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My ROAM 2-Door Rock Rails/Steps/Sliders Feedback / Review

JW12

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So, I pulled the trigger and bought a set of the frame mounted ROAM Offroad Sliders/Steps for my 2-Door JL for $499. I think they are $699 for the 4-Door. There are a few write ups about them already, but I still see a lot of questions as well, so I thought I’d share my thoughts from unpacking through install. This won’t be an install thread, but more information driven. I’m going to install the LED’s also, which I will also include information about when I get there.

1) So, I have just recently unpacked them with thoughts of rust on my mind. There are several forum threads about rust issues with these and I can see why. In my opinion, the coating is super thin. They were well packaged/wrapped, but out of the box from handling and shipping there are very small spots showing bare metal. The coating on the welds is especially thin. I feel that these are absolutely going to rust over time. To limit this, I am going to spray Herculine them. I just did a test run on the inserts that go behind the ROAM logo by sanding the gloss surface finish off with 120 and Spraying them. I like the texture, so I am going to proceed.

Jeep Wrangler JL My ROAM 2-Door Rock Rails/Steps/Sliders Feedback / Review 030BA6AD-11DB-4829-8AF9-26431E775017


2) Aside from the coating, they are very well constructed and solid. They feel substantial with a good amount of weight to them. The construction should hold up well while off-roading and everyday use.

3) There are no instructions which I find unfortunate, but a quick Forum search brought up a few helpful install threads like this one.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...-2-door-mk2-install-guide-revision-2-0.26197/

4) I’m going to continue to prep and Herculine them. More pics and info to come soon. In the meantime here are a few additional pics with the out of the box coating.
Jeep Wrangler JL My ROAM 2-Door Rock Rails/Steps/Sliders Feedback / Review DBFA590A-33D1-418A-9C10-1FBE1FC762BF

Jeep Wrangler JL My ROAM 2-Door Rock Rails/Steps/Sliders Feedback / Review 3F10C8BD-C07D-4C13-A9C3-74A142C9924C
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Looks good! Mine are being shipped currently. Probably won't be spraying them with anything extra since I'm in CA but we'll see.
 

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So, I pulled the trigger and bought a set of the frame mounted ROAM Offroad Sliders/Steps for my 2-Door JL for $499. I think they are $699 for the 4-Door. There are a few write ups about them already, but I still see a lot of questions as well, so I thought I’d share my thoughts from unpacking through install. This won’t be an install thread, but more information driven. I’m going to install the LED’s also, which I will also include information about when I get there.

1) So, I have just recently unpacked them with thoughts of rust on my mind. There are several forum threads about rust issues with these and I can see why. In my opinion, the coating is super thin. They were well packaged/wrapped, but out of the box from handling and shipping there are very small spots showing bare metal. The coating on the welds is especially thin. I feel that these are absolutely going to rust over time. To limit this, I am going to spray Herculine them. I just did a test run on the inserts that go behind the ROAM logo by sanding the gloss surface finish off with 120 and Spraying them. I like the texture, so I am going to proceed.

Jeep Wrangler JL My ROAM 2-Door Rock Rails/Steps/Sliders Feedback / Review 3F10C8BD-C07D-4C13-A9C3-74A142C9924C


2) Aside from the coating, they are very well constructed and solid. They feel substantial with a good amount of weight to them. The construction should hold up well while off-roading and everyday use.

3) There are no instructions which I find unfortunate, but a quick Forum search brought up a few helpful install threads like this one.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...-2-door-mk2-install-guide-revision-2-0.26197/

4) I’m going to continue to prep and Herculine them. More pics and info to come soon. In the meantime here are a few additional pics with the out of the box coating.
Jeep Wrangler JL My ROAM 2-Door Rock Rails/Steps/Sliders Feedback / Review 3F10C8BD-C07D-4C13-A9C3-74A142C9924C

Jeep Wrangler JL My ROAM 2-Door Rock Rails/Steps/Sliders Feedback / Review 3F10C8BD-C07D-4C13-A9C3-74A142C9924C
Looking forward to hearing the feedback. May grab the body mounted since I don’t do any crawling (save money where I can). Like the idea of spraying additional coating on them before installing, thoughts on Rustoleum textured bed liner spray? Another rookie question, just sand with regular 120 grit by hand to scuff them up enough for the new coat to stick?
 
