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Rocker replacement, sort of

9lared0

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Iowa
Hey I've got a 90 two door. The rockers are in horrible shape and my jeep is going to be getting painted sometime in the near future, so they need to be replaced. I've searched and I keep coming up with writeups of how to re-weld replacements and heavy duty rockers. My question is, do I really need a rocker? I kinda like the way they look without rockers, and I was considering possibly just cutting out all the rust, rustproofing the area under the rocker and then painting it black so its not as noticeable. Any thoughts on this?
 
I would NOT do that unless you plan on running rock rails. Like Mstrkage said, you'll be screwed if you come down on a large rock. It doesn't take much, believe me...I've been there before.
 
Rockers not only provide an asthetically appealing section of the outer body, but they also provide additional support for the body itself. You need something there, whether it is factory replacements, or custom thick-walled sliders.
 
Georgia Mike said:
Rockers not only provide an asthetically appealing section of the outer body, but they also provide additional support for the body itself. You need something there, whether it is factory replacements, or custom thick-walled sliders.

x2

The rockers are vary important to the Cherokee unibody structure
 
X3 - I started my rocker replacement project but had to use the jeep right after I cut everything out. Things (A/B/C Pillars) get REAL flimsy with no rockers.

Not to mention the need for protection if you wheel.


This is how I put mine back together:

Build This:
IMG_0023.JPG



Cut to Fit:
IMG_0033.JPG



Weld:
IMG_0003.JPG


-JM
 
Damn!!!
 
BruceB83 said:
Damn is right! Holy overkill Batman!!! Lol...
Overkill? Not even. that is minimum for some So cali trails...
 
BruceB83 said:
Holy overkill Batman!!!
X2 Wonder Boy! There's more steel in those rock rails than the Jeep was originally made with.
 
:patriot: you SoCal boys really amaze me sometimes
 
Its all .120 wall so there there is less material (and weight) than you might think. I don't think there are too many people that would consider .120 wall "overkill" in a rockrail application. I tried to use a better design with thinner material.

If you still think its overkill, start searching around here for a picture of the rockrails on CRASH's first rig (Princess 1 I believe is what he called it). If memory serves, he had replaced the rockers with a piece of 2x6 .250 wall tube. The picture shows this piece of tube is bent pretty badly because it had no (or limited?) supports from the frame rail.

Since the new rockrail is only 2x4, it actually doesn't currently stick out past the doors at all. I still need to bend up a chunk of round tubing to provide some additional protection. Someday I will plate supports to give it a "boatside" like finish to prevent any problems getting hung up in deep rocks.

This is how the finished product should look after the round tube gets done:
rockrail.jpg



As for the doors, just a little bit of work and they go back on just fine. I love snow wheelin, so keeping this thing weatherproof is a must.

Cut Here (bout 2"):
IMG_0045.JPG


Weld Here:
IMG_0127-1.JPG


Finished Product This picture makes it look like the door overlaps the rock rail. The door does in fact sit entirely above the main 2x4 chunk of tube.
IMG_0130.JPG


A few more pics of the project can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/jmckenzie5/JeepRockRailProject

And although I hope and expect these rockrails will be "Johnson Valley Approved" - I am from the good part of California; you know, the northern part. :looser:


:)

JM
 
nice job.....but dont you think you needed to stick the main rail outside of the door a couple of inches? Unless you dont care about, or wheel without your doors on, they are going to get beat up fairly easy.
 
mattyj said:
nice job.....but dont you think you needed to stick the main rail outside of the door a couple of inches? Unless you dont care about, or wheel without your doors on, they are going to get beat up fairly easy.


They aren't 100% complete. A round tube will extend past the doors - the first image (drawing) is a representation of the final product. The round tube will stick out an inch or two past the doors.

-jm
 
Gravesdiggerxj said:
bump for pics with toob.


ehh... not done with it yet. I have flipped and flopped on buying some sort of a bender vs. just paying to have something bent up... not like it matters, the wife just had a baby so my jeep fund is in the red regardless. It will likely be a few more months before I get it wrapped up with tube and UHMW. I will post up when I get there...
 
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