[ritjobbie]

I bought some steel today with the intent to make tough some rocker guards. I got inspiration from my Warn steps, courtesy of the PO, that have seen too much abuse. I bent both steps all over the place during my last visit to Rausch Creek, so I decided to take them off. Then I noticed that the driver's side step was coming off on its own and would have taken out the fuel lines on the frame with it. Just in time...

The beef will be 2"x3" steel in the 3/16" variety. I'm just going to weld them to my frame, maybe with some small bolts to hold them in place while I spray molten metal all over my face.

I should be able to finish them before the weekend, just in time for a long weekend trip to Rausch Creek (full circle).

Time for pics:

Old steps:


New steps:


Mocked with 2x4s:


Progress thus far:


I don't have plasma, so cutting those two 7" lengths of tube took me a bit. The 2"x4" piece sticking out is just to help me hold the rails in place while I mock it up; I'll grind out the tack welds later. Notch cut in the bottom plate to get around the rear spring eye hanger. These are the two rear supports, the front ones will be longer and are to be mounted where the frame is angled away from the body.

Tomorrow: cut the front supports, maybe tack the whole thing together.

[ritjobbie]

HA! I just realized that my avatar is a pic of the EXACT instant one of my Warn steps got killed.

[wozz]

Looks good Jay. You may want to think about more than two mounts to the frame per slider. I did three with mine. Also make sure you angle the ends so when you hit the slides slide and don't hang up.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

put down your purse and do some more work Jay!

[FallibleXJ]

Looks good bud, when you going to fix the rear bumper thing haha

[ritjobbie]

Originally Posted by joshs1ofakindxj

put down your purse and do some more work Jay!

I will change from my skirt into coveralls after work.

[vt98xj]

why didn't you just bring the parts to the MET/baja shop to get cut, we have a nice cold saw, plasma and a bunch of other stuff, just an fyi

[ritjobbie]

Originally Posted by vt98xj

why didn't you just bring the parts to the MET/baja shop to get cut, we have a nice cold saw, plasma and a bunch of other stuff, just an fyi

I always forget about the Baja shop. The two plasmas in my building are offline because of the construction that will be relocating the craft village (3 weird huts behind 7A). I'll definitely keep that in mind for next time. I only have a few more cuts to make and I still have 3 brand new metal cutting blades left for my circular saw.

CJ doesn't know it yet, but he's going to help me hold stuff in place while I tack weld the final mock-up tonight.

[ritjobbie]

Last night I put my welder into 'time-out' a few times because of its short duty cycle. In any case, I have one side just about done--EXCEPT have to cut apart the welds on the long support and grind it at a slightly different angle so that it meets perfectly flush with the frame. I think it warped just slightly when I was welding it. I have just about everything cut up for the other side, so I should be able to finish everything tonight...

[ritjobbie]

One side done! Paint later...

[ritjobbie]

Driver's side done. I'm not taking any closer pics than this because I don't want everyone making fun of my ugly welds. I switched from .030 to .035 wire about halfway through the second rail (ran out, welding shop closed, Home Depot didn't have .030) so my welds got ugly for a bit until I worked out the kinks of the thicker wire.

A quick 'gotcha' for anyone doing this in the future: the e-brake cable goes into the driver's side frame rail in about the perfect spot for a support for rock sliders. Thus, my slider's aren't symmetrical, but my body isn't exactly perfect either so who am I kidding. My primary goal was stairs for the wife while maintaining some aspects of body protection.

We'll see how they hold up this weekend. Let's hope I don't have to carry these things in the back of my Jeep on the way home!!!