Picked them up from the dealer and was wondering if anybody did this install. I did all the customizing on my JK myself such as springs bumpers snorkle etc. so I'm hoping it will go smooth, but the instructions look as if it will be a PITA. Will attempt it next weekend with a few pics. Any tips or tricks would be appreciated!
My dealer called and said the rock rails have arrived. He quoted me $140 for the service department to install them. I was planning on doing it myself, but for $140, I think I'll let them do it.... I'm just so paranoid, I don't like anyone working on my car but me. Thoughts?
For me I like doing projects, so I wouldn't let them do mine at any price. BUT, $140 is a STEAL labor-wise. Somebody's gonna eat that, whether it's the quoting service writer or the tech. You can't do the job in an hour and a half. My guess is that they quoted you labor on the tubular steps. Rockrails have to be at least 3.5 hours...I'd be shocked if less. You'd be all over that Jeep like a monkey on meth to get it done in 1.5hrs, LOL.
I got the jeep back. The service guy said they will NEVER charge that little again! The installer had done a bunch of Wranglers, but this was his 1st 2011 Grand Cherokee. Took him most of the day. They charged me $741 for the rails, and $137 for the labor. After tax the total bill was $941.08. I guess for that amount of money, I could have rented a Wrangler in Moab like 6 times and spared my car the wear and tear.... Oh well. They are MUCH bigger than I expected based on everyone's photos. The pics don't do them justice. I'm not sure I like how big they are. Hopefully they will grow on me. It is definitely harder to get in and out without touching the pants to them. But, they can be used as a step.
So mine should be delivered in about a week. I'm definitely looking forward to these, still not sure about the install though. Definitely a lot more complicated than the Kevins rock sliders I put on ZJ!
I'll see what kind of a price my dealer gives me.
FYI, my dealer initially tried to charge me full list, ridiculous...
Thanks, JDrew. Rock rails certainly look nice but since I don't take my WK2 to rock trails, I feel installing them is just overkill. And it would cost me about $1600 to have them shipped and installed here in Korea.
I just had these quoted at my dealer.... retail with 1.5 hrs labor was going to be about a grand. Maybe we can get some kind of group buy going for these?
YEP i got the same quote from my dealer.. i got to save a few more $$ before i get mine but the hole thing that some people got to figure out is do you want a step or a rock rail / slider I am not looking for a step, I want the rock to PUSH the JeeP away and not bend the bottom door sill when i bottom out on a bolder I was really impressed that Mopar had such a beefy rail alot of money but on my (old) JK i spent about that much for the RIVER RAIDERS rock rails / sliders and they took alot of abuse and they mirror the mopar rails.... IMO if you get the Tube steps that's what your getting STEPS and minimal protection
I just had these quoted at my dealer.... retail with 1.5 hrs labor was going to be about a grand. Maybe we can get some kind of group buy going for these?
Now that I have the mopar rock rails installed how do I jack the truck up? Do the rock rails block the original jacking points? Can I just use a bottle jack or my hilift to jack it up by the rock rail?
Now that I have the mopar rock rails installed how do I jack the truck JeeP up? Do the rock rails block the original jacking points? Can I just use a bottle jack or my hilift to jack it up by the rock rail?
Thanks guys - emailed eBay seller for postage quote, and emailed Leo Muller parts for availability.
What's everyone's opinion of the scratches on the rails on eBay? Looks to me like it could be an easy fix if required. - hardest thing would be matching the paint (may have to spray the whole lot in which case may not be worth the saving)
Question would these be realistic as a side step use as well? Dad is old (87), and was wondering if they are wide enough to use as a side step for him to get in.
- trolley jack (for raising the rail to the car)
- 10mm short socket
- 13mm short & deep socket (deep is for the 3 bolts under the car and to assist installing the push on lock nut on the 12 bolts at the front of the sill)
- 10mm ratchet spanner (makes easy work of the 8 bolts for the back of the sill)
- 13 mm ratchet spanner (make sure it's relatively 'thin' - I used this on the 12 nuts for the front of the sill where the nut didn't take to the bolt the right way at first)
- medium flat head screwdriver (to assist installing the push on lock nut on the 12 bolts at the front of the sill and to remove the foam from the sill ends)
- hammer (to remove the existing rivets holding the plastic sill cover over, and then bend a bracket slightly out of the way)
- chisel (to remove the existing rivets holding the plastic sill cover over)
- torque wrench
- battery drill / rattle gun (one all the nuts/bolts are on loose I used this to make life easier and quicker prior to using the torque wrench)
- vacuum cleaner (hold the hose adjacent to the hole in the sill where you remove the foam using a screwdriver - its much quicker!)
- loctite (used on all nuts and bolts to prevent them from becoming loose)
- Allen key (comes with the kit)
- scissors / tin snips (used to trim the wheel liner)
I had no need to use a grinder?
Looking at this it may seem like a big job - it really isn't too difficult, just time consuming.
I installed the first one in five hours after work last Friday on my own. I then did the second side on the Saturday morning in just over two hours, again on my own. I took my time being careful not to damage anything, and had the instructions open on my bench along with the iPad of photos from this forum!
As my bumper didn't have the cut-out slots for this part, I used a Dremel to grind off the tabs off the new molding, then used 3M double side tape and three stainless M6x10 bolts.
Son and I started last weekend and managed to fit all the underbody skid plates and the passenger side rock rail before patience wore thin, and called it quits for the day. Back on the job today for side2.
Agree it's not hard, just fiddly and time consuming.
Only issue so far was we didn't read properly/see the different size in the 3 pillar post bolts and now have a long one sticking down below the rail.
Will install side 2 today then decide whether to pull side one back off and relocate the bolt, or just get a hacksaw blade and cut it off.
We're also having difficulty tightening the bolts to the tension specs. Several wouldn't tighten any more and 2 we stripped the speed nuts. Anyone else have this challenge?
We're also having difficulty tightening the bolts to the tension specs. Several wouldn't tighten any more and 2 we stripped the speed nuts. Anyone else have this challenge?
Had I seen this thread earlier I would have got rock rails in lieu of side-steps. The brackets under the side-steps give a little protection over rock, as I found out, but are more likely to get one hung up. Regarding bolts, I have just added the Mopar tow-bar. I didn't bother torquing. I didn't want to outlay for the right sized sockets but I had the spanners so I just pulled for all it was worth. With the huge spring washer supplied and some loctite, they aren't coming loose. Regarding the trim, Jeep seems to delight in using every fastening combination possible although I suspect it was the dealer mechanics who installed the parking sensors that simply grabbed the first fastener they could reach. There are 3 screws holding the rear mudguard trim. All have different heads hex, phillips, torx, screws, self tappers and even a couple of plastic rivets. I'm going to replace them plastic rivets, the pull type, as soon as my plastic rivet gun arrives.
My side steps are now in a bin somewhere west of the Blue Mountains, a casualty of the Aussie 2012 Jeep Jamboree. So I'm going the rock rail route. Before I commit, can someone post a PDF of the Mopar fitting instructions?
Morning Bob, will have a look later today if I kept my copy and post them, unless someone else does it before I get back.
Not surprised re the side steps, and the rock rails are actually really well built. My only comment is, whilst not impossible to install, I'm not in any hurry to do rock rails again.
If you're going to do it on your own, allow 1 to 2 days depending on how patient you are, and don't drink until you're finished
If there's anyone near you that's done them already, offer them a slab or a tank of fuel to come over and help. Definitely better if you have 2 people, and even better if one of you have already done the task. And don't open the slab until you've finished