I did a similar,(not simpler uggg.. it took forever), setup on my last XJ and honestly encourage this type of rocker because it really helps to stiffen the entire uni body of vehicle. It also hides rust and previous dents and scuffs.
Note that when welding to the body for a rocker try to grab angles and joints where you weld to for a stronger overall build.


Andy-Ironman4x4

 

I had no rust....there, mine is other spots!! YEAH!!

 

anybody ever thought of makng a rocker guard air tank? i saw a bumper like that before

 

I was searching "rocker guards" for ideas as I'm about to start mine. Are these tied into the unibody rails at all, and if not are they welded to the racker panel alone?

 

I always thought that having a rocker guard would be a good idea. With some of the frame stiffeners it seems as if there is quite a bit of options competing for space in the same area. As such I always wanted to make some that would integrate both of designs into one similar to the attached image. Image depicted looking at a slice of the vehicle from the front or rear, really does not matter which way you would like to view it. With this design the frame would be stiffer and have some serious rocker protection. Any rocks or other trail nasties would also just be deflected off and have nothing to grab onto as the vehicle slid over an rock/log.

 

when i did mine, i had them mount to the uni body, then bolt to the pinch seam for added strength. These are super strong! I have bashed the H out of them, and they are holding up just like the day i installed them. You can use them as a jack point without any hesitation. All i do for upkeep is just respray them. IMO, use 3/16 wall. that is what i used. I think 1/8 is just a bit to thin if you want to abuse them. I think I had about $100 or so in materials. Main construction was 2X3, then 2X4 for the legs, and 1/4 for the brackets. Hope this helps ya out.

 

thats also known as "boat-siding" a rig... nice visual explanation though

 

As I've said in multiple other threads today, this IS NOT fab. It belongs in the chat section.

 

any time you have rust in supporting body panels, you need to get rid of it. Rust covered up just continues to rot away. if your fabricating new rockers, all the better to get rid of the rot, you will end up with better strength and peace of mind as a bonus.

 

looks great and good clearence