How long to install Rock Slide Engineering Steps?

[Overwatch]

@Overwatch

Finished installation of the RSE Gen 3 sliders today. Wiring harness installation and step mounting took me about the same time and total was about 7 hours. Next set I could do in 5.

Nothing complicated for the wiring harness or the step installation, just takes some time. Body bolts came loose fine, just went carefully with a few back-n-forth if there was any binding.

You need a decent selection of tools:

1/2 drive ratchet or breaker bar, a 3" x 1/2" drive extension & an 18 mm socket
1/2 drive torque wrench

3/8" drive ratchet, flex joint and a short extension
3/8" drive torque wrench
7/16" & 1/2" standard sockets
10mm, 7/16" & 1/2" deep sockets

Some tips that might help:

1) Instructions say to loosen the body bolts 1/4". What you really need is about an 1/8" between the head of the bolt and the washer. That's the trick, as the washer is not always enthusiastic about making room on the bolt. Some of my mount brackets slipped right in, a couple tapped into place with a rubber mallet, and one required removal and filing the threads near the washer a little. Put on the brackets and lightly tighten them just to hold the brackets in position.

2) The bolt tightening sequence indicated wasn't entirely clear. Correct order is pinch seam bolts, bracket bolts, body bolts. The last two pinch seam bolts (OEM/10mm) have to go in with the steps deployed.

3) The connectors for the lighting do not come with caps. If you don't install the lights you may want to cover the connector and zip tie it up out of harms way.

LF

Thank you! This is fantastic help and very detailed. I’m going to start next weekend!

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[InjectedCJ7]

I recently installed a set of Gen 3 steps on my JL also. I definitely agree with watching the Northridge video, it’s the best one. Skip the wiring part, because the new harness is totally different. I would strongly recommend heating the body mount bolts prior to loosening them. I used a basic propane torch, and held it directly on each bolt head for two minutes, prior to loosening. You still want to reverse rotation on the bolt for maybe a quarter turn, if it starts to bind. The front bolts have red Loctite, and heat is the best (only) way to break the bond. I heated the middle and rear bolts as well (those have blue Loctite). Can’t hurt. You only need to back out the front bolts enough to get the bracket under the bolt head. Trust me, you won’t want to go any further than you have to! I had to remove the middle and rear bolts completely, in order to grind down the ribs on the bolt shank that prevent the captured washer from giving you room to insert the bracket. The video discusses this step. Next hardest thing was to lift the step up by myself to stab it into the pinch weld holes. These suckers are about 65 lbs each, and tough to lift and see what you’re doing at the same time. Get a helper! Wiring wasn’t too bad, but it’s a good idea to run the wiring from the battery first, as the RSE instructions say, since you’ll have more access to tie to the existing wiring harness, without the step in your way. I think the Northridge video has you install the steps first. Take your time, especially with the body bolts. Breaking one will ruin your day, for sure… Good luck, and feel free to reach out with questions.

John

 

[Overwatch]

I recently installed a set of Gen 3 steps on my JL also. I definitely agree with watching the Northridge video, it’s the best one. Skip the wiring part, because the new harness is totally different. I would strongly recommend heating the body mount bolts prior to loosening them. I used a basic propane torch, and held it directly on each bolt head for two minutes, prior to loosening. You still want to reverse rotation on the bolt for maybe a quarter turn, if it starts to bind. The front bolts have red Loctite, and heat is the best (only) way to break the bond. I heated the middle and rear bolts as well (those have blue Loctite). Can’t hurt. You only need to back out the front bolts enough to get the bracket under the bolt head. Trust me, you won’t want to go any further than you have to! I had to remove the middle and rear bolts completely, in order to grind down the ribs on the bolt shank that prevent the captured washer from giving you room to insert the bracket. The video discusses this step. Next hardest thing was to lift the step up by myself to stab it into the pinch weld holes. These suckers are about 65 lbs each, and tough to lift and see what you’re doing at the same time. Get a helper! Wiring wasn’t too bad, but it’s a good idea to run the wiring from the battery first, as the RSE instructions say, since you’ll have more access to tie to the existing wiring harness, without the step in your way. I think the Northridge video has you install the steps first. Take your time, especially with the body bolts. Breaking one will ruin your day, for sure… Good luck, and feel free to reach out with questions.

John

Another great set of advice, thank you. One question, what happens if I do break off a body bolt? Everyone seems super concerned about this. Can I just buy another?

 

[InjectedCJ7]

Another great set of advice, thank you. One question, what happens if I do break off a body bolt? Everyone seems super concerned about this. Can I just buy another?