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JW12

JW12

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Sorry about the delay in making an update. I was trying to get the rails sprayed, but it kept raining every afternoon here in NC and I needed to spray them outside. Finally go them done.

I ended up roughing up the brackets with some sandpaper and spraying them with black Rustoleum to get an additional layer of coating on them. As mentioned in my first post, I sprayed Hercurline on the rails themselves and they turned our very good. Two coats on each.

I am going to install the lights, but deferred the installation to another, hopefully cooler weekend. They will be a project on their own. Once I do the install, I'll provide another update with my thoughts.

Here are a few things I learned during installation.

1) There are no paper instructions in the box as others have mentioned, so the installation video above is invaluable.
2) The installation brackets have been redesigned and are not exactly like the brackets in the installation video. You can easily tell which belong where because the mounting holes of the redesigned brackets are very similar and align the same way. The brackets do have arrows on them that should point to the front of the Jeep to help with alignment on the correct side of the Jeep.
3) You have to dig into your problem solving skills when installing the brackets for the first rail to the frame, especially if you are installing by yourself. Once you slip the flag bolts/retainers into the frame they will not stay aligned without some creativity due to gravity. The video does provide suggestions and tells you how to do so, such as using vise grips. After completing the first side of the install the other side was a breeze.
4) When bolting the brackets to the frame and the rail to the frame brackets, do not tighten any of the bolts and leave them loose. Adjustments will need to be made to level the rail front to back before tightening. Due to the design of the front bracket, the front will be lower than the back until adjustment. I used a jack to level and hold in place while I tightened all the bolts.
5) Once all the bolts are tight, the rails are very solid and aren't going anywhere. I weigh 200 lbs and they don't flinch with the weight and would definitely handle more weight. They should hold up to some trail abuse as well.

Overall, I am very pleased with my purchase and do not regret buying these rails. The only negative I see is the coating on them out of the box, and for the price, I would expect something a little more substantial. Spraying them with liner brought them up to where they should be and added some texture when stepping on them to enter the Jeep..

image0.jpeg


image1.jpeg


image2.jpeg


image3.jpeg


image4.jpeg


image6.jpeg
 
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JW12

JW12

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Looking forward to hearing the feedback. May grab the body mounted since I don’t do any crawling (save money where I can). Like the idea of spraying additional coating on them before installing, thoughts on Rustoleum textured bed liner spray? Another rookie question, just sand with regular 120 grit by hand to scuff them up enough for the new coat to stick?
I did sand mine with 120, because that is what I had laying around. You could use a finer grit as well. You just want to sand the shine/slickness off the surface of the factory coating. There are some areas where you can't get to inside of the rails. I sanded those areas the best I could and got spray in there the best I could. I've never used the Rustoleum texture spray before, but I've never had an issue with other Rustoleum products. Just read some reviews to be sure, but it should be fine.
 

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conFUcius

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Sorry about the delay in making an update. I was trying to get the rails sprayed, but it kept raining every afternoon here in NC and I needed to spray them outside. Finally go them done.

I ended up roughing up the brackets with some sandpaper and spraying them with black Rustoleum to get an additional layer of coating on them. As mentioned in my first post, I sprayed Hercurline on the rails themselves and they turned our very good. Two coats on each.

I am going to install the lights, but deferred the installation to another, hopefully cooler weekend. They will be a project on their own. Once I do the install, I'll provide another update with my thoughts.

Here are a few things I learned during installation.

1) There are no paper instructions in the box as others have mentioned, so the installation video above is invaluable.
2) The installation brackets have been redesigned and are not exactly like the brackets in the installation video. You can easily tell which belong where because the mounting holes of the redesigned brackets are very similar and align the same way. The brackets do have arrows on them that should point to the front of the Jeep to help with alignment on the correct side of the Jeep.
3) You have to dig into your problem solving skills when installing the brackets for the first rail to the frame, especially if you are installing by yourself. Once you slip the flag bolts/retainers into the frame they will not stay aligned without some creativity due to gravity. The video does provide suggestions and tells you how to do so, such as using vise grips. After completing the first side of the install the other side was a breeze.
4) When bolting the brackets to the frame and the rail to the frame brackets, do not tighten any of the bolts and leave them loose. Adjustments will need to be made to level the rail front to back before tightening. Due to the design of the front bracket, the front will be lower than the back until adjustment. I used a jack to level and hold in place while I tightened all the bolts.
5) Once all the bolts are tight, the rails are very solid and aren't going anywhere. I weigh 200 lbs and they don't flinch with the weight and would definitely handle more weight. They should hold up to some trail abuse as well.

