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MOPAR Rock Rails Installation Video (2014 Limited)

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2014 limited
7K views 24 replies 13 participants last post by  FreeJersey 
#1 ·
#2 ·
This will help a lot of people, great work.
 
#6 ·
Excellent video....best info I have seen on the install. What a PITA! These require a ton of patience. I wonder why Jeep couldn't figure out an easier attachment method. The work it takes to get the bolts into place is incredible! Hats off to you for showing everyone how to do it.
 
#7 ·
Great job...very valuable tips for a tricky install.
cheers..Guy
 
#9 ·
Well, looks like the stars are aligning for me. I'm off work tomorrow, forecast is 65 and sunny, the kids have school, and the wife is going to work. I think I'm going to attempt the install tomorrow. I see it is recommended to do the bolts in a different order than the instructions indicate. I can't help but wondering though, what if I put the 12 rocker panel screws on first (loosely), than the flag bolts, than the stiffener. Do you think that would make lining everything up easier?
 
#10 ·
Flag bolts have to go first, they support the weight of the rail while you wrestle the rest in.

You can try the rocket bolts first, but I tried that on my first set and there was no way I could get the sill nuts to go on. I finally gave up with the instructions and did it my own way and it went way better.

Second set on my 14 went much smoother, mostly because of the prep work and having done it before.


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#11 ·
I'm well aware of the weight, those suckers are heavy. I was thinking of supporting the weight with a floor jack, put the 12 nuts on loosely, than swing it up and attach to the flag bolts. Of course, this is all in my head, I won't really know if it will work until I get under there.
 
#12 ·
I don't think that will work..you won't have enough room to "swing" it over the flag bolts (they hang too low). Trust me the flag bolts have to go in first....loosely. That will allow you some swing room to maneuver the other bolts nuts into place.


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#14 · (Edited)
OK, took me 5 and a half hours including putting all the tools away. Probably spent an hour and a half of that scratching my head and verbally abusing the designer of these rails. It's a rough job, but not impossible. By the way, I did it solo, nobody around to help. A strong helper would have been great. I skipped the end caps for now, I'm beat.


Edit to add: The tips in the video are invaluable! The order of the bolts and the drilling out the holes are absolute musts! I forgot to drill out the holes on the second side and had a hell of a time getting it all aligned.









 
#18 ·
They are functional as a step, although they don't sit as low as the running boards or tubular steps. On mine, with the leveling kit and 32s, it's still a pretty good step just to get to the rail. But, they definitely look better and actually serve as rock rails and a pretty good door guard.
 
#19 ·
Did mine last weekend. Your video was quite helpful! The rear flag bolts that came with the kit I got DID have the notches, though, so maybe Mopar has tweaked the kits here and there. Also I opted NOT to drill out the holes for the pinch weld stiffener bolts. One side was still only a moderate pain in the ass because of that. The other side was a MAJOR pain for it. If I ever help anyone else out with these, I'll enlarge the pinch weld holes.

I also zipped off the rear brackets with a dremel instead of just bending them out of the way. I painted the resulting bare metal with some of my wife's unused nail polish (works very well as a corrosion preventative paint in unseen places). Finally, I re-purposed the bolts and body nuts from those brackets to hold the front wheel well trim in place (the piece you cut off the original rocker panels), and used some of those christmas tree plastic fasteners instead of the supplied plastic rivets for the other holes. I couldn't find my pop rivet gun.
 
#21 ·
No...the rock rails butt right up to the weld and hang lower than them...effectively protecting the entire pinch weld from damage. You can jack the vehicle anywhere along the rock rail. Once installed, they effectively become part of the vehicle. Plenty strong for jacking, I do it all the time.


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#24 ·
In some cases...yes. Unless it's an SUV as high or higher than the jeep. Most sedan door swingers will be in for a rude awakening. These things are SOLID. It would probably dent their door.
I had this happen with my old XJ. Parked at a mall and while I was walking away, some dude flew into the spot next to me and got out really fast. *Ding* slammed his door right into my rock rail. It was such a satisfying sound. :D
 
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