Sponsored

Rock slide Engineering fail

RaptorBlue

New Member
First Name
Steven
Joined
Feb 5, 2022
Threads
0
Messages
3
Reaction score
5
Location
Mid Michigan
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLU Rubicon
My Journey with RSE. I bought my Jeep in 2018. Searched for the steps/rocksliders. Saw them, they looked pretty good being dual function. I liked the features they offered. Put them on and they worked great. I will say, as far as a step goes they are solid.
Then came the snow, they would not go up all the way, cleaned them out, talked RSE, there answer was lube them up. I did as they asked. So I ended having multiple conversations with RSE, asked if they tested these out in their designing to handle north winter climates. They said they do and that they get snow here in Utah. They sent me new motors and strut under warranty.
I also added the light kit they offered as well.
I installed New motors, added light kit. They worked like new again.
Then comes winter again, same thing all over again, and the light strip they sold at the time failed, taking out the step control box. Called RSE again, first thing they said was you have to lube them. Now at this point, I was a little sick of hearing about lubing them up. Yes, I lubed them religiously after the first conversation with them. I also brought to there attention that the powder coating was flaking off in chunks. Sent them pictures, they replied that they changed there powder coating method since then. They offered me a new set at 40%. The weren’t even two years old at this time.
So the choice I was given was buy the new ones at a discount or they would send new motors and lights.
I again installed the new parts. Guess what, lights failed again, one motors stop retracting fully again, this happened even before winter came. They sent me one motor and refused to replace the lights. They had a new style light that came out to replace the old and offered those to me to purchase.
A couple things to note. The light strips they sold would get water in the area where the connection from the led strip to wiring was made causing a short. For the hell of it I decided to open up a motor to see what went wrong there. I found water inside two of the old motors I opened up. Furthermore found a Dorman part number in one. I cross referenced the number by Googling it. I came up as a passenger side power window motor for a Lincoln Town Car.
So I’ll say again, they feel solid as a step. My biggest disappointment is the cost factor. When I purchased these they were $1800., now they have gone up quite a bit more. For that kind of price for this product, RSE dropped the ball on it. If you design and sell a product, it should have some reliability. If your off-road and abuse them, obviously the damage is on you. But for an everyday driver that goes down the road shouldn’t a product function reliably? How many of you want to spend several hundred dollars or the labor time unbolting them off the Jeep, repairing and reinstalling. How is that any different ,than you having to replace wheel bearings, brakes or an engine because they failed every year.
I mainly posted this because I was wondering what previous purchasers had to deal with. How did RSE help them out or abandoned you as a purchaser of their product? If the newer generation models still are having these problems, I would not recommend spending the money. After all Jeep is for having fun off road, yeah we break’em sometimes, but aftermarket products are supposed to help us minimize or aid us, not be a thorn in our side.
Sponsored

 

Col_Sanders

Well-Known Member
First Name
James
Joined
Oct 20, 2020
Threads
6
Messages
187
Reaction score
191
Location
Las Vegas
Vehicle(s)
2020 JLU Rubicon
I was wondering what that motor came off of.

There are definitely drawbacks to their design. Needing to lube them often, the gas strut, and the adapted motors that are apparently not waterproof...But there are no equivalent products out there that I'm aware of. I would have destroyed AMPs months ago. Hopefully they continue to improve upon their design.
 

RaptorBlue

New Member
First Name
Steven
Joined
Feb 5, 2022
Threads
0
Messages
3
Reaction score
5
Location
Mid Michigan
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLU Rubicon
So when the snow and winter subsides, this is when the fun beings. Not really, everyone with Rock Sliders has to unbolt and completely drop the step to change the motor. This why I said the cost for these things I don’t know if they are worth buying, especially if you live in a snowy, frozen area. we all know things fail and need to be repaired on our vehicles from time to time. This problem to me will be yearly thing. I will be repairing it myself., but if you have to take it to a shop for repair, it’s time and money. So to those who really want them, put aside $300-$500 yearly for repairing. If this thread is still open when I get to that point, I’ll tear the motor apart and post a picture of its inside.
 

Col_Sanders

Well-Known Member
First Name
James
Joined
Oct 20, 2020
Threads
6
Messages
187
Reaction score
191
Location
Las Vegas
Vehicle(s)
2020 JLU Rubicon
Could you run a bead of RTV around the seam in the motor housing or perhaps drill a drain hole?

It is pretty inconvenient to have to remove the whole slider to replace the gas shock. I fought with it for a bit trying to do it in place but that wasnt happening.
 

Riviera

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2018
Threads
1
Messages
51
Reaction score
76
Location
Illinois
Vehicle(s)
2022 JLUR 2022 WL75
We've installed at least 6 sets of RSE on JLs. The first set we installed was on a 2 door in 2018, and the driver's side did have some issues, but that was right after they had came out. I had noticed that RSE changed their directions to include recommending regularly lubricating all pivot points. That customer hasn't had an issue since. We had one customer have us transfer a set from his Gladiator to his new Gladiator and talked his sister into putting a set on her JLU. I plan on installing a set on my JLUR sometime this year. Nothing is perfect and I would recommend RSE without hesitation along with recommend lubing them on a regular basis. I think the lube does 2 functions, obviously lubricate the joint, but also push out debris like salt and rust.
 

Sponsored

dajuicejml

Well-Known Member
First Name
Justin
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Threads
13
Messages
121
Reaction score
175
Location
North Carolina
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLRU
Add me to the list of Gen 3 users with issues. I added these to my 392, purchased and installed through RubiTrux conversions. I had no issues for the first couple of months then my passenger side step one day just would not deploy anymore. Worked through a few troubleshooting things with customer support, none of which helped. They sent me a new motor/control board and I removed the step and replaced. Simple enough swap, but frustrating given the price tag of these steps. It's been less than a month since the swap, but no issues yet with the new motor on passenger side.