Overall, I am very pleased with my purchase and do not regret buying these rails. The only negative I see is the coating on them out of the box, and for the price, I would expect something a little more substantial. Spraying them with liner brought them up to where they should be and added some texture when stepping on them to enter the Jeep..

Jeep Wrangler JL My ROAM 2-Door Rock Rails/Steps/Sliders Feedback / Review image6


Jeep Wrangler JL My ROAM 2-Door Rock Rails/Steps/Sliders Feedback / Review image6


Jeep Wrangler JL My ROAM 2-Door Rock Rails/Steps/Sliders Feedback / Review image6


Jeep Wrangler JL My ROAM 2-Door Rock Rails/Steps/Sliders Feedback / Review image6


Jeep Wrangler JL My ROAM 2-Door Rock Rails/Steps/Sliders Feedback / Review image6


Jeep Wrangler JL My ROAM 2-Door Rock Rails/Steps/Sliders Feedback / Review image6
Great write up and thanks for the feedback/input! Just debating on whether to shoot for these first or a bumper upgrade, haha. For the lights, I’m considering wiring them to Molex connectors before hitting the dome lights?
 
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JW12

JW12

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Great write up and thanks for the feedback/input! Just debating on whether to shoot for these first or a bumper upgrade, haha. For the lights, I’m considering wiring them to Molex connectors before hitting the dome lights?
I purchased a wiring harness off of Amazon that does have connectors that will terminate at the rails so I can quickly disconnect them if I need to take them off to be repainted etc... I believe it will work, but there are some unknowns until I actually dig into the install.
 

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I purchased a wiring harness off of Amazon that does have connectors that will terminate at the rails so I can quickly disconnect them if I need to take them off to be repainted etc... I believe it will work, but there are some unknowns until I actually dig into the install.
Can you, or someone, explain the merits and install difficulty of frame mounted vs body mounted Roam side steps? I'm assuming frame mounted is more heavy duty but I'm looking for more of a mall crawler side step with a clean look that provides some protection from road debris being kicked up on to the body panels, has good footing as a step and is well made and long-lasting. I know this is blasphemy but muddy/sandy trails are all I can access in my neck of the woods and I'll be doing mostly city driving, although with pot holes that will swallow a sedan.
 

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Take-Off Mopar plastic side steps give a good look, keep debris off the sides too. Budget friendly if you don't need actual sliders. Amazon has the " look-alikes " too, for the Mopar plastic side steps
 
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JLNOLA

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Take-Off Mopar plastic side steps give a good look, keep debris off the sides too. Budget friendly if you don't need actual sliders. Amazon has the " look-alikes " too, for the Molar plastic side steps
I was going that route a few days ago but I've entered the rabbit hole. The Mopar side steps check the boxes for good step area, some protection and cost there's just something about the look that seems like they just don't flow right with the fenders. And I think I'd rather something metal and sleeker looking. I should also mention I'm shopping for a 2 door Sport S.
 

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JW12

JW12

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Can you, or someone, explain the merits and install difficulty of frame mounted vs body mounted Roam side steps? I'm assuming frame mounted is more heavy duty but I'm looking for more of a mall crawler side step with a clean look that provides some protection from road debris being kicked up on to the body panels, has good footing as a step and is well made and long-lasting. I know this is blasphemy but muddy/sandy trails are all I can access in my neck of the woods and I'll be doing mostly city driving, although with pot holes that will swallow a sedan.
In my humble opinion there isn't anything wrong with mall crawling. A love for Jeeps is a love for Jeeps. You'll still empty your pockets just like the rest of us. Haha! As far as frame mounted vs. body mounted goes, it's really a matter of personal preference. I do occasionally take my Jeep off road and felt the frame mount would be better. At the end of the day that is just my opinion. I'm sure there are well designed body mount sliders/steps that will hold up to what most of us use our Jeeps for. I also chose frame mounted because of a few posts where the body mount bolts that have to be removed to install the body mounted sliders/steps have snapped off. I have no idea how often this happens, but I didn't want to risk it. I'm somewhat mechanically inclined and didn't find the install of the frame mounts to be all that difficult. As mentioned above, I did have to bust out the problem solving skills to initially hold the flag nuts in place while lining up the bolts, but there were tips in the install video. I installed them by myself, but if you have a helper it would be super easy.

