XJIrish4x4

Most of you already know I have a 89 with long arm 4.5" Rough Country setup. I'm about ready to pull the trigger and order up some rock sliders but before I do so I wanted to get everyone's experience with putting rock sliders on a long arm kit.

My Long arm kit is designed to have brackets that wrap from the lower crossmember mounting area on the frame rail around to the side. That limits your ability to mount any sliders in that location. Also, the side brackets have a flag nut bar that sticks out of the opening in frame rail near the orignal LCA area. I can post photos if you need a reference but what has been your experience with working around this setup?

A few companies claim they make them to fit but when I ask about more details it seems like they just say mount the long arm over that hole blocking that flag nut and should be fine. If I ever have to drop crossmember then of course I would have to remove sliders.

Perhaps I could just go with a custom built cross member or one that splits like a few of you have on here but I need to get some rock sliders soon before I hit the trails.

Thoughts?

XJIrish4x4

Please see photo below as a reference to how my setup is. Notice in that photo in that opening there is a bar that sticks out.

bad_idea

Can you fit and weld your own? I prefer a custom approach, making exactly what I want, fit how I want.

4.3L XJ

I think you will probably be fine. However to be sure, I would ask for the number of braces that attach to the frame and then the measurements relative to the outside rail. That way you can be sure

XJIrish4x4

I wish I could weld, if I could I would give that a try. I was thinking of just doing 2x6's and then tie them into the uniframe rails which would allow me the flexibility to put my tie ins anywhere clear of this. I may still find someone to do that as it would be a heck of a lot cheaper than buying rock sliders that may or may not work.

XJIrish4x4

Couple companies I have found and asked about that say they work on RC long arm setups have provided some data back but there mouting points where over that opening blocking that flag nut bar protruding. If it sit flush I would consider but it does not, though it might flex some allowing for the rock sliders to still mount in that spot and not cause any harm.

XJIrish4x4

I guess I also just want to make sure once they are on I don't have to keep taking them off.

4.3L XJ

Why would you need to take them off?

XJIrish4x4

In the event my transmission goes out or TC again. I hope it dont but just thinking if it did I would have to remove them to get to flag nut behind it to remove brackets for cross member.

4.3L XJ

Unless the cross member is part of the kit, you will not have to.

XJIrish4x4

I'm not sure I'm understanding you. My cross member is Rough Country it bolts up to existing holes from stock cross member on frame. Then the kit comes with brackets that wrap around and attach to side as you see in my photo but also bolt into frame from below.

If I put rock sliders on that cover up that flag nut that you see in photo its going to prevent me from taking side brackets off or rather put back on.

SatiricalHen

I personally would splurge on the 2x6 rocker replacement method. Honestly I haven't even tied mine in yet, but they have handled ALOT of abuse and I finally got around to hooking them up to a compressor so they store air for my on board air system. I'm not sure what it would cost to have someone do it for you, but I think the steel this summer to do it was maybe $80 max. I worked it all off instead of paying though so I don't remember exact numbers and my brother in law welded them up so that was free.

XJIrish4x4

Someone was just asking about doing air storing on those and people had made comments about them not being ideal due to the shape and the abuse they can suffer which ultimately can cause one to burst. I suppose if your just pounding rocks all day long that eventually yes it will break.

Nice idea!

SatiricalHen

I highly highly doubt I will ever come close to breaking one. Think about it. Most air tanks are sheetmetal just in a more ideal shape. I'm using 3/16 steel, much stronger. If one does some how get damaged it won't explode it will just be a rush of air and that's it. Air doesn't explode things like some people seem to think it will. If I break one of the 2x6 sliders then I have seriously seriously damaged the rest of my Cherokee too. It's thicker than anything from the factory.

XJIrish4x4

I completly agree with you there! I think I will take a good hard look at these 2x6's and perhaps stop by the steel shop today and grab me some. What sizes should I get just for the rockers? 3/16" and what is the typical length I didn't measure my jeep to know for sure. If I remember correctly the shop wanted $100 for both at about 5-6' of it.