Boatside thread

[vetteboy]

I hate to screw-up a perfectly good 3 link thread. Why don't you start a boatside thread & we'll get some details & photos going there.


Good idea. My bad for having a minor case of ADD today.

The thread hijack started with this picture:
http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={B5C0DC7D-51A1-42C1-8A57-79C6D9303008}&exp=f&moddt=38937.6341245718&ssdyn=1

As I'm planning on doing something similar with mine, I am wondering about the details behind the construction of these.

My original plan is to have a length of 2x4x1/8" tube in place of the old rocker area, run some triangular bracing plates from the 3x3 frame reinforcement up to that, then skin it with 1/8" or 3/16" plate to give the boatside effect. For even greater rigidity I was thinking about holesawing some 1.75" holes just above the floor inside, and connecting the 2x4 tube to the interior cage.

Overkill? Underkill? Thoughts and pictures/diagrams welcomed.

[Paul S]

I basically did mine the way you're looking to do it.
2X4X11ga tube welded to the stock rocker, four 1.25" round tubes tying the 2X4 to the frame & 11ga CR for the boatside skid.
My cage is tied into the 2X4.

If you have doors you'll need a 2X6 for the rocker.

Here's another view:

http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={28574D09-3AD9-473B-B9B3-38B89D1B4BD1}&exp=f&moddt=38722.0201666898&ssdyn=1

Paul

[vetteboy]

Sounds good. I do still have 'doors' and slightly more XJ left than you do...

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/070406/overhead.JPG

...and probably a little heavier as well, so I'll probably just do 1/8" all around. And 2x6 where the rocker used to be.

I was originally going to do something more like what Kaczman did, but I think I'd rather just carry it all the way down to the frame rail, especially since I've got a flat belly skid under there anyway.

[Zebaru]

How high do you want to go?

http://www.reno4x4.com//gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=976

http://www.reno4x4.com//gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=977

I cut the rocker (and outer floor) completely out, and ran the new rocker at the old lower body line. The new rocker is 2"x4"x0.188" and it is attached to the plated frame with 2"x2"x0.120" in six places I think. The whole thing is skinned in 16Ga (I think) and, although I dont have pictures of it, 1/2" UHMW over that (Not trail tested yet...). The pictures are of stock suspension and 33's, so you get an idea of how much cleareance it gives.

Although I don't have doors, I think it is possible with raising the rockers this high.

Travis

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

Paul, do you have any closeups showing the top side of your boatside construction? How about a link to the photo album where the pictures can be found? Jeff

[Paul S]

Paul, do you have any closeups showing the top side of your boatside construction? How about a link to the photo album where the pictures can be found? Jeff

Here's all I've got:

http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={5658B5F8-7A67-4182-A59C-5B5AFA0A12C3}&exp=f&moddt=38722.0182585532&ssdyn=1

http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/pictures?userid={6710824E-6880-4923-BB51-527C3970D11D}&tio=0

Paul

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

Thanks for the pictures Paul. Did you place the bottom of the 2x4 pretty much even with the bottom of the floor sheet metal? It looks like it, but I can't tell. If you set the top of the 2x4 even with the door kick panel like Andreas did in his Madxj.com article (http://www.madxj.com/MADXJ/technical/technicalfiles/ARrockerPanels/RockerPanels.htm), I don't see how you would be able to place straight pieces of round tube between the bottom of the 2x4 and half way up the side of the "frame" rail without going through the corner of the floor/wall region. Any clarification would be appreciated. Jeff

[steelmen]

zebraru can i get some pics of you rear and quater panels

thanks

[Goatman]

From those who have done this already, what thickness works on the boatsides to keep it from getting dented and beat up looking after a while? Thick enough to get the job done, but not too thick........

[David Taylor]

From those who have done this already, what thickness works on the boatsides to keep it from getting dented and beat up looking after a while? Thick enough to get the job done, but not too thick........

My 14g is getting beat up.

[FarmerMatt]

Mines 3/16" & I've dented them, but I would not go thicker.

[OT]

I'd imagine 3/16" with a 1/4" sheet of poly (much like Kaczamn's boatsides) would do well withstanding damage.

[JeepFreak21]

I'd imagine 3/16" with a 1/4" sheet of poly (much like Kaczamn's boatsides) would do well withstanding damage.

