Loving my ROAM frame-mounted side steps/rock sliders

[jdhunt0]

I got my steps installed today. Here are some pictures of how they fit with the Sport flares as opposed to the Rubicon.

View attachment 157160

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[TexasJeeper]

I have mine installed except for the 4th bracket. Had to order a new rivnut because I messed up one. There is a very noticeable gap between the body and the rails. The closest I could get them is probably a finger tip away, wanted them a bit closer to the body. There is also i big gap between the rail and the bottom of the fenders. I thought I saw the rails were butted up to the bottom of the fenders in some older pictures.

 

[NFRs2000NYC]

I have mine installed except for the 4th bracket. Had to order a new rivnut because I messed up one. There is a very noticeable gap between the body and the rails. The closest I could get them is probably a finger tip away, wanted them a bit closer to the body. There is also i big gap between the rail and the bottom of the fenders. I thought I saw the rails were butted up to the bottom of the fenders in some older pictures.

Be careful with that. The body of the jeep is ";independent" of the frame, and moves around....the JL moreso than the JK, as the frame has a little bit more twist in it. As a result, frame mounted sliders IF mounted close enough to the body MAY come into contact with the body under certain conditions. Those ordering sliders need to be honest with themselves...if you want maximum protection from hard obstacles, get frame mounted. If you want decent protection but prioritize looks, then tub mounted is the way to go.

 

[i0iin65]

Installed mine today. I'm a happy camper .

 

[TexasJeeper]

So how did you guys install the upper bolt on the rear frame bracket that attaches via the rivnuts? The bolts included are bigger than in the picture in the DIY thread and I can't seem to get a wrench in there to tighten it up.

 

[Kaliks&Bones]

How many people are skipping wiring in the lights? Doesn’t seem like something I need or want to mess with.

 

[ROAM]

Started installing mine today and it’s not lining up like the pics and previous versions did.

There is a very noticeable gap between the body and the rails. The closest I could get them is probably a finger tip away, wanted them a bit closer to the body.

I thought I saw the rails were butted up to the bottom of the fenders in some older pictures.

The ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) are a different product altogether from the ROAM JL Side Armor Steps (JL body mounted). While they may look similar, the ROAM JL Side Armor Steps are mounted to the JL vehicle body and because the Jeep Wrangler JL is "body on frame", the body of the JL moves independently from the JL frame; the ROAM JL Side Armor Steps (JL body mounted) does not require as large of a gap between the side steps vs the vehicle body because they are body mounted. The ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) are mounted to the JL vehicle frame, and because the vehicle frame moves independent of the vehicle body even during daily driving conditions, our design specs calls for an increased gap between the steps vs the vehicle body vs the body mounted version. The increased gap on the ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) is there by design and if reduced to anything smaller than 1/4" may result in contact when you're driving offroad. You'd want things to be able to move independently from each other.

To clarify, unless you require the additional protection because you're constantly balancing your Jeep on a single rock on one side, catching air and then landing on just the steps, or anticipate a similar type of repeated impact to the side steps, then the ROAM JL Side Armor Steps (JL body mounted) will offer great protection as well while having a much smaller gap requirement than the ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted).

The closest I could get them is probably a finger tip away, wanted them a bit closer to the body. There is also i big gap between the rail and the bottom of the fenders.

Maybe I just need to loosen everything and try again.

Yes, to realign (or initial alignment if not completing during the initial install) the ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted), please loosen but do not remove any of the bolts, move and align the frame rails to the desired position and alignment, and then gradually tighten the bolts starting from the front to rear bracket wise. Both the ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) and the ROAM JL Side Armor Steps are built to exact specifications: constructed from precision laser cut high strength steel and are assembled on a precision jig.

[Only applies to the ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted)] >>> After alignment, there should still be a minimum of a 1/4" gap between the inside of the steps vs the JL vehicle body sheet metal and a similar gap (we recommend 1/2") between the top of the side steps vs the bottom of the fenders.

Please do not modify the ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) to remove this gap as anything smaller may contact during articulation or body flex. For example, if Line-X was applied to the ROAM JL Rock Rails and the resulting gap were smaller because of the thickness of the surface buildup, then please realign and adjust so that the minimum gap clearance is still present. Please do not enlarge the bolt hole locations to try and eliminate the gap.

