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Rock Rail Instal, Position and to weld or bolt the legs?

Black1990jeep

NAXJA Forum User
Location
california
I got a lifted wide tired XJ, 33x 12.5 inch tires that stick past the stock flares by 2 or 3 inches. I have just added weld in frame stiffener in the center. Now I am adding a rock rail that I got.

1.. For the Rock Rail Position, since my tires stick out further than stock, I am thinking to extend the rock rail legs so the rail sticks out further than for a regular narrow tired set up would be. My reasoning is that the further out the rail sticks, the more protection to the body it provides. However a limiting factor is that eventually if the rails stick out as the widest thing on your jeep, they may limit where you can go off road do to narrow trails, and tight spots between boulders or trees. However so long as I keep the rails within the width of my wide tires, I am not losing any ability for narrow trails as my tires are still the limiting factor. Thus I am thinking of mounting the rails out about an inch or two extra each side.
Is this a dumb idea? Any draw backs to having wider rockrails considers I got wider tires anyway?

2. I can weld the legs of the rails to my frame (Frame has stiffener) or bolt them. any down sides to welding? Has anyone had to remove their rockrail for anything? If I never have to remove it, welding makes sense, as I got welder in hand, but I can drill and tap if it makes sense to have the rail be easily removable, say for replacement if it get bashed.
Whats the pros and cons of weld and bolting of the rail legs to the frame?

What say you all?
 
I wouldn't go especially wide. That will only make it harder to get around obstacles. Often tires can climb an obstacle. I don't see how extra wide rails would be more of a benefit than a hindrance.

Rails may need to be removed in order to remove the front fender. Front fenders may need to be removed to fix your weak door hinges. That is the one example I have seen on someone's XJ.

I installed my rails by welding mounts to the plated frame. The mounts are square steel tubing, with one piece that slides inside another (comparable to a receiver hitch). In theory I should be able to remove them if I ever need to, but I am sure it will take a BFH to do the job.
 
2x8 welded a lot. 2" below the doors cut out.

They get used a lot dragging the xj through rocks trees and willows one of best mods that ive done.
Can use sliders to pivot around trees that i cant really steer around 8" is just wide enough to keep most trees out of the body sides.

So far the sliders havent gotten in the way of working on anything else

2x4 looks kinda cool with tube added
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