:eeks1:
Hey man, how thick was that UHMW plastic you used on your rockers?
Billy

Billy- I used 3/8". I tried to find 1/2", but it seems to be much more difficult to find as plastic shop around here that will sell cut pieces of the 1/2". They were more than happy to sell the entire 4x8 sheet for over $200. The edges are a little crushed, but overall they have held up very well. I think the 3/8" will be more than sufficient.
-Jon
Billy

[OT]

I just meant how he had skinned the rockers.
I had forgotten what thickness he'd used and was too lazy to search.:D
But, thanks for the correction.:thumbup:



Is it just me, or does it seem that every John in NAXJA spells their name with no 'H'?

[Goatman]

I'm thinking about using the UHMW, but it seems like the metal behind it could be pretty thin. I see thick UHMW being used without any plate backing at all, but don't know how it would hold up on rockers.

[Kaczman]

Jon with an H is for Tards. :)

I made the structure out of 3/16 plate and skinned it with 3/8's UHMH.

My design needs some serious improvements. I was concerned about using the stock A, B, and C pillars as the structure for the boatsides. The B pillars are buckling from every direct impact in the area.

This off-season I plan on cutting the existing boatsides and incorporating them into the cage and sub-frame. The 3/16's steel and 3/8's poly seems to be a good combination so I'll stick with it. I'm not as anorexic as Dave and Paul.

-Jon

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

I'm thinking about using the UHMW, but it seems like the metal behind it could be pretty thin. I see thick UHMW being used without any plate backing at all, but don't know how it would hold up on rockers.

I think part of keeping a sheet from denting too much is to attach it all over like Paul did. In order to dent, it needs to pull away from the surrounding structure. So, with it welded all around, it is less likely to dent. Jeff

[David Taylor]

here's a few shots on how I did mine.

Just cut it all out.
http://pic.funtigo.com/img/i162754779_30294.jpg
http://pic.funtigo.com/img/i164037562_24827.jpg

Just some of the bracing
http://pic.funtigo.com/img/i160409516_7302.jpg

Shot of them done.
http://pic.funtigo.com/img/i194249101_21331.jpg

A shot of Paul's and mine side by side.
http://pic.funtigo.com/img/i194249106_43351.jpg

With my fat ass I'm sticking with the 14g. I hardly hit the 14g, if I hit at all now it's the tube.

[MogifiedXJ]

Some of these rigs and others on this board are nothing but tube...I think it would sometimes be easier just to build an entire tube chassis from scratch.

[Matt S.]

Some of these rigs and others on this board are nothing but tube...I think it would sometimes be easier just to build an entire tube chassis from scratch.


But then they are not cherokees.... Plus most all the ones you see tubed are in Cali, we keep them registered and smogged for use "on the street".

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

Thanks for the shots Dave. Do you have a link to the album showing all the shots you have of the tube project? How about the rear suspension links? I would like a closer look. This is very good tech. Jeff

[BrettM]

Some of these rigs and others on this board are nothing but tube...I think it would sometimes be easier just to build an entire tube chassis from scratch.
plus, building from an existing vehicle means all the electrical, dash, etc is already in place. that stuff takes a suprising amount of time and money on a tube-chassis.

though the main reasons are typically (1) to keep the XJ heritage and (2) because these tube XJs ended up that way one stage at a time, not a complete buildup like a tube-chassis.

[AzRick]

Here's link to mine:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=81649

Rick

[David Taylor]

Thanks for the shots Dave. Do you have a link to the album showing all the shots you have of the tube project? How about the rear suspension links? I would like a closer look. This is very good tech. Jeff

I never seem to take good pics along the way. I will try and update this
album.
http://davidtaylor.funtigo.com

Look in the"rear link" album.

[Ludakris]

But then they are not cherokees.... Plus most all the ones you see tubed are in Cali, we keep them registered and smogged for use "on the street".

It always cracks me up when I see the license plates on these "truggies".. I think I would get pulled over in my driveway...

[BrettM]

It always cracks me up when I see the license plates on these "truggies".. I think I would get pulled over in my driveway...
mine isn't as much tube as some, but I drove this 1100 miles roundtrip to JV with no problems:

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/6687/bypassclawhammer89eg.md.jpg
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/3172/p10102143mo.md.jpg

[Ludakris]

yeah.. dont come to MD...
My heep is very mild.. and has most of the body... with 34's and 4.5" of lift... and I am nervous about getting pulled over..
One day though, I am sure I will be "testing the waters" as well...


sorry for going off-topic.. but I am trying to plan up my boatsides as well...