As a second choice, I personally like these if you are leaning to more of a step. I see them come in a tube style too.

https://www.quadratec.com/p/rough-country/contoured-drop-steps-wrangler-jl-90761
 

DizzyIzzy

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I’m just surveying people to see.. Would you guys be interested in buying this product..

Plastic side steps that look quite like the mopar side steps but are removable and can attach to the rubicon rails. So that when you go to a trail, you can detach them and put them in the back and can reattach them back to the rubicon rail once done with the trail.
 

JLNOLA

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In my humble opinion there isn't anything wrong with mall crawling. A love for Jeeps is a love for Jeeps. You'll still empty your pockets just like the rest of us. Haha! As far as frame mounted vs. body mounted goes, it's really a matter of personal preference. I do occasionally take my Jeep off road and felt the frame mount would be better. At the end of the day that is just my opinion. I'm sure there are well designed body mount sliders/steps that will hold up to what most of us use our Jeeps for. I also chose frame mounted because of a few posts where the body mount bolts that have to be removed to install the body mounted sliders/steps have snapped off. I have no idea how often this happens, but I didn't want to risk it. I'm somewhat mechanically inclined and didn't find the install of the frame mounts to be all that difficult. As mentioned above, I did have to bust out the problem solving skills to initially hold the flag nuts in place while lining up the bolts, but there were tips in the install video. I installed them by myself, but if you have a helper it would be super easy.

As a second choice, I personally like these if you are leaning to more of a step. I see them come in a tube style too.

https://www.quadratec.com/p/rough-country/contoured-drop-steps-wrangler-jl-90761
You're not kidding about emptying pockets. I just ordered the damn thing so I have probably six weeks or so to wait and I'm already spending money on new parts and accessories.

So the frame mounted Roam rock rails don't require removal of the bolt(s) that people have had break on them? I'm pretty handy and follow instructions well so not super worried about the install, but definitely want to avoid potential damage that would require a trip to a shop.

I do like that drop step option, thanks. Covers the pinch seam and connects the wheel wells nicely. I think I'd prefer something that has a larger step area, but I'm adding that to my list of options.

Thanks again.
 

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In my humble opinion there isn't anything wrong with mall crawling. A love for Jeeps is a love for Jeeps. You'll still empty your pockets just like the rest of us. Haha! As far as frame mounted vs. body mounted goes, it's really a matter of personal preference. I do occasionally take my Jeep off road and felt the frame mount would be better. At the end of the day that is just my opinion. I'm sure there are well designed body mount sliders/steps that will hold up to what most of us use our Jeeps for. I also chose frame mounted because of a few posts where the body mount bolts that have to be removed to install the body mounted sliders/steps have snapped off. I have no idea how often this happens, but I didn't want to risk it. I'm somewhat mechanically inclined and didn't find the install of the frame mounts to be all that difficult. As mentioned above, I did have to bust out the problem solving skills to initially hold the flag nuts in place while lining up the bolts, but there were tips in the install video. I installed them by myself, but if you have a helper it would be super easy.

As a second choice, I personally like these if you are leaning to more of a step. I see them come in a tube style too.

https://www.quadratec.com/p/rough-country/contoured-drop-steps-wrangler-jl-90761
By the way, your rig looks great. I've got a 2 door, manual transmission, Granite Crystal Sport S with perforated Mopar leather, premium soft top and just about every other possible option coming my way hopefully in mid-November. Just need the side steps and hopefully some Rubicon or Freedom Edition take off wheels and I'll be good to go. At least for a bit.
 
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JW12

JW12

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By the way, your rig looks great. I've got a 2 door, manual transmission, Granite Crystal Sport S with perforated Mopar leather, premium soft top and just about every other possible option coming my way hopefully in mid-November. Just need the side steps and hopefully some Rubicon or Freedom Edition take off wheels and I'll be good to go. At least for a bit.
Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. Can''t wait to see yours when you get it. Congrats on the new Jeep and being in the 2-door family. At least for a bit is right. You're never really done. To answer your question from above, that is correct, you do not need to remove the body mount bolts that have the potential to snap off at the bolt head. These aren't used in for the frame mount Roam sliders/steps install.
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