[Columbia TJ]

Ok so I purchased a set of Rubicon Rockers and then I even purchased the ridiculously priced hardware to properly install them with the Mopar parts.

Went to install, should be simple, but the nut inserts and bolts or whatever dont seem to hold them in at all. I would have thought that the nut insert would mushroom out when you put the bolt/screw in to hold it to the body, but it doesnt.

So there has to be a trick, please let me in on what it is, haha.

[Mick VT]

just about to do this myself.

I havent bought the rivnut type fasteners yet, but it seems to me that they require hex holes (as opposed to round holes) in order for them to work as you described. They are also horredously expensive from DC - I'm looking to get round rivnuts for the holes I have to drill (the ones on the side). I just need to work out the size first. The downside of round rivnuts is they require a setting to to fit them correctly - although you can buy the tool plus the nuts from a hardware supplier for less than a complete set of the OEM ones.

[robncar]

Were you able to get them to crush? How did you install the nutserts? A homemade tool can be made from a longer bolt, a nut and a couple of washers. Something like this (thanks 4x4explor!) just keep the nut still as you tighten the bolt. The nut, in this example, does NOT thread onto the bolt, it is oversize:

[grogie]

My father-in-law helped me install these at his auto body shop last summer.

On the sides, we had to drill the holes. We first pre-drilled a hole using another piece of metal to make sure the drill hole was the perfect size for the nutserts. Then we attached the rocker panels on the bottom (using the pre-drilled holes), took a metal punch and punched a point for the drill holes along the side. Then removed the rocker panel, drilled the side holes, and painted the holes with primer. Then we inserted the nutserts with a sealent. There was a special screw that you screw in that tightens the nutsert (and they were tight!). Then you remove the special screw, put the rocker panel back on, then put the screws in that stay in for good. Something like that!

As far as the screws and nutserts, Mopar did a fabulous job and just threw them loose in the box along with the rocker panels! The box broke open in transport, so half the hardware was missing. My father-in-law contacted a buddy at a dealer, who got us replacement hardware at no cost (yeah, I know their expensive to buy on their own!). Plus since the hardware was loose, it scratched up the rockers, so we ended up taping them off and repainted them.

They look great btw. I wheeled in CO right after the install on some rocky trails around Ouray, and they didn't get any scratches. Funny thing is that I actually got some scratches right above them, below the door frame. I have Rubi flares going on as soon as it warms up.