[Zebaru]

Well, I finally got it put together enough to get it out and test it...

http://www.reno4x4.com/gallery/files/2/0/barrett_boatside_side.JPG

http://www.reno4x4.com/gallery/files/2/0/barrett_boatside_back.JPG

This was on the Barrett Lake trail. I know the pictures aren't exciting, but they show the sides the best. Again, this is stock springs (very sagged in rear BTW). The rocker is just a little higher than rock rail on the Blue XJ you can see in the front of one of the pictures, and he is on 35's with about 6.5" of lift. Combining an extreme boatside like this with 4-6" of lift would yield insane rocker clearance...

You can see where I drug the sides past rocks, and they worked very well... The plastic (1/2" UHMW) did not scratch much except at the extreme edges, and it did not obviously dent or anything like that. Perhaps a very hard side falling hit would mess up the underlying structure, but sliding is certainly no problem, and dropping straight down is generally a glancing blow, which softens the impact alot.

And yes, I drove it like this from the Reno area to the trail (about 100 miles each way), and had several cops pass me without so much as a pause - and the registration is even expired...

Travis

[BrettM]

very nice Zebaru. you gonna throw a small lift on there? 2" would probably be nice.

[53guy]

yeah.. dont come to MD...
My heep is very mild.. and has most of the body... with 34's and 4.5" of lift... and I am nervous about getting pulled over..
One day though, I am sure I will be "testing the waters" as well...


sorry for going off-topic.. but I am trying to plan up my boatsides as well...


i don't understand, what's so illegal about boatsiding your jeep?

[BrettM]

i don't understand, what's so illegal about boatsiding your jeep?
I'm guessing it's a doors issue. I'd love to see someone do an agressive boat-side job like Zebaru and modify the doors to still fit.

[David Taylor]

I'm guessing it's a doors issue. I'd love to see someone do an agressive boat-side job like Zebaru and modify the doors to still fit.

What are doors good for ?

[BrettM]

What are doors good for ?
1. cops (in some places)

2. people who don't live in So Cal, Arizona or New Mexico

[OT]

Or Oklahoma, apparantly.

[vetteboy]

Well, I'll still have doors. But the boatside rockers won't be as 'extreme' I guess.

It'll be like...the usual 2x6 tube, but a piece connecting the bottom of the frame rail to the corner of that 2x6.

[JeepFreak21]

I'm guessing it's a doors issue. I'd love to see someone do an agressive boat-side job like Zebaru and modify the doors to still fit.

Do the doors have to open still :D
Billy

[53guy]

Do the doors have to open still :D
Billy


well, seeing how the beau duke hood slide is out of the picture because of height, it might be hard to get in with a lift and welded doors.....

[hadfield4wd]

I'm guessing it's a doors issue. I'd love to see someone do an agressive boat-side job like Zebaru and modify the doors to still fit.

I think it may also have to do with uncovered tires. Removeable fenders would be an option.

Matt

[JeepFreak21]

well, seeing how the beau duke hood slide is out of the picture because of height, it might be hard to get in with a lift and welded doors.....

Welded half doors?
Billy

[53guy]

you'd have to have welded half doors, and a good amount of width on your rocker protection to act like a step, then you could do it!!

[BrettM]

psh, or just dive head first

[nhrocker]

you'd have to have welded half doors, and a good amount of width on your rocker protection to act like a step, then you could do it!!You don't even need that. On my last wheeling trip I damaged my passengers side bad enought that the doors wouldn't open for a while. I had no rocker protection and full doors, but my passenger seemed to have fun climbing in through the window. Later in the day another good hit freed up the front door, but the other guys on the run were still making Dukes jokes all day.I'm guessing it's a doors issue. I'd love to see someone do an agressive boat-side job like Zebaru and modify the doors to still fit.How high is the box tube that replaced his rockers? It doesn't look much, if any, higher than the 2x6 I used to replace my rockers on my rig. In mine it's sitting slightly higher than the bottom of the floor and I didn't have to touch the doors at all to keep them functional. I didn't add the slanted panel yet (the actual boat-side portion) since I need access to bolts going through my frame.

