that could have been spared by doing a box tube replacement instead. Good on ya for repairing it, but *I* think it was unnecessary...

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I agree, my dads is in need of the same, We have already decided on the square tube route. The only reason I never is I had the superails sitting in my garage since last year along with the replacement rockers. Big job, I certainly wouldnt/couldnt have paid someone to do it.

Carpet was getting soaked all the time, I figured it was time to pull the carpet up, found some hole, I've seen and repaired worse. Got it all cleaned up, welded up and por- 15.(my new favorite product) . I didn't topcoat it the carpet is going back in. Installed some sound deadener sheets as well. I'm glad i caught it in time!

crappy cell phone pics, as my jeep was broken into and camera stolen:

nice info and pics. here's where I'm at as of yesterday

Not sure what I'm going to do yet, I don't have access to a welder, so I will have to rely on someone local. I think a 2x6 box steel piece would be cool (built in rocker skid), but I like the factory replacement rocker. You wouldn't happen to know the part # of those Napa replacement rockers? You did a nice job with them, and it seems the biggest part of that job is patience. BTW, this was pretty much ENTIRELY caused by a my Hanson rocker skids. They use nutserts in the top part of rocker, and bolt through the pinch seam. Speaking of, what did u do with the pinch seam? I'm kinda worried about whatever hidden rust might be lurking inside there. My pinch seam is compromised. It's rusted so bad, I can rip off lengths of it at will. Any suggestions about the pinch seam? I guess its either replacement rockers, box steel, orweld on some 1/4 or 3/16 plate. I dunno what I'm going to do. Oh yeah, and the drivers side has not so much as a rust bubble

Man...lots of work involved on those rockers but came out good. The replacements you spoke of through NAPA is a pretty good price for only $30.

I noticed you have a lot of sheet metal and repairs done on the rear, any story? :smoker:

Jeep89JV said:

Man...lots of work involved on those rockers but came out good. The replacements you spoke of through NAPA is a pretty good price for only $30.

I noticed you have a lot of sheet metal and repairs done on the rear, any story? :smoker:

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they were 30 each, its plastic on the body not sheetmetal. We live in salt for 4 months of the year so that explains the rust damage

Ah...gotta love fighting rust constantly. I'm grateful out here on the Southwest, US it's pretty much a dry desert for miles and miles.

How's that POR holding up anyhow? I'm debating to use it on my axles this week but not 100% on that yet.

nice! that is the first i had seen of this thread, and i know its a little late, but nice work on the rockers, and also on the rust repair... i hate rust

dgrigorenko said:

nice! that is the first i had seen of this thread, and i know its a little late, but nice work on the rockers, and also on the rust repair... i hate rust

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thanks!!

Jeep89JV said:

Ah...gotta love fighting rust constantly. I'm grateful out here on the Southwest, US it's pretty much a dry desert for miles and miles.

How's that POR holding up anyhow? I'm debating to use it on my axles this week but not 100% on that yet.

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I was very pleased on how the por15 went on, I brushed it on and it self levels nicely! I painted some angle iron to test and beat. It is very very chip resistand, it bonds very nicely to the metal! Kinda reminds me of powder coat. I have heard guys havinf problems getting it to coat and have problems with it flaking and lifting, but I think its all in the prep. degrease,degrease and degrease more! make sure you dont use any kind of degreaser with a petroleum base!