Underwhelmed with Rock Hard sliders

[jwearing]

Hi folks. My first post - just bought my 2025 Rubicon about a month ago and I’m installing some rock sliders on it. I decided on Rock Hard, ordered them a couple weeks ago and attempted installing them today. I am disappointed.


The big problem is the fitment. There’s a significant curve to the main rail. With one nut tightened on each end of the pinch weld, there’s a 3/16” gap at the middle. I called Rock Hard and the guy said I should just tighten up the middle nuts to close the gaps. Really? 3/16” seems like a big gap to just tighten up… if it closes at all I think it’ll distort my body panels.

The stock rail fit fine. The pinch weld is straight. If I hold a ruler up to the new slider I can see the same gap. It’s obviously warped.

There’s also a 1/8” gap under one of the body bolt mount points. Have others had this problem? Do you just crank down on them and not worry about it? Or put in a few washers as shims?


Also, I have a problem with the low-quality hardware that comes with the kit. Why would they provide class 8.8 bolts to replace the class 10.9 body bolts? 8.8 won’t handle the 79 ft-lb torque spec (not like Rock-Hard tells you the torque). And people seem to have enough problems breaking the factory body bolts, do we really need to downgrade them? Whatever, I can buy the correct bolts from McMaster.


And finally, are you guys happy with the color? I find it to be a really coarsely textured, glossy black that contrasts with the other black trim on the car. It doesn’t look like the factory rails or the bumpers at all. Maybe it’ll look better when it ages a bit?

Anyways, I’m leaning towards returning them, but wanted to get some other opinions before I do. Have others had the same fitment issues? And what other options are there — if I want higher quality / color match am I limited to just Mopar products?

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[Dadgummit]

If they were not made right and the company just wants to dodge the question I think it is time to send them back and look into another company.

I have the Westin snyper sliders and they are great, the color matches my jeep and they are frame mounted to boot.

 

[techdisaster]

I have a set of these in the box at home, just waiting on a Jeep to be delivered. I’ll pull them out and see if mine look warped.

 

[Vatdevil]

No issues with set I installed. Solid design (3/16 thick rails) that's held up well with a lot of hits. I reused the factory body mount bolts. There's supplied spacer to install if there is a gap with body mount. Sequence the bolt tightening in stages the pinch weld metal is easy to flex

 

[jwearing]

No issues with set I installed. Solid design (3/16 thick rails) that's held up well with a lot of hits. I reused the factory body mount bolts. There's supplied spacer to install if there is a gap with body mount. Sequence the bolt tightening in stages the pinch weld metal is easy to flex

To reuse the factory bolts you have to remove those big captive washers, right? Did you press them off or cut them off?

The pinch weld metal is easy to flex, even a gap that big!? There were smaller gaps on the ends, like 1/16", that I'd be fine squeezing down.

 

[Bleda2002]

Id at least try tightening it down and see, it most likely will flex more than enough

 

[Wbino]

Try the tightening the middle screws first and the outer ones last.

 

[Megawatt]

My set were made straight or at least I don’t recall any quality issue. Installation finished with no problems or maybe I just cranked down on the nuts and bolts.

I just know I installed them and haven’t looked back since 2022. It’s a shame your mod isn’t a happy mod.

 

[SoK66]

I bought their JK roll cage and had one of the worse experiences ever. Unbelieveably poor fit, then an endless argument with them trying to get things set right. It's in there (with a warped dash) but I'd never buy another of their products.

 

[Upnarms]

It's been a few years so i can't remember, were there shims that came with the sliders? And are you sure the sliders are curved and not the pinch seams? I recall the pinch seams being pulled against the rails when tightened but don't recall how much.

The quality of these, at least mine, are amazing. The only thing is over 4 years the powder coat in front of the small cross tubes has been pelted by stone enough to wear it away a little which is expected.

Id buy them again tomorrow if i had another jeep.

I'll look under mine when i get back to town and take photos of where mine mounted up

 

[Vatdevil]

To reuse the factory bolts you have to remove those big captive washers, right? Did you press them off or cut them off?

The pinch weld metal is easy to flex, even a gap that big!? There were smaller gaps on the ends, like 1/16", that I'd be fine squeezing down.

You are tightening the

To reuse the factory bolts you have to remove those big captive washers, right? Did you press them off or cut them off?

The pinch weld metal is easy to flex, even a gap that big!? There were smaller gaps on the ends, like 1/16", that I'd be fine squeezing down.

you are tightening the pinch seam bolts first? All other bolts are to be loose until they are tight. And tightening the pinch seam bolts in stages ?

 

[sherpaJL]

shim, shim, shim

don't crank down on fasteners and distort finished OEM sheet metal body components, especially the pinch seam which is held together with spot welds.

don't compromise what little seal the factory provides, especially painted surfaces, minimize water intrusion.

I agree, GR8 fasteners at a minimum. Clear Zinc GR5 fasteners go in the trash.

MaMaster Carr ftw.

Fortunately, I live 25 minutes from the Robbinsville, NJ location and do 'will calls' all the time.

Good Luck

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/if-i-had-a-nickel-lod-signature-sliders.99247/

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/why-do-many-aftermarket-bolts-rust-so-fast.103451/

 

[jwearing]

shim, shim, shim

don't crank down on fasteners and distort finished OEM sheet metal body components, especially the pinch seam which is held together with spot welds.

don't compromise what little seal the factory provides, especially painted surfaces, minimize water intrusion.

I agree, GR8 fasteners at a minimum. Clear Zinc GR5 fasteners go in the trash.

Thanks. Shimming makes a lot more sense to me than clamping down on that gap. I think by the time I got that far I was already pretty disappointed with the set and how it looks, I could have kept going with some spacers but I took it all off and went back to stock instead. I think if the tech guy at Rock Hard had said "yeah that happens, use spacers, want me to send you some?" I might have kept going. Instead he just wanted to argue.

Maybe these guys think that 8.8 is the same thing as grade 8?

So in your experience, is a 3/16" gap particularly bad, or just typical? In other words -- should I be pissed, or do I need to reset my expectations?

 

[sherpaJL]

3/16" isn't horrible. I would still shim it.
It's hit or miss with aftermarket stuff.
I've had some real doozies in my day.
If I can do a DIY fix, I do, If not, they get it back.
I just returned a front and rear chromoly axle set from Revolution Gear.
Splines and flanges were beat to shit. A few parts appeared to be customer returns re-shipped out to me.
I sent everything back. Looking for alternates now.

 

[Upnarms]

Just peeked under my jeep tonight. Looks like i have no additional spacers/ shims being used on seams, just the rectangular part welded to the rail and the rectangular washer.

Question, are the front and rear mounts flush and just the middle isn't? And are both sides like this or just one? Do the body mount holes line up correct when you have the gap? I know on the instructions/ video and from the parts provided the are thick shim washers for the body mounts, can't recall if there were for the pinch seam mounts.

Also if you have a laser level, or even a 4' level you should be able to see if there is actually a bow in the rail as opposed to the pinch seam being a little off straight. For 3/16 though i would just go with some stainless thick washers for that area and not be at all concerned. These are truly solid and when snugged up they really become one with the jeep.

Please excuse the dirt i haven't washed my jeep all summer and drive on dirt roads frequently . The powder coat is still nice and black when clean

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