[Zebaru]

How high is the box tube that replaced his rockers? It doesn't look much, if any, higher than the 2x6 I used to replace my rockers on my rig. In mine it's sitting slightly higher than the bottom of the floor and I didn't have to touch the doors at all to keep them functional. I didn't add the slanted panel yet (the actual boat-side portion) since I need access to bolts going through my frame.

Looks are deceiving I guess... The box tube is just about at the old lower body line - the one everyone cuts at for the rear quarter raise. I had to remove the bottom door hinge to go this high. This rig was t-boned and the passenger doors were shot anyway, so ditching them was not a real hard choice.

So going this high and keeping doors would be a trick, but, one could keep the sides about two inches lower, keep the hinges, and it would not be any harder than cutting the doors off and welding in a new bottom. You would probably lose full window travel in doing so though...

Considering how dusty this rig was on Barrett, I think door skins are in my future...

Travis

[Zebaru]

very nice Zebaru. you gonna throw a small lift on there? 2" would probably be nice.

Yeah, I'm gonna have to do something. The rears are so sagged they are inverted, and I have a little interference in the front end still. I also drug my frame, LCA, and rear spring mounts way too often with this setup.

So, I am going to lift it two or three inches, whatever I can piece together for cheap.

Travis

[nhrocker]

Looks are deceiving I guess... Yeah, for some reason they looked lower in the trail pics of your rig. After looking again at the first pics you posted it's more obvious.

[vetteboy]

Figure I'll bring this back up to the top again, as I've got some actual tech to contribute to the thread I started.

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/102606/sides1.JPG

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/102606/sides3.JPG

What's not immediately clear in the pics (look for the bolts) is that the cage is tied into the bracing for the boatsides. Those are box tube, the remaining braces are angle. One more will be added at the rear, but it connects right where the old forward leaf spring hanger is, and I haven't cut that out yet.

They will be skinned with 1/8" CR sheet, most likely riveted to the angled supports. The main tube along the bottom of the door sills is 2x5, and is welded all along that edge.

Here's a shot from the front:

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/102606/sides2.JPG

Doesn't leave a huge gap either. I figure I'll cut out a rough sheet metal shape to fill it, then go around the edges with some body caulk and call it good.

The doors still go on and fit fine...so theoretically a setup such as this could be done by any of you guys who live in states overly concerned with inspection, like myself.

[hadfield4wd]

OK, looks good, but why not cut to the bottom of the sills, then cut off the doors and give yourself an extra couple of inches?

[vetteboy]

OK, looks good, but why not cut to the bottom of the sills, then cut off the doors and give yourself an extra couple of inches?

Any higher and you really have to start modifying the floor too to get a straight line down to the bottom of the frame rail. Because of where my cage comes down there really wouldn't have been room for the plates and the bracing for the sides if this were the case. You're also cutting off most of the base attachment of the B-pillar when you chop that area.

It would be a much more significant gain if you're not doing the boatsides. With them in there you're pretty much expecting to hit them anyway but it's a smooth surface over that entire area. If you look at where another 1.5" puts the profile of the sides I really didn't think it was worth the added hassle of having to rework the floor, cage mounts, B-pillar, and doors.

I'd like to see someone do it though.

[Matt S.]

Its nice... but those arnt really boat sides. Those are rock grabbers IMO.

I did something similar but raised the rockers a few more inches then bent the floor up to meet it.

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/1408/raisedrockerzf7.jpg
http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/6579/rockergusset1jj9.jpg

[vetteboy]

Its nice... but those arnt really boat sides. Those are rock grabbers IMO.

Did you see where I said I'm skinning them with 1/8" CR sheet?

[Paul S]

I guess I should report that I cut mine out & redid 'um. I narrowed the car by 4" & raised the rockers about 1".
This time I used 2X2 X 3/16 for the rockers & 12 ga CR for the skids.
On my last ones the 2X4 X 1/8 rocker was starting to bow a little.

Paul

[Matt S.]

Did you see where I said I'm skinning them with 1/8" CR sheet?

yeah... but dont mean you wont get hung up on them. Here is kinda how I think of rockers vs boatsides, I may know a little about what I am talking about...:laugh3:

If you cant make your rocker over about 40 degress.... then 1. its not a boatside and 2. dont plate it because your still going to get hung on it because its more difficult to slide off of.

If you CAN make it over about 40 degress, plate dont have to be super thick cuz you SLIDE off of it. Make sense kinda? I am getting ready to redo my rockers, again. This time I plan on ditchin them entirly... but thats another story.

