Rocky Road Step Rails

Rocky Road Outfitters' Liberty StepRail installation by Mike Reedy 1/19/03
After obtaining my Liberty, I knew there were a few things I needed to do to protect it before I got too involved in off road adventures. I spent quite a while on forums and looking through websites for something that would fit my needs. I finally decided on Rocky Road Outfitters' StepRails for the Libby. Factors included: Price, lifetime warranty, and the fact that I didn't have to do any fender trimming to install them. These things arrived in 2 days!!! They were packed like a mummy in bubble wrap and tape. The package weight was 65 lbs.
I found a friend to help me out with the install since you really need two hands for the job. He had more tools, so I tossed it in the back of the Jeep and headed to his house. THANKS BILL!!!
Included are one page of instructions and a sealed package of nuts and bolts. Pictures would have been helpful for some of the instructions, but I guess you can use mine now.
One thing for certain. In step 2, you pull off the plastic piece below the door to expose the pinch weld seam. It just pulls off: If you grab it by the top and rotate it outwards slowly starting at one end, you will keep the breaking of the clips to a minimum. When you break them, Napa had some replacements that almost matched perfectly. Jeep wanted to sell me the whole thing. You will be keeping this (at least for the steprails) to put back on later. Here is a picture of one of the plastic covers. I labeled them as I took them off, finding out as I put them back on that it is imprinted in the plastic and it even tells you which is the front.
You begin by using a provided metal template to mark the hole locations for drilling into the pinchweld seam. Aligning the template is best a two person job even if you are using clamps to hold it up. 4 eyes are better than 2. For each side, there are 4 holes to drill in each pinchweld seam and after you have those bolts in, there are 4 more to drill in the frame. Here Bill drills through the pinchweld seam
Here is one of the frame brackets in place. With one bar running along the entire length of the pinchweld seam and these two arms coming back to the frame, these things have to be incredibly strong.
Here is the entire thing bolted in place. It is hard to see the main bar, but it runs along the length of the seam (the lighter color is the seam) I imagine the rockrails would fit in the gap there where the plastic piece came off. That is probably why putting the plastic covers back on was not on the instruction sheet. I elected for the steprails as I wanted a little bit more protection away from the body. To help keep the stumps and rocks just a few inches farther away from damage. I supposed you could use it as a step, but my big clodhopper feet would find a tough time standing on them with the door shut. With the door open however, it would be a good thing.


I did manage to get a few scratches on them during the install. I don't think you can avoid that. Especially once you hit the trails. Some black paint will touch it up and you will never notice.	I went to Rocky Road primarily because they wheel KJ's. Among the other reasons listed above. In a few months, I'll get a lift and some better tires. The money is gone for now.

Back to Mike's KJ Page	Back to Mike's Technical Link Page