Prep for GenRight Rock Slider Install for an 04 Rubicon

[StimpsonJCatt]

Hi All,

Been reading a lot but have a few questions I was not able find any mention or posts about.

My plan is the following:
- Confirm all fasteners are within 8" of each other
- Raise the Jeep approx 4" to pre-load the system
- Plan to take Blaine's advice and drill holes while the sliders are clamped (did this with my engine/trans skid attachment to T/C skid and it worked great)
- Plan to use 1/2" aluminum backing plates on the inside of the tub for the exposed attachments

Here are my questions:
- I have a Rubicon so should I grind off the existing nutserts for both the rock slider and lower fender flare attachments?
- Is standard convention not to attach the rock slider to the stock front fender? (GenRight's instructions and videos I have watched make no mention of attaching to the fender)
- At this point, there are no plans to replace the stock fenders
- I know the fender sheet metal is a bit flimsy but still would think to add an attachment so there isn't any relative motion between the parts
- For attaching the stock fender flares, I assume to just drill through the rock slider and either put a nut or nutsert on the back side of the sheet metal
- Should I try and add a second row of fasteners (see picture) to help distribute pending impacts
- Not sure how much of an offset I can really even get above the tube step though

Thank you in advance,

Scott

 

[jjvw]

Hi All,

Been reading a lot but have a few questions I was not able find any mention or posts about.

My plan is the following:
- Confirm all fasteners are within 8" of each other
- Raise the Jeep approx 4" to pre-load the system
...

The goal is to use the Jeep weight to help push the slider tight into the tub. Clamps and some tapping with a mallet are also a part of this process

...
- Plan to take Blaine's advice and drill holes while the sliders are clamped (did this with my engine/trans skid attachment to T/C skid and it worked great)
...

Use a Rotobtoach to cut the holes while using the slider as the template. Rotobtoach directly through the slider. This hole is then used for all the through bolts. Or it is later drilled larger for any nutserts.

...

Here are my questions:
- I have a Rubicon so should I grind off the existing nutserts for both the rock slider and lower fender flare attachments?
...

Yes. Flatten the tub. But you may want to keep the flare attachments.

...
- Is standard convention not to attach the rock slider to the stock front fender? (GenRight's instructions and videos I have watched make no mention of attaching to the fender)
- At this point, there are no plans to replace the stock fenders
- I know the fender sheet metal is a bit flimsy but still would think to add an attachment so there isn't any relative motion between the parts

...

I have never seen a clean integrated way to attach the bottom of the factory flares to the slider, other than Savvy having a cutout for that bolt to reuse those nutserts.

...

- Should I try and add a second row of fasteners (see picture) to help distribute pending impacts
...

Unnecessary. We see a double row on the Savvy sliders because of the assembly process of attaching the steel sliders to the aluminum rockers.

 

[StimpsonJCatt]

jjvw, thank you for the tips.

One thing I am still wondering is if I should drill an extra hole at the front of the slider to attach to the front fender? I see Savvy attaches to the fender and I just think it would be good to "connect" them.

 

[jjvw]

jjvw, thank you for the tips.

One thing I am still wondering is if I should drill an extra hole at the front of the slider to attach to the front fender? I see Savvy attaches to the fender and I just think it would be good to "connect" them.

Yes. Connect the fender to the slider.

 

[StimpsonJCatt]

Just had another thought bubble. When grinding off the head of the old nutserts, is there a trick to pull the back side part out through the hole in the areas you can't get to? Because of the mushrooming I am guessing no but never tried.

 

[jjvw]

Just had another thought bubble. When grinding off the head of the old nutserts, is there a trick to pull the back side part out through the hole in the areas you can't get to? Because of the mushrooming I am guessing no but never tried.

The backs will fall into the enclosed tub and stay there forever.

 

[MikeE024]

The backs will fall into the enclosed tub and stay there forever.

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

The backs will fall into the enclosed tub and stay there forever.

I'd probably pour some fluid film over them to stop them from rusting and/or rattling around forever.

 

[jjvw]

I'd probably pour some fluid film over them to stop them from rusting and/or rattling around forever.

Mine has several knocking around in inaccessible spaces and I have never noticed it.

 

[sab]

When grinding off the head of the old nutserts...

First off, rather than grinding the head off, drill them out, assuming they don't rotate freely (some of mine did, but a small vise grip on the flange OD for the blind ones or on the back side for the non-blind ones was enough to hold them.) I can't remember the bit size, though (use the same size as the mounting holes and move the bit in a slight conical pattern while drilling). My sliders are currently off, so I can measure size tomorrow if you need me to.

is there a trick to pull the back side part out through the hole in the areas you can't get to?

My OCD couldn't deal with leaving them in there, especially since, in addition to the OEM Rubicon nutserts, I also had a bunch of larger nutserts from my original Rockslide Engineering step slider installation (I later added Fluxor's aluminum backers behind them with all new mounting locations.) I was able to fish all of them out using a flexible magnet-on-a-stick and a flexible bore scope. I did have to drill a few of the holes bigger to remove them, though. They won't fit through the mounting holes, as you've surmised. It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be to get them out.

Another option that Mr. Blaine suggested was dropping magnets into the holes. With enough driving, the remnants will eventually find the magnets and stay put.

 

[StimpsonJCatt]

I was able to use a magnetic tipped telescoping tool (like an old cordless phone antenna) and was able to get them out. My OCD didn't like the idea of them bouncing around inside either. I didn't have to drill the holes bigger either. Was able to use the two big holes on each end already in the sheet metal are taped over.

 

[LakeBeard]

replace the hardware w/ #4 phillips, another Blaine tip that worked great for me.