In all honesty, those braces you have make an EXCELENT cage support, but I just see you getting hung on em'.

There is a photo of JES (cant find it right now) with him holding his skins on his rockers that are just like yours. Didnt really work to well:eeks1:

[Paul S]

yeah... but dont mean you wont get hung up on them. Here is kinda how I think of rockers vs boatsides, I may know a little about what I am talking about...:laugh3:

If you cant make your rocker over about 40 degress.... then 1. its not a boatside and 2. dont plate it because your still going to get hung on it because its more difficult to slide off of.

If you CAN make it over about 40 degress, plate dont have to be super thick cuz you SLIDE off of it. Make sense kinda? I am getting ready to redo my rockers, again. This time I plan on ditchin them entirly... but thats another story.

In all honesty, those braces you have make an EXCELENT cage support, but I just see you getting hung on em'.

There is a photo of JES (cant find it right now) with him holding his skins on his rockers that are just like yours. Didnt really work to well:eeks1:

I don't understand your logic Matt. Seems to me the lower they are, the more improtant it is to have a skid. If he doesn't plate them he'll definitely get hung up all day long, if he does plate them he'll hit them just as much, but he'll slide right off.
Mine (as pictured in this thread) were probably less then 40 degrees & I never got hung on them, not once.

P

[Jes]

Actually yes, they did work well untill I ripped them off.


Edit: And ya, what Paul said.

[vetteboy]

I don't understand your logic Matt. Seems to me the lower they are, the more improtant it is to have a skid. If he doesn't plate them he'll definitely get hung up all day long, if he does plate them he'll hit them just as much, but he'll slide right off.

This is about what I figured. I'd greatly prefer to have a smooth surface than to have two cage supports just hanging out in space. Seems like it'd be about the same or a little easier than draggin yer junk over a belly skid.

I know people (Kaczman I think?) have had decent luck putting a layer of UHMW sheet over the steel to make it slide better, I may end up doing that too.

[hadfield4wd]

It's on this site. Under technical, rocker replacement.

http://www.madxj.com/

Matt

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

I guess I should report that I cut mine out & redid 'um. I narrowed the car by 4" & raised the rockers about 1".
This time I used 2X2 X 3/16 for the rockers & 12 ga CR for the skids.
On my last ones the 2X4 X 1/8 rocker was starting to bow a little.

Paul

Got any good pictures of the redo? Jeff

[Paul S]

Got any good pictures of the redo? Jeff

No, but since I haven't finished the sheetmetal redue on the inside I could still take a couple.

P

[vetteboy]

It's on this site. Under technical, rocker replacement.

http://www.madxj.com/

Matt

But those aren't boatsides...that's just a straight-up rocker replacement. I can't say I'm really a huge fan of how those are connected, either...I see myself landing on the outside edge hard enough to really jam the door closed.

Hell, with my old rock rails (2x2x1/8" square, under the factory rockers) I landed on 'em hard enough to crush in the factory sheet metal almost the entire length, and they were mounted in many places to the pinch seam and frame.

[XJ_ranger]

so all you really have is cut out rockers, then supports to them that eat clearance? all so you can mount a cage?

hmmm...

seems like a lot of work for negative clearance gain over just cutting out the rockers, and mounting the cage to the frame rail...

though - I wish that i had re-enforced my rock rail replacements, as they are about 1/2" higher than they were when i built them, and my door doesnt like that all so much...
I wish I had a cage to support mine off of, the way that IntreppidXJ did his -
http://www.myxj.net/tech/rockers/

[BRIANHO13]

http://www.phatserver.net/~chris/XJbuild/102606/sides3.JPG





How did you get the creeper to levitate?

[vetteboy]

so all you really have is cut out rockers, then supports to them that eat clearance? all so you can mount a cage?

hmmm...

seems like a lot of work for negative clearance gain over just cutting out the rockers, and mounting the cage to the frame rail...

though - I wish that i had re-enforced my rock rail replacements, as they are about 1/2" higher than they were when i built them, and my door doesnt like that all so much...

If you want to look at it that way, then yes. There are points under the outer floor area that are now closer to the ground than had I done nothing, or just cutting out and replacing the rockers.

