Rail hardware/ What to use.

Question about mounting hardware for rock rails. Fabbed up some of my own rails this weekend. Similar to some sets I've seen on various posts and threads in this forum. I made them to mount to the unibody (frame rail) and the pinch seem.
Question- What type of screw/bolts are used to mount these to the unibody. (I've done a search) In most of the pictures I've seen, they seem like some sort of large self-drilling/tapping screw. I haven't seen any specific info on these fasteners though.
Also, What about drilling all the way through the unbody and just using a long bolt. What would be the pros and cons of that approach. It seems like it's not a good idea since I have yet to see any attatched like this.
Thanks! Any info, ideas,or pics will be great.

Most use self-tapping metal screws (I used 1/4") to attach the arms to the frame rails. I could not find them at Home Depot or Lowes, had to get them at an old-fashion hardware store.
I used 1/4-20 bolts to attach the angle to the pinch seam.

I mounted my rails to the frame rail by drilling the hole all the way through the frame rail, sleeving it and then bolting it side to side. Now they are not going anywhere

lazyxj said:

Most use self-tapping metal screws (I used 1/4") to attach the arms to the frame rails...

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Speak for yourself lazyxj... I like Kejtar's idea a lot better!
Billy

I've heard someone else mention sleeving the frame before. What do you mean by that? What's the purpose, how's it done?

dphillips said:

I've heard someone else mention sleeving the frame before. What do you mean by that? What's the purpose, how's it done?

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Using clamps and jacks and blocks you place the rock rail where you want it to be (if you're mounting to the pinch seam as well, hang it on the pinch seam). Then take a drill bit and drill a hole all the way through (try to keep it straight). On the drivers side, put a piece of wood where you are drilling on the inside to protect the fuel lines when you come out (nothing really to worry about as they have enough slack that when you put wood or something else underneath they will come out enough away from the frame rails so that you you don't have to worry abou damage during the drilling). After you drill the bolt sized holes, drill out bigger holes for some tubing that will be pressed into the frame to act as a "Stand off" of sorts between the sides of the frame rail (it allows you to tighten the bolts pretty well and not worry about crushign the frame rail). Then you cut the tube flush with the frame so that it's not sticking out. You can also tack it to the frame rail and grind it flush so that it's not sticking out but it's there solidly.
IIRC I used 3/8"(or was it 5/16"? whatever it was it fit into the tube just right) bolts and 1/2" diameter tubing that I picked up at Home Depot. End result, I bent (3/16" 1/2" square tube) a corner of my rockrail (just enough to see when you look at the right engle) and haven't touched my rocker panels nor did I do any damage to the frame rail.

That's what I thought. I've just never seen/heard it explained. You make it sound easy! I have very little welding experience. Actually, all my experiance is from either practicing or building these rails. Will it work just as well if I don't tack it. I've heard that sheet metal isn't the easiest thing to weld.

dphillips said:

That's what I thought. I've just never seen/heard it explained. You make it sound easy! I have very little welding experience. Actually, all my experiance is from either practicing or building these rails. Will it work just as well if I don't tack it. I've heard that sheet metal isn't the easiest thing to weld.

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When I sleeved mine, I was worried about welding to the frame rails as well, so what I did was push the rod in and press the bolt in from the inside so that the end was sticking out to hang the rock rail on during install. If you drill the hold tight enough you should have no problems with the sleeve moving around inside, but this just insures you're not going to loose the hole alignment during install. Also the reason I did the head of the bolt from the inside was so that it could tack in under the fuel lines (btw, use big fender washers under the bolt heads and remember that frame rail widens so you will need 3 different bolt sizes (depending on the rock rail mounting point placement)

I still consider myself a newby, so thanks for all the info. Sounds like sleeving the frame rail is the strongest way to mount them, but the self tapping screws may be easier (less work). Anybody else want to chime in on this. I need all the advise I can get.

dphillips said:

I still consider myself a newby, so thanks for all the info. Sounds like sleeving the frame rail is the strongest way to mount them, but the self tapping screws may be easier (less work). Anybody else want to chime in on this. I need all the advise I can get.

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sleveing is worth the work

hell - i would sleve, bolt and weld them on...

XJ_ranger said:

sleveing is worth the work

hell - i would sleve, bolt and weld them on...

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You're an over-achiever















Except when it comes to spelling
Billy

i just welded mine on and they have held up great

this way is better than self tapping bolts http://www.rockratz.com/k02x.html

Michael McAtee said:

this way is better than self tapping bolts http://www.rockratz.com/k02x.html

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Yea those look real good cept for the price :laugh3:

I did the self tapping deal
btw they are refered to a F type bolts

3 problems

if you are not carefull you can drill the hole to large and thereby render the bolts useless

second
I had a problem with over tightening them .. once again rendering them useless


and last thing I had a couple work themselves loose and had to tighten them more than once

so next time

I drilled a hole all the way through the rails... worked well cept I did crush the rail a bit
not a big deal for me
on hindsight I should have use some sort of backing plate instead of a washer to furthur displace the load

on my last set I just welded the plates to the rail
I had already had some practice cause I welded long arm brackets to the rails and knew how to set my welder(its quite easy to burn through the rail )
if you do decide to weld make sure you prep the area very well.. theres lots of coating on the rail

On my MJ I used 1/4 " grade8 bolts on the pinch seem, then on the standoff plates on the fram I used 3/8 self tapping bolts. I found using a 5/16 drill bit is ideal. I prevented the backing out by using some loctite on the threads. Also like was said earlier be real careful about overtightening. Also have an impact gun to start them makes it easier.


Patrick

I used self-drilling/tapping screw to mount to the unibody frame. They worked just fine and no problems.