Part 2 - Month 6 Continued

ShrockWorks Rock Sliders

New Shrockworks sliders

Over the last few months we have been working to update and upgrade our 1992 Jeep Wrangler. We had been looking for a more unique and functional style for the sides of the Jeep. To that end we turned to Jim Shrake over at ShrockWorks ? 4x4 Products. He has developed a new style of heavy duty rock sliders that not only dress up the side of the Jeep but are truly the most functional I have seen yet. When I saw some of the pictures of these sliders with the entire side of the Jeep jacked up by them I figured they must be heavy duty. 

When they arrived I found out just how heavy duty. They weigh 98 lbs. per set. That is heavy enough to support the entire weight of the Jeep without adding extra unnecessary bulk to the sides. And yes, the guys in the shop had to pick the Jeep up by them just to see. If you are looking for light duty ?nerf bars? that?s not what these are about. But if trail ready is what you want you've come to the right place. Installing them really was easy. The tools needed are a drill with 5/16? bit, 3/16 allen wrench, ?? wrench, hacksaw or cut grinder, and a floor jack.

The flare extensions must come off for the sliders

The only thing that took much time was removing the factory fender flares to fit them on. Since we are going to be installing 6? flares, ShrockWorks sent us a set of sliders that go front flare to rear. They also make styles that can be used with the factory flares, as well as models that fit CJ,s and TY?s. The sliders have mounting points that fit on top of the factory body tub mounts. You loosen the three side mounts up and jack the tub up enough to slip the slider in. The best place to jack at is just behind the mount in front of the rear tire. There is a rib there that will provide enough support so you don?t dent in the tub bottom. It is also out of the way of getting the slider mounting flanges into place. The mounting flanges are sandwiched in-between the rubber mount and the body tub. The other sliders out there on the market generally attach to the frame only. They don?t guard the lower edge of the body. They lose ground clearance and make ?hangup? points unlike the ShrockWorks sliders. These sliders also are a great choice if your Jeep has ever been damaged along the centerline. They wrap up the side to just below the door opening and will hide most common trail bumps. 

If you look under the side of a stock jeep there are seams, bumps, holes, and cross members. This is a lot of area that can pose a problem if not protected. With ShrockWorks Sliders, you can scoot or pivot on a rock anywhere front to rear and side to side with out worrying about damage.

Jack the body tub up about 1/4"

Once set on the mounts, you must be sure to get the sliders in tight to the sidewalls. We found that a pair of ?C? clamps worked best to hold it to the sides. You also must place a jack underneath to keep it tight to the bottom. The mounting is flexible enough that you level and center it to even an uneven side frame. Once positioned correctly, you drill new mounting holes along the side of the Jeep. All stainless mount bolts with countersunk heads contrast the slider and shouldn?t ever rust. We found that is best to hold the bolts stationary and turn the nuts so you don?t disturb the powder coat finish on the countersunk holes. The fasteners were placed in spots that were easily accessed from the outside except the front hole. This hole goes through the both the fender and inner fender. On the Driver side you must lift the washer fluid tank out to get a nut on the bolt. The tank just sets in a slip in bracket so it is a quick process. It doesn?t have to be disconnected. The Passenger side front bolt is below the Battery Tray so it takes two people to get that one on.

You can see how it fills the area to a flat surface

The side tubes on the sliders are a great stepping point to get into the Jeep as well as making the sliders standoff enough to guard you from rocks and trees. If you look just ahead of the body mount you will see the side lighting tucked up out of the way as well. With new sliders installed it is nearly a perfectly flat surface all the way from front to rear. 

Inside the Jeep there are two bolts that install up through the floorboard. They are accessed by just lifting the floorboard carpet up. You do have to trim these bolts off after tightening them down. That is the most difficult part of the install but a cut off wheel makes short work of it. Once all of the bolts are tight it is recommended to put a small bead of black silicone along the side and top of the sliders. This will fill any imperfections to the body and keep dirt and road grit from getting between the body and the slider. These sliders worked so well we can?t wait to take a look at the Bumpers that ShrockWorks is working on for the YJ?s. 

The bolts must be trimmed before laying the floorboard carpet	Ready for the carpet.

Summary

We got a lot done inside the Jeep this month and with a few days of good weather you just have to get out and run around the woods a little bit. Hill climbing with the new suspension and tires sure was different. You don?t have to just take a run at it. Put in four low and crawl your way to the top. The extra ground clearance and rock sliders means going over obstacles instead of going around. The Jeep is finally starting to look and act like a serious off road vehicle. Next month we will be working on getting the differentials updated with lockers and new gearing. We also should be able get the fender flares on as well. Maybe then we won?t halve to wash it every time it is driven.

Completed	Somebody find me a rock to climb!