Jeep guys: boatsides or tubes for your rocksliders?
- Thread starter Tacoma
- Start date
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
I really want boat sides on this thing, but the previous owners put rocker tube in there ( which is about as level as my phone mount) and it's tied to EVERYTHING. It's gonna be major surgery to put them in.
_Auzzy_
Web Wheeling Extraordinaire
- Location
- Richfield Utah
Talking about mine?
Tacoma
Et incurventur ante non
- Location
- far enough away
Yup, yours. 😁
As for boatsides and skill level, Motobilt's bolt on after you cut, and I'm a devil with a deathwheel. I also like that they're sandwiched between the body and the body mounts, instead of being welded and putting weird tension on the body panels. I see a lot.of builds that weld tube between body and frame and totally ignore that the body still moves on the mounts.
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- Location
- South Carolina....no public land
correct, I'm good!
Although, it is currently in a storage unit in Moab so it is much closer to you than you think.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
I need to figure out a good DIY way to build some for my TJ that take that all into account (tieing the rocker and body mounts), stabilize and secure the cut rocker and add a step as well.
I have an idea in my mind, but cutting will be quite a commitment.
Tacoma
Et incurventur ante non
- Location
- far enough away
I am waaaay too lazy for all that, plus, no garage. 🤣
But I wanna see what YOU do
I'm curious to see your ideas as well @Greg. I was gifted almost all of the 3 link brackets for my K5 front end today and boat sides are definitely on the list of build requirements. Just need to get a few things off the chores list first: Gen 4 6.2L engine rebuilt for a Denali XL and sell it, X-Carve table finished, KX85 tires, suspension and chain/sprockets installed for the kids...... yeah it's gonna be a minute before the garage is available, I'll let you get on it and pay attention to your ideas and work
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
I just measured my tub from front to back and it's 65" past the rear corner... which is the exact same length as Dave's extended boat sides... 🤔
Their boatsides are built to cover from the front edge of the fender, which I don't really have. I'm not sure how they'd line up with my body, but I'm thinking I'll make them work. If seems like a better option than building my own.
- Location
- West Haven, UT
Definitely a time saver
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
And time is money!
Tacoma
Et incurventur ante non
- Location
- far enough away
Working smarter, not harder. I like it.
_Auzzy_
Web Wheeling Extraordinaire
- Location
- Richfield Utah
Sadly nope, I just cut all the way to right below the door, welded in a piece of 1.75x.125 and use the same thing for stringers down to the frame and welded 1/4" plate to the outside. Also tied my seat mounts and roll cage into it
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
I wish I had boat sides on mine. But I've abused the step rail on my rock sliders. I'd add tube to ones like Dave's
Johnny Quest
Web Wheeler
- Location
- West Jordan
I'll be trimming up as high as I can, and welding in a 2x6, but since its a unibody, I need that so the rest of the Jeep doesnt fall apart like a soggy taco
It’s all fun and games until your 2x6 rockers are 2” higher than they started. Boatsides prevent that
Tacoma
Et incurventur ante non
- Location
- far enough away
Got these today. For some reason I didn't expect these to cover so much under the body, so that's pretty cool. Anyway they look like a solid product for us bolt-on types, and should be an excellent addition to the YJ. Woot! 
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
So.... how does one tie the roll cage A-pillar mount into the frame with boatsides?
Honestly curious, I'm guessing since the boatside ties into to the body mount, is bolting the cage floor plate to the boatside enough to hold up in a roll? Or does there need to be additional support?
Honestly curious, I'm guessing since the boatside ties into to the body mount, is bolting the cage floor plate to the boatside enough to hold up in a roll? Or does there need to be additional support?
Tacoma
Et incurventur ante non
- Location
- far enough away
If we're thinking about it the same, I don't think it'd be too bad to add a plate in there under the boatside mount, or just use the boatside AS the plate. I was thinking about that myself.
kmboren
Recovering XJ owner anonymous
- Location
- Southern Utah
Are these installed yet? Do they go from wheel well to wheel well? My stretch is nearly done. Just at friends house now getting all big welded up (I don't own a 220 welder👎). It sits right around 98 inch wheel base.
Really think I want to go with those boat sides.
Really think I want to go with those boat sides.