MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
In early 2018, I got some used Rubicon Rockers to install on my LJ. I cleaned them up, installed new 3M tape to the rubber seals and a couple coats of Rustoleum Textured black spray paint and they looked good as new. Just had to buy some nutserts, an "S" size drill bit and a tool to install the rivet-nuts. You can make a tool from grade 8 hardware, but if you dont' mind spending money on this tool from Tacklife, you'll find that it is so easy to use and quick. The price has gone up about $10 since I bought mine though. I set one whole side of the Jeep with nutserts with this in the time it took me to set 1 skid plate nutsert using the home-made tool from hardware. The skid plate nutserts are quite a bit bigger though.
I know there are better rockers/sliders out there, but I don't need that much better. : ) Honestly, I probably don't even need these, but I like them.
I tested one out on a piece of sheet metal I had left over from cutting holes in the hood for my Poison Spyder hood louver installation. I wanted to make sure I was happy with how it worked before I drilled holes in the side of the tub.
- Hold the rockers up in place with a jack or clamp them on with some c-clamps. Hex shaped holes are already in the bottom of the tub, so line the rockers up with those.
- Mark the sides of the tub where you need to drill holes.
- Drill your holes. An S size drill bit = .348. An 11/32 bit = .3438, so you can use it. It might be a tighter fit though. You don't want the nutsert to be to loose though.
- Add some touch up pain to the holes.
- Set your nutserts. Thread the nutsert fully onto the end of the tool, so it gets the maximum grip on the nutsert.
- Install the rockers. My used rockers came with the factory screws to install them, which were M6's. If you don't have the hardware, just match the nutsert size to the hardware you want to use, and use the appropriate sized drill bit.
On a side note, a month or so ago, I got rid of the diamond plate Rubicon Rockers and replaced them with the MOPAR rock rails. They mounted up to the same nutserts the Rubicon Rockers use.
M6 rivet-nuts for the sides
M6 Hex Body rivet-nuts for the bottom
Size "S" drill bit Couldn't find one of these locally.
Tacklife 14" Hand Rivet Nut Setter Kit
I know there are better rockers/sliders out there, but I don't need that much better. : ) Honestly, I probably don't even need these, but I like them.
I tested one out on a piece of sheet metal I had left over from cutting holes in the hood for my Poison Spyder hood louver installation. I wanted to make sure I was happy with how it worked before I drilled holes in the side of the tub.
- Hold the rockers up in place with a jack or clamp them on with some c-clamps. Hex shaped holes are already in the bottom of the tub, so line the rockers up with those.
- Mark the sides of the tub where you need to drill holes.
- Drill your holes. An S size drill bit = .348. An 11/32 bit = .3438, so you can use it. It might be a tighter fit though. You don't want the nutsert to be to loose though.
- Add some touch up pain to the holes.
- Set your nutserts. Thread the nutsert fully onto the end of the tool, so it gets the maximum grip on the nutsert.
- Install the rockers. My used rockers came with the factory screws to install them, which were M6's. If you don't have the hardware, just match the nutsert size to the hardware you want to use, and use the appropriate sized drill bit.
On a side note, a month or so ago, I got rid of the diamond plate Rubicon Rockers and replaced them with the MOPAR rock rails. They mounted up to the same nutserts the Rubicon Rockers use.
M6 rivet-nuts for the sides
M6 Hex Body rivet-nuts for the bottom
Size "S" drill bit Couldn't find one of these locally.
Tacklife 14" Hand Rivet Nut Setter Kit