So how did you guys install the upper bolt on the rear frame bracket that attaches via the rivnuts?

Impossible to tighten even with a slim ratcheting open end wrench.

Do you mean this bolt? If so and you don't have a slim enough wrench to fit into the recess, or you don't have an open ended wrench, the workaround is simply to install only the top bolt while the bracket is not on the frame yet. Or if you're only having trouble tightening this bolt, the bolt is also accessible from the top with the step main structure removed.

Or if you're still unable to reach the bolt as pictured we can send you some ultra low profile bolts and/or a slimmer wrench if you'd like.


Thanks!

Tara @ ROAM

 

[jdhunt0]

Thank you Tara @ROAM for the clarification between the two styles of steps you offer. It would have been great if this information would have been available when I made my order. The only explanation I got was one was frame mounted and the other was body mounted. What is the process in getting a frame mounted set replaced with the body mounted?

 

[DCRubicon]

The ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) are a different product altogether from the ROAM JL Side Armor Steps (JL body mounted). While they may look similar, the ROAM JL Side Armor Steps are mounted to the JL vehicle body and because the Jeep Wrangler JL is "body on frame", the body of the JL moves independently from the JL frame; the ROAM JL Side Armor Steps (JL body mounted) does not require as large of a gap between the side steps vs the vehicle body because they are body mounted. The ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) are mounted to the JL vehicle frame, and because the vehicle frame moves independent of the vehicle body even during daily driving conditions, our design specs calls for an increased gap between the steps vs the vehicle body vs the body mounted version. The increased gap on the ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) is there by design and if reduced to anything smaller than 1/4" may result in contact when you're driving offroad. You'd want things to be able to move independently from each other.

To clarify, unless you require the additional protection because you're constantly balancing your Jeep on a single rock on one side, catching air and then landing on just the steps, or anticipate a similar type of repeated impact to the side steps, then the ROAM JL Side Armor Steps (JL body mounted) will offer great protection as well while having a much smaller gap requirement than the ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted).







Yes, to realign (or initial alignment if not completing during the initial install) the ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted), please loosen but do not remove any of the bolts, move and align the frame rails to the desired position and alignment, and then gradually tighten the bolts starting from the front to rear bracket wise. Both the ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) and the ROAM JL Side Armor Steps are built to exact specifications: constructed from precision laser cut high strength steel and are assembled on a precision jig.

[Only applies to the ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted)] >>> After alignment, there should still be a minimum of a 1/4" gap between the inside of the steps vs the JL vehicle body sheet metal and a similar gap (we recommend 1/2") between the top of the side steps vs the bottom of the fenders.

Please do not modify the ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) to remove this gap as anything smaller may contact during articulation or body flex. For example, if Line-X was applied to the ROAM JL Rock Rails and the resulting gap were smaller because of the thickness of the surface buildup, then please realign and adjust so that the minimum gap clearance is still present. Please do not enlarge the bolt hole locations to try and eliminate the gap.

Do you mean this bolt? If so and you don't have a slim enough wrench to fit into the recess, or you don't have an open ended wrench, the workaround is simply to install only the top bolt while the bracket is not on the frame yet. Or if you're only having trouble tightening this bolt, the bolt is also accessible from the top with the step main structure removed.

Or if you're still unable to reach the bolt as pictured we can send you some ultra low profile bolts and/or a slimmer wrench if you'd like.


Thanks!

Tara @ ROAM

Thanks Tara. However, given the inconsistency in the product it seems some folks are having issues. There is no way a 1.5-2 inch gap is acceptable one one side as the minimum space while on the other side there is a lot of adjustability.

Seems like the QA here is just not there yet. Lots of dings and dents that it seems you all just paint over. Yes, they’re going to get dented but the product should come in good condition.

I’ve reached out to Anthony again today for assistance. In the past the communication has been very challebging to say the least.

Is there a better way to contact someone at @ROAM vs email that takes days for a response?

 

[ROAM]

Thank you Tara @ROAM for the clarification between the two styles of steps you offer. It would have been great if this information would have been available when I made my order. The only explanation I got was one was frame mounted and the other was body mounted.

If I'm not mistaken and please correct me if I'm wrong, but our JL Rock Rails already has the smallest known gap on the market between the inside of the step vs the JL vehicle body for any available frame mounted steps. Both the horizontal gap and three dimensionally.