Hi Overwatch,
Yes, you can buy new bolts, but the problem is getting the broken half, that’s stuck in the nut, removed. It requires cutting a hole in the floor pan from the inside, replacing the captured nut, then repairing the hole in the floor…. Not something you want to do, or worse, pay to have done…

P.S. - I just noticed that you have a 2016 JK, not a JL, correct? If I’m not mistaken, the body bolts may be easier to remove. Not sure if they Loctited them from the factory, like they did on the JL. Perhaps someone here with a JK can comment.

John

 

[Overwatch]

Hi Overwatch,
Yes, you can buy new bolts, but the problem is getting the broken half, that’s stuck in the nut, removed. It requires cutting a hole in the floor pan from the inside, replacing the captured nut, then repairing the hole in the floor…. Not something you want to do, or worse, pay to have done…

P.S. - I just noticed that you have a 2016 JK, not a JL, correct? If I’m not mistaken, the body bolts may be easier to remove. Not sure if they Loctited them from the factory, like they did on the JL. Perhaps someone here with a JK can comment.

John

The JK was my last Jeep. I had it for six years and it was a beast off-road. I traded her in though for a 392 a few months ago. And thanks for the tip Egon! Do not cross the streams! I don’t have the technical ability to cut open my new Jeeps floor.

 

[Hpc3]

The JK was my last Jeep. I had it for six years and it was a beast off-road. I traded her in though for a 392 a few months ago. And thanks for the tip Egon! Do not cross the streams! I don’t have the technical ability to cut open my new Jeeps floor.

Pro tip - use the shipping boxes and foam blocks to hold the steps up while you're mounting them to the jeep. I do pretty much all my mods alone so getting creative with weights/fulcrums/levers with surrounding materials comes in handy.

Also 6-8hrs is about right if you're doing these alone. I had a bad motor/circuit board on my passenger step so that pushed my install into a week or so. Might want to have a back-out plan if you need your jeep for daily driver use. RSE's techs/support are great to work with btw. Have fun.

 

[InjectedCJ7]

Pro tip - use the shipping boxes and foam blocks to hold the steps up while you're mounting them to the jeep. I do pretty much all my mods alone so getting creative with weights/fulcrums/levers with surrounding materials comes in handy.

Good tip, Hpc3!
I do pretty much all of my work solo, as well. I had my Jeep about 3 feet up on my hoist, and may have been able to stack stuff on the hoist platforms, but I figured it was best to have a good grip on them to avoid crashing into the paint with the studs. They don’t feel too heavy, for the first 10 seconds or so... But, trying to get an eyeball on the holes, while holding it up, gets difficult rather quickly! However you do it, be sure to have a solid plan…

John

 

[Reactor111]

One person mounting was a task, for sure. If you have a floor jack, place a 2’ piece of 2/4 or 2/6 on the pad of the jack. Center the step on the jack and you can slowly move the step into position to align the studs with the holes in the pinch seam. If you got the optional shields, I had to put the jack under the shield, and raise the jack to force the shield rivet holes to align. Not hard, but the rivets need to be fully seated before expanding them. Good Luck!

 

[Overwatch]

One person mounting was a task, for sure. If you have a floor jack, place a 2’ piece of 2/4 or 2/6 on the pad of the jack. Center the step on the jack and you can slowly move the step into position to align the studs with the holes in the pinch seam. If you got the optional shields, I had to put the jack under the shield, and raise the jack to force the shield rivet holes to align. Not hard, but the rivets need to be fully seated before expanding them. Good Luck!

I was going to add the shield later if needed. Thank you for the tip on that one. They made it sound like adding it was no big deal, but they also said this was a three hour install.

 

[Overwatch]

Thanks to all the Jeepers here who convinced me to do this. It only took 7 hours total and the family loves them so far!

 

[Hpc3]

Good looking jeep!

 

[Overwatch]

Good looking jeep!

Thanks! It hit 85 in LA today so the top is off and half doors are on.

 

[Hpc3]

Thanks! It hit 85 in LA today so the top is off and half doors are on.

Jealous... got to ~68 here and sunny today but winter is still here (41 high tomorrow with rain). Mine are patiently waiting...

 

[Overwatch]

Jealous... got to ~68 here and sunny today but winter is still here (41 high tomorrow with rain). Mine are patiently waiting...

Love the blue! And half doors are amazing. I can’t believe I never got them for my JK. So worth it.

 

[Hpc3]

Love the blue! And half doors are amazing. I can’t believe I never got them for my JK. So worth it.

TY. Yep me too... the top stays off my JK a good bit during the year but the doors are kind of a PITA with having to mount mirrors and all when they're off. Hoping the half doors on the JL will be the best of both.

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