Rokblokz vs. 2020 Sahara.

[LittleDog]

Was waiting for some paint to dry today, so decided to install the mudflaps I had sitting around. Thought it would be a fun, easy, one-beer job for the fronts, but I was wrong. I hope that this will help anyone else trying to do the same in the future.

Rokblokz makes special provisions for the Rubicon submodel in the form of a perforated cut-out to allow clearance for the rockrails, but it says the regular non-cut-out flaps will fit models without those rails. They did not easily fit my 2020 Sahara and its steps, at first.

Mostly because of this:

The step sticks out maybe half an inch beyond the frame, and the frame itself has an end cap that the installation instructions do not show. Besides the end cap, the inward facing side of the frame only has tabs for the plastic rivets, not a full flange as shown in the install instructions:

(This is after I installed the flap; the brass clip-on nut and bolt come with the kit)


The contour from the fender to the frame ends up being disrupted by the step, as shown in the following sequence:

The original instructions tell you to attach the top two clip-on nuts directly to the flap, then tuck it behind the fender liner and attach the thumbscrews. This will not work, no matter how much you swear, due to the gap and the deflection caused by the step shown here. I discovered this after finishing the beer, and a lot of grumbling and cramps from being in terrible post-2020 shape. The corrections follow.

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[LittleDog]

The first mudflap took more than thirty minutes, the majority angry; the second took maybe five, four happy. Do it this way:

Attach the #3 clip-on nut (in the instructions) as shown in my previous post. It doesn't really matter that it is a tab instead of a flange, but only clip it to the metal tab, not the entire, thick, end cap.

Then clip the other two nuts to the metal bracket of the fender assembly only, not the liner:

(Sorry, the second image is after finished assembly, and is of the driver-side for some reason. All other images are of the passenger-side)

Next, it's time to put a compound curve into the flap itself, so that it will fit the Sahara steps.

First, some of this:

Then, a little of this:

When you bend the flap, it will make a small, unhappy sound, akin to tin cry. Don't worry, you're probably only killing it slightly. Next is installation.

 

[LittleDog]

Instead of following 1, 2, 3, thumbscrew sequence in the instructions, it is easier to start with #3 if you have a step in the way.

Then rotate, and slip it under the liner:

You can see that the #2 hole in the liner is noticeably larger, and the #3 hole in the flap is an oval. After this photo, I put in some random metal washers, but should probably change them out for stainless steel, or have one side without washers to compare wear and tear. In actuality, I will probably forget about this, then complain about rust stains in a few months. Don't be like me.

The outermost thumbscrew is what cost me the one unhappy minute where I had to invent new swear words. You need to jiggle, wiggle, probe and finagle the bolt, all at the same time. The red on the edge of the flap is merely the reflection of my near-apoplexy and red pants. After doing both sides, I'm fairly confident that removing and replacing them for trails shouldn't be too big a hassle.

A wee bit of poke to keep that slush and mud at bay, worth the 0.019 MPG:

Finished:

Bonus tip: I ordered the black logo on black flaps, but the embossed logo is shiny and the flap is matte. I just flipped the two sides and now will never remember what brand these are again, until someone asks and makes me look. (Just kidding, Rokblokz! Feel free to send me useful free stuff!)

 

[The Last Cowboy]

Cool watch

 

[LittleDog]

Thank you, unknown moderator, for moving this to the correct section.

I have the rear flaps too, but will only post the installation if there are any unexpected problems like I had here, and if I remember.

 

[LittleDog]

Cool watch

Thanks for the compliment.

It's a Tissot T-Touch something something, in titanium. I also think it's pretty cool.

If you press the middle button and touch an option, the LCD and hands show you information.

Like if I touch meteo, it will show the meteorological trend:

1015 millibars and the hands pointing up mean that conditions are stable; more towards the left for means a low pressure trend, i.e. possible incoming bad weather, and to the right mean increasing pressure, or good weather.

Or if I push compass, it shows:

13° West declination, and the hands point towards true north.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

I like that altimeter function too.

 

[richk225]

Cool watch

Good eye! That`s a whole other way to empty your pockets. It`s a good time finding a watch and falling in love with it and then realizing you have to sell a kidney to buy it lol

 

[Rock Hopper]

Good eye! That`s a whole other way to empty your pockets. It`s a good time finding a watch and falling in love with it and then realizing you have to sell a kidney to buy it lol

Rolex says "hold my beer".

 

[richk225]

The way the market is I wish that I had never sold any of my Rolex`s, I was happy making money on them but now it`s a down right killing.

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