This gap requirement is not unique or specific to our product and instead in my opinion a minimum mandatory design element of any frame mounted steps. To clarify, in my opinion not only do we have the smallest known gap there is but anything smaller will contact. We have the current known smallest gap because of our extensive testing where this gap distance was refined over a period of time before general availability.

Also, while the overall exterior is very similar when installed, the interior edge is actually shorter exactly by the increase in the size of the gap, hence when asked we usually use the terminology "very similar". I want to state this for the record to clarify that we have not attempted to mislead anyone and are not attempting to mislead anyone.

The gap between the ROAM JL Side Armor Steps is also adjustable and although we specify the absolute minimum gap on those to be 1/16", we actually recommend a slightly larger gap there too during installation (1/8" recommended for temperate climates) because while they're also designed to carry the weight of the vehicle, and despite them being built out of mixed 1/8″ and 5/32″ high strength steel all metal will flex or deform if enough force was applied and therefore please do not attempt to install these with NO gap or modify them so that they have no gap (including the ROAM JL Side Armor Steps). Things like water drainage and water running off of the side of your JL, etc all require that gap to be there.

What is the process in getting a frame mounted set replaced with the body mounted?

You're actually the first person to ask about going from frame mounted to body mounted as opposed to going from body mounted to frame mounted.

We're still in the process of finalizing the terms of our body mounted to frame mounted steps upgrade program.

Cost wise it'll probably be more cost effective to list them locally on the forums or similar instead of shipping them back. I can provide you with the same discount for the purchase of a new set of ROAM JL Side Armor Steps (JL body mounted) as if you were going the other way which is what our upgrade program would be [upgrading from a set of ROAM JL Side Armor Steps (JL body mounted) to ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted)]. Please note however that there is a current backorder of both and we're still catching up with the previous orders <and thanks for the patience everyone> so there is a lead time on these.

Please let me know how you'd want to proceed,


Thanks!

Tara @ ROAM

 

[smokinjeep]

Getting in late on this thread and dont want to read 27 pages of replys. My questions are as follows:

1) Has the rust issue been addressed and fixed?

2) What is the status of the fit? Has this been fixed? I see that some folks had some damage due to foreign debris.

3) Is there any forum discount for them.

4) I recall reading that when installing to avoid breaking old bolts when removing, if you feel resistance stop, re-tighten a bit and then continue to loosen until removed. Is this still the case?

I really like the looks of these and want to pull the trigger but now am unsure.

Thanks

 

[ROAM]

Thanks Tara. However, given the inconsistency in the product it seems some folks are having issues.

There is no way a 1.5-2 inch gap is acceptable one one side as the minimum space while on the other side there is a lot of adjustability.

I'm sorry you're having problems, but currently you're the only one I know of whom is having the issues that you've described.

Both the ROAM JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) and the ROAM JL Side Armor Steps are built to exact specifications and are constructed from precision laser cut high strength steel and assembled on a precision jig. There are no current known inconsistencies and our fitment is second to none. Multiple redundant QA steps are effected in the process and every set of side steps are checked for fitment via a precision jig before packing and shipping.

Based on your other thread, this is not a QA issue because you are the only one that has reported an error as unique as this where the entire side step has a "1.5-2" gap that consistently follows the entire vehicle. If there is a dimensional skew or something did indeed fail QA and was a test escape it is still improbable that the same failure has somehow propagated to ALL of the brackets by the same amount.

Each one of our brackets and the main structure is a production item that is interchangable with a replacement of its kind and if there was a failure then it shouldn't be able to install at all because every part has an exacting tolerance.


And although there may be the possibility of your Jeep being somehow different or and although there are tolerance differences between various Jeeps, a 1.5" gap is not only outside of the adjustability range on our JL Rock Rails, but also because the skew is uniform, this is more likely than not an installation issue, which we're trying to replicate but thus far have not been able to.


In your other thread, you have specifically drawn a conclusion that not only is our stuff somehow faulty, but have supported allusions to that our stuff is somehow "cheap", which in context probably refers to the poster's opinion/accusation of being "cheaply made". I can understand if you're asking everyone if anyone else has experienced the same issues as you but this does not seem like a question.

