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Is this widely known?

rickinAZ

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I’m an aspirational DIYer at best and learned something on this forum that seems kinda obvious in retrospect, but hadn’t given it any thought: When installing sliders that use the body bolts the installer must avoid removing the bolts from both sides at once for fear that the body will shift on the frame.

I’m having ACE rock rails installed at the dealer next week. Is it safe to assume that virtually any Jeep mechanic will know this before they turn a wrench on my ride? Is this so basic that I have nothing to worry about? My fear is, if the body gets misaligned, I’d never know that it happened.
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They should know. If the body gets misaligned, they’ll have to correct it or else the bolts won’t back into the holes to attach it to the frame. If the bolts are in there it’s not misaligned.
 

Fire Burns

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What @Chocolate Thunder said, plus you'd also have to overcome pretty significant gravity and weight of the body resting on the frame before it would misalign. That body is not moving even with no bolts unless some type of weird torqueing motion is introduced, such as jacking up just one side or just one corner of the Jeep while all the bolts are out. Not sure why anyone would need to do that...
 
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rickinAZ

rickinAZ

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You guys are making me feel much better. The alternative, mentioning it to them, would likely not be well received
 

JimLee

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lol, 2.75 years into the JL model and some dealerships still don't know the right amount of oil to put in it. Sorry Rick, good luck. At least if they break it they have to fix it.
 

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jessedacri

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Aren't there additional body to frame mounts that don't get removed in the slider install process? I believe I've seen one right behind the front grill and also behind the rear wheel wells on my 2 door.
 

Dkretden

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OP, don’t worry about the body shifting and there is no need to mention it to them.

the bigger concern is those body bolts breaking when trying to remove. But, that concern is the dealer’s issue, not yours. If they break one (which is quite common on these boards — see threads), it’s on them to fix it.

I wanted to put the rails on myself. I did not trust that I could get those bolts out without breaking. So, that led me to exclude from my search for new rails any rail that used those body bolts. You were wise to give it to someone else to do.
 
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rickinAZ

rickinAZ

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the bigger concern is those body bolts breaking when trying to remove. But, that concern is the dealer’s issue, not yours. If they break one (which is quite common on these boards — see threads), it’s on them to fix it.
You are absolutely right on the point. The install seems simple enough, but I'm spooked by the Loctited bolts. Otherwise, I'd be doing it myself. The three concerns are: the bolts, the body shifting issue, and keeping a gap between the ACEs and Rubi rails to avoid rattles.

I usually mentally write off horror stories as a vocal minority, but in body bolts case the voices are very loud indeed.
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