Cage has to get braced anyway though, either how I did it or by a single-sided support. And from my experience to fully support the rocker so it doesn't intrude up to the door, you need some triangulation in there. Given those two criteria, what's a better solution then? Have the majority of the area be higher clearance, but with a few braces that hang down in random spots, or have a uniform surface that'll predictably hit and is designed to slide?

Having had the previous one with my old rock rails, and 1) having them smash the rocker, 2) get caught on the mounts, and 3) have a rock poke a hole in the floor near my feet after the rail missed it, I'd rather have full coverage in the area.

What it really comes down to is I can think of MANY more instances where the setup I'm building would be been more helpful to me than having another 1/2" or 1" under the rocker. Which is what I think any decision should be based off of on a build like this.

[Lunatic728]

Jon with an H is for Tards. :)

I made the structure out of 3/16 plate and skinned it with 3/8's UHMH.

My design needs some serious improvements. I was concerned about using the stock A, B, and C pillars as the structure for the boatsides. The B pillars are buckling from every direct impact in the area.

This off-season I plan on cutting the existing boatsides and incorporating them into the cage and sub-frame. The 3/16's steel and 3/8's poly seems to be a good combination so I'll stick with it. I'm not as anorexic as Dave and Paul.

-Jon

UHMW comes is so many flavors it would be hard to choose which one? Would you choose a poly that can slide, regidity, or would you go with one that has 1/8th" expended metal embeded iin it?

I plan on using some of the UHMW with 1/8th" expanded metal in it for a belly skid. The draw back is that its 3/4" of an inch thick.

I make the stuff and maybe thats the problem I have access to so many types. So of the plastic you don't want to move it without it being banded to a skid or be very carefull moving it. It can slide for a long ways with very little effort on a concrete floor.


___________________________________________
www.pa-wheeling.com

[Matt S.]

so all you really have is cut out rockers, then supports to them that eat clearance? all so you can mount a cage?

hmmm...

seems like a lot of work for negative clearance gain over just cutting out the rockers, and mounting the cage to the frame rail...

though - I wish that i had re-enforced my rock rail replacements, as they are about 1/2" higher than they were when i built them, and my door doesnt like that all so much...
I wish I had a cage to support mine off of, the way that IntreppidXJ did his -
http://www.myxj.net/tech/rockers/


This is what I am sayin.

Paul... What I am getting at is that because he has those braces UNDER the floor to the frame he is losing valuable ground clearance. Since they are there, yes they have to be plated. I just cant understand how those are boatsides though.... they are really only plated rockers with cage support.

Why plate and DRAG over empty space? You dont need those frame supports right? So why have them?

Simply a difference of opinion.

[shortxjdoug]

How did you get the creeper to levitate?

i really want to know this too please

[Mr.OverKill]

be very carefull moving it. It can slide for a long ways with very little effort on a concrete floor.


___________________________________________
www.pa-wheeling.com (http://www.pa-wheeling.com)
now THAT sounds fun!! :laugh3:

[Lunatic728]

now THAT sounds fun!! :laugh3:

I made a sled out of it last year, man was that a blast. The kids tried it once and they wouldn't get on it again. This year I am going to try some 1/4" on the bottom of the Toboggan.

Ok back on the subject here is a link to the material I used for the sled and should work well for your boatsides.

http://www.polyhisolidur.com/PHS2003/QSilver/quicksilver2.htm

________________________________
www.pa-wheeling.com

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

I'm doing research on rocker treatments and found another thread that has good pics and information so I thought is should be linked to in this boatside thread:

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=101569&highlight=scrappy+seat

It appears that Intrepidxj's replacement rockers with tubes back to the cage were not strong enough. It appears that he has since added small supports from the rocker back to the frame in addition to the tubes back to the cage. This should give good triangulation support for the rockers, but decreases under rocker clearance.

Scrappy's ideas are great, but they leave a good portion of the floor unprotected and in order to support the outer part of the replacement rocker, he has tubes running through the door opening to the jungle gym of an internal cage. That is going to be difficult to do if you want to keep the doors and don't have an internal cage. His are also higher than intrepidxj's, but not so high that one couldn't keep the doors if you don't mind cutting the bottom 2" or so off of them.
Here is a link to a thread showing good pictures of Scrappy's rocker replacement/build:

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=52945

I don't know how exactly he melded the floor with the bottom of the rocker tube since the floor hangs BELOW the replacement rocker tube, but it appears that he bent it up some and added a piece of flat stock to bridge the gap between what was left of his floor after cutting and the bottom of the rocker tube.