Would you mind taking some more photos from different angles of what you're experiencing? Specifically would you mind taking photos of what all of the brackets look like installed currently? I'd be happy to work with you but there comes a point where either professional installation will be required (to eliminate the possibility of an installation error), or more pictures are necessary (to eliminate the possibility that somehow only your jeep is different, for example, because these are frame mounted that either the frame rail is made differently or damaged uniformly enough to cause a uniform 1.5-2" gap). If this indeed is our fault, I or anyone at ROAM would be happy to issue a replacement.


To clarify, I disagree with what you're describing as what you've experienced as a common "inconsistency" and a common experience. A 1.5" gap is not a common experience with our product.

But please do not accuse our stuff of being "inconsistent". If anything like I stated above our our stuff always has spot on fitment and if anything we are second to none.


Thanks!

Tara @ ROAM

 

[ROAM]

Getting in late on this thread and dont want to read 27 pages of replys. My questions are as follows:

1) Has the rust issue been addressed and fixed?

2) What is the status of the fit? Has this been fixed? I see that some folks had some damage due to foreign debris.

3) Is there any forum discount for them.

4) I recall reading that when installing to avoid breaking old bolts when removing, if you feel resistance stop, re-tighten a bit and then continue to loosen until removed. Is this still the case?

I really like the looks of these and want to pull the trigger but now am unsure.

Thanks

Hi smokinjeep,

To answer your questions:

1. The production version of our JL Rock Rails are e-coated and then powdercoated. There are no current known rust issues on these.

Our JL Side Armor Steps (JL body mounted), which are a different product, are passivated and then powdercoated, which during testing is rated for should meet or exceed more than 500 hours continuous in a corrosion test chamber (both salt spray and salt fog @ 15%, or 1000 hours continuous @ 5%).

The e-coat process used on our JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) is rated for something ridiculous like 2500+ hours and then they're powdercoated on top of that. Aesthetically you can tell these apart because they all have more of a glossy finish as opposed to matte.

2. We don't have any fitment issues. Both AFfiredawg and simpleJL were on preproduction versions of our JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) which are not generally available. Only the production spec/versions are available for purchase.

4. Our JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) do not require you to remove or loosen the main body bolts (the ones that connect the JL body to the JL frame) for installation. So no issues there. Also no drilling or cutting involved for installation. https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...-jlu-4-door-install-guide-revision-1-0.25768/


Please let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be happy to answer them!

Thanks!

Tara @ ROAM

 

[smokinjeep]

Hi smokinjeep,

To answer your questions:

1. The production version of our JL Rock Rails are e-coated and then powdercoated. There are no current known rust issues on these.

Our JL Side Armor Steps (JL body mounted), which are a different product, are passivated and then powdercoated, which during testing is rated for should meet or exceed more than 500 hours continuous in a corrosion test chamber (both salt spray and salt fog @ 15%, or 1000 hours continuous @ 5%).

The e-coat process used on our JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) is rated for something ridiculous like 2500+ hours and then they're powdercoated on top of that. Aesthetically you can tell these apart because they all have more of a glossy finish as opposed to matte.

2. We don't have any fitment issues. Both AFfiredawg and simpleJL were on preproduction versions of our JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) which are not generally available. Only the production spec/versions are available for purchase.

4. Our JL Rock Rails (JL frame mounted) do not require you to remove or loosen the main body bolts (the ones that connect the JL body to the JL frame) for installation. So no issues there. Also no drilling or cutting involved for installation. https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...-jlu-4-door-install-guide-revision-1-0.25768/


Please let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be happy to answer them!

Thanks!

Tara @ ROAM

Thanks for the through and quick reply. I see you didnt answer #3 So no special forum discount which is fine but i gotta ask.

Their comments probably should have been done via PM's instead of posted on forum. If someone reads only the last few pages they may not realize this was a test product and not final version and not order.

I am planning on ordering in a few weeks. New to Jeeps (mine doesnt arrive for another 5 weeks or so) but have quickly learned they eat your wallet. I've already spent over 2K and have yet to receive my jeep!!

 

[jdhunt0]

After looking at my Jeep (Sport S) and the many on this site (mostly Rubicons) I have decided the fitment issue I have is just due to the shape of the rear fender flares. The steps just look different due to the shape of the Sport flares. I do not think there is anything wrong with the product I received.

@ROAM Tara, what is the best way to contact you about a set of the body mounted steps? I think they may fit my needs better.

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