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Homemade rocksliders with RE long arm

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epd166

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Emmett, Idaho
I have used NAXJA for a long time and only recently signed up to post. I figure I should contribute to the forum since I have been using it for a while now. I have planned on building some rocksliders or rocker panels guards for some time and recently decided to do it once I saw how easy it was to damage my XJ (my brother-in-law ran into the door and caved it in). I am going to start a thread for homemade rocksliders with the Rubicon Express long arm suspension.
Here is a picture of it before I started.

IMG_1827.jpg
 
I plan on using 3"x2" box tubing 3/16" wall
support it with 1"x3" box tubing 1/8" wall
attach it to the frame rails with 2 1/2"x 3/16" flat stock
attach it to the pinch weld with 1"x1/4" flat stock
Sound easy enough huh? Well let's see

Here is the bill of materials
10 1/2" of 3"x2"x3/16" tube
7' of 1"x3"x1/8" tube
4' of 2 1/2"x 3/13" flat stock
8' of 1"x1/4" flat stock
Grand total $66 in my neck of the woods which does not include hardware.

I decided to make the sliders 53" long that way I had plenty of room in case I upgraded tire size. Right now I'm running 33's.
The measurement on the pinch weld between the fender and the RE long arm skid that ties into the pinch weld is 6 1/2" on my XJ.
The measurement on the pinch weld between the RE long arm skid and the end near the rear tire is 35 1/2".
Here's a pic of the first few cuts.
IMG_1828.jpg

 
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nice jeep.. looks like a big version of mine!
what is your wheel/tire combo and how much lift ya got?
 
Looks good, if I can make a recommendation, think about using 1" angle instead of flat stock to attach it to the pinch seam. That way you'll have support on the whole "L" instead of just the pinch seam itself. I just built some that way, check out my thread http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=945373

Good luck with it!
 
Here is the design I put on paper. You will noticed the 1"x1/4" flat stock is backwards in the picture. I labeled it rear before I already made the rear mount. I plan on tying the rear mount into the stock rear leafspring mount.
3-3-200881441AM.jpg
 
See I figured using the 1" angle give extra support when upward force is being applied to them. It gives it a flat surface against the floor to sit against making it harder for them to be pushed upwards. I see you gave a 1/8" compensation for the body curving inwards toward the front. I think if I remember correctly, 5/8" is the actual distance you would need to compensate for to make them appear to be even with the body.
 
After I cut the 1"x1/4" flat stock to length I mounted it up to the pinch weld and drilled (2) 5/16" holes through the front mount and (6) 5/16" holes though the rear mount.
I then cut the 2"x3" tubing to length at a 45 degree angle. I used the 2 1/2"x 3/16" stock to cap the ends.

IMG_1829.jpg

IMG_1832.jpg
 
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I found out the pinch weld to frame measurement is different between the front, middle, and rear mounts. I then drilled 3/8" holes in the mounting feet and bolted them down to make sure they were tight and the next measurement was correct. I next cut the front and middle mounting feet out of the 2 1/2"x3/16" flat stock at 6" long, and the rear mounting feet at 5" long. The reason why is I am tying the rear mount into the rear leafspring mount.
Well here is the front mount on the driver's side after I tack welded into place.
IMG_1843.jpg

IMG_1842.jpg
 
Here is a shot of the rear mount. Notice I forgot to weld the rear mounting foot nut to the mounting foot before I welded the leg on. So I drilled a couple holes and plug welded the nut in. Also a pic of the nut welded in the mounting leg for the leafspring mount.
IMG_1855.jpg

IMG_1852.jpg
 
I next marked the hole in the rear leaf spring mount and drilled it out. I mounted everything back up and got it ready to tack weld the 2"x3" tube.
IMG_1847.jpg

IMG_1846.jpg

IMG_1845.jpg
 
The final thing to do other than paint the sliders is to sleeve the frame. I should have done this before I did the mock up but oh well. I bought 4' of 3/8" black pipe. I drilled the 3/8" holes through the frame out to 3/4", cut the pipe to length, welded them up, ground them down, and put some paint on the frame to prevent it from rusting.
IMG_1878.jpg

IMG_1883.jpg

IMG_1882.jpg

IMG_1884.jpg

IMG_1887.jpg

IMG_1886.jpg
 
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