Today I went to get in my jeep and the DRIVER's SIDE would not deploy... On to troubleshooting again for the other side, so definitely frustrating to say the least.
 

Jeepnutz

Well-Known Member
First Name
Don
Joined
Jun 13, 2021
Threads
32
Messages
207
Reaction score
157
Location
Southern Oregon
Vehicle(s)
2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon XR
We've installed at least 6 sets of RSE on JLs. The first set we installed was on a 2 door in 2018, and the driver's side did have some issues, but that was right after they had came out. I had noticed that RSE changed their directions to include recommending regularly lubricating all pivot points. That customer hasn't had an issue since. We had one customer have us transfer a set from his Gladiator to his new Gladiator and talked his sister into putting a set on her JLU. I plan on installing a set on my JLUR sometime this year. Nothing is perfect and I would recommend RSE without hesitation along with recommend lubing them on a regular basis. I think the lube does 2 functions, obviously lubricate the joint, but also push out debris like salt and rust.
Glad you like them. My elderly father is on his second set of piss poor engineered gen II's and my niece's gen III's on her gladiator have never worked and she's been waiting for two months for rse to fix them. Totally worthless overpriced crap.
 

Jeepnutz

Well-Known Member
First Name
Don
Joined
Jun 13, 2021
Threads
32
Messages
207
Reaction score
157
Location
Southern Oregon
Vehicle(s)
2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon XR
Add me to the list of Gen 3 users with issues. I added these to my 392, purchased and installed through RubiTrux conversions. I had no issues for the first couple of months then my passenger side step one day just would not deploy anymore. Worked through a few troubleshooting things with customer support, none of which helped. They sent me a new motor/control board and I removed the step and replaced. Simple enough swap, but frustrating given the price tag of these steps. It's been less than a month since the swap, but no issues yet with the new motor on passenger side.

Today I went to get in my jeep and the DRIVER's SIDE would not deploy... On to troubleshooting again for the other side, so definitely frustrating to say the least.
My Niece's gen III's on her Gladiator have never worked and she's been waiting months for worthless RSE to fix them.
 

xtremejoe

Well-Known Member
First Name
Joe
Joined
Sep 13, 2020
Threads
28
Messages
232
Reaction score
178
Location
Bay Area, CA
Vehicle(s)
2021 JLUR Diesel
No question the RSE is a love/hate thing. Great concept, but reliability is a problem.
First off DO NOT get these if you live in a snow/cold climate. I head to the mountains on weekends in the winter and road trips (regular snowboarder). These just don't work. I basically now turn them off when I head there.
When only in the the sun climates (home base here in NorCal) and trips around the west coast, I lube them regularly (spray it down with silicone spray probably monthly at least) I have no issues with them (1 year of ownership).
Also if hitting a mud trail, I turn them off.
Net-net, they work for me as a daily driver, but when your off-roading or winter not so much.
 

sourdough

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2017
Threads
175
Messages
1,562
Reaction score
3,315
Location
left coast
Vehicle(s)
JL
These really sound like a great S.W. U.S. mall crawler option at best .
 

Sponsored

OP
OP
Ruby Mike

Ruby Mike

Well-Known Member
First Name
Michael
Joined
Apr 13, 2020
Threads
25
Messages
585
Reaction score
1,014
Location
Southern California
Vehicle(s)
2020 jeep wrangler diesel
I have learned the hard way that the steps will not work in snow conditions. Period. Any accumulated snow or ice on the steps will not allow the steps to deploy. To me, this is an issue because with a 4.5 inch lift and 37 inch tires, getting into the jeep is difficult. I now have a small step stool for snow conditions.
 

Sgt Beavis

Well-Known Member
First Name
Rick and Miyako
Joined
Apr 16, 2018
Threads
60
Messages
1,186
Reaction score
1,612
Location
Colorado
Vehicle(s)
Wrangler JL Unlimited Sport S
Occupation
The Man, The Myth, The Legend. In my own mind.
Vehicle Showcase
5
Whew, I kinda feel like a dodged a bullet. I was ready to buy from RSE. This thread saved me a few thousand bucks..
 

cmb396

Well-Known Member
First Name
Chad
Joined
Apr 6, 2018
Threads
34
Messages
358
Reaction score
317
Location
WV
Vehicle(s)
2018 Crystal Granite JLUR
Funny this was bumped. Just turned mine off the other day bc driver side was not fully retracting. They worked great for a year. Then started having issues in sub 30 degree weather, then anything under 50 degrees driver side would not fully retract.
Ordered a new motor from RSE and it never showed, and could not get any resolution out of them.
 
OP
OP
Ruby Mike

Ruby Mike

Well-Known Member
First Name
Michael
Joined
Apr 13, 2020
Threads
25
Messages
585
Reaction score
1,014
Location
Southern California
Vehicle(s)
2020 jeep wrangler diesel
Funny this was bumped. Just turned mine off the other day bc driver side was not fully retracting. They worked great for a year. Then started having issues in sub 30 degree weather, then anything under 50 degrees driver side would not fully retract.
Ordered a new motor from RSE and it never showed, and could not get any resolution out of them.
I have had to replace the motor on the driver side also. Then a bit ago springs and the cylinder. The step got very slow. Is the system perfect? NO. The steps require regular maintenance. However, considering the fact that without them I would have a 3 foot step Into the jeep, money well spent.
Sponsored

 
 



Top