Here's another link to a later version of Scrappy's rig where he lost most of the body and added more support to the rockers:

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=100538&highlight=scrappy+seat

Here's a pretty good shot of Scrappy's rocker in action after the body cut:

http://www.urfracing.com/images/JV06_0563.jpg

Finally, just for information, he seems to have gotten tired of the tube rig and cut it up! From what I gather, he's going to build a mild MJ instead.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=910776

Jeff

[Matt S.]

Well, since it looks like your stalking me :) I will chime in here.


The floor was VERY unprotected. It ended up getting smashed up to the tube that was above it. It self clearance itself essentially. What really messed my rig up was that I never plated the frame rails because they were already dented pretty good, so I just kept beating on them. When I finally cut the heep up, they were flat in some spots and pushed in alot.

If I were to do rockers like this again (which I will in a few years), I would use 5"x1" .120" wall square tubing so I get the super high clearance. Makea plate out of 12 or 14 ga. that stretches the span of the uncovered floor, but will be welded to the floor. Then toss some 1/8" angle iron on the rocker where it will be getting used. That way you can keep doors, and not have huge ass rockers. (at least this is what I have been thinking)

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

Just stalking your ideas and melding them with mine. :) Jeff

[neonrog]

OK, I've read this thread, again, and I'm considering boatsides for a different vehicle. My only real question is, how high can I go up the side of a street legal registered vehicle? I live in Utah, but just wondering if this is an issue in other states as well. Thanks!

[brent]

OK, I've read this thread, again, and I'm considering boatsides for a different vehicle. My only real question is, how high can I go up the side of a street legal registered vehicle? I live in Utah, but just wondering if this is an issue in other states as well. Thanks!
Utah is all based on the frame height, but you may have to put some funky mud flaps on the front wheels.

[vetteboy]

I would use 5"x1" .120" wall square tubing so I get the super high clearance.

Have you found this section anywhere yet?

Biggest section like that I've found is 1" x 3" .120" wall. I used this in a bunch of places on my build because it's a nice size, but 1" x 5" would have made some things a little easier.

[Matt S.]

Havnt looked real hard. I am sure I can get some though. If not, I can get 1x2.5 and weld it up.

[neonrog]

Utah is all based on the frame height, but you may have to put some funky mud flaps on the front wheels.

Thats what I thought (flaps)... Just thinking!:jester:

[Matt S.]

So any new ideas on this? I just started a new cage that has huge boatsides in it. What kind of hieght have some of you raised your rockers to? I did this one just over 10" from the bottom of the stock rocker. Looks crazy to me, but will work well.

Also, what are some of you doing with the wheel tubs?

[Jump This]

So any new ideas on this? I just started a new cage that has huge boatsides in it. What kind of hieght have some of you raised your rockers to? I did this one just over 10" from the bottom of the stock rocker. Looks crazy to me, but will work well.

Also, what are some of you doing with the wheel tubs?

Most of us don't wine about a rock or two destroying out rocker panels...

:looser:

:D

[thebluebuffalo]

Most of us don't wine about a rock or two destroying out rocker panels...

:looser:

:D



true that

[Darky]

true that
Your contribution to resurrect this thread is about as useless as mine...;)

[JeepFreak21]

(Re: Vetteboy79's rig)
You dont need those frame supports right? So why have them?


I'm researching this again because I'm doing the rocker replacement thing on my second jeep. Everything I have found suggests that you do need those supports (at least when you're keeping the doors and cannot tie into the top of the replacement rocker like Scrappy did on his last rig). Does anybody have information to prove otherwise? Is there a way to not give up some ground clearance and still brace the replacement rockers adequately?
Thanks,
Billy

[XJ_ranger]

Randy (Intrepid XJ) had his rockers tied into his cage in a cool way...

Internal cage, tube from the 'b' pillar horizontally to the rocker.

I think he hit the rockers so hard that the floor plates ended up pulling up the floor on the cage, but if you were to do an internal / external cage, then the "A" pillar would tie into the top of the rocker, and the back of the rocker could be tied into the B pillar bar INSIDE the XJ (especially on the 2 door - all that space outboard of the rear cup holders)...

Or the easy way is to do it like VetteBoy did.

I'm a fan of EricsXJ's tie in's - minimal loss of clearance...


FWIW - my rockers moved up A LOT without the tie-ins...