Rock sliders revisited

[uncaged123]

After looking on the webjet and taking into account advice from fellow members, is there an Australian manufacture style similar to the American manufacturer white knuckle. The bolt on 20 degree lift rock sliders for a 4 doors jku. Plus step plates for the top.

Cheers Rob S

[Paul-JK]

Hi Rob,

That's exactly what I have.
I didn't find any similar to that locally when I was looking for mine.
They wouldn't be difficult for a local fab place to knock up but not sure what you'd pay for that.
John at White Knuckle is great to deal with but between manufacture time (he makes to order) and shipping (assuming you send by sea through USAtoAUS or similar) then you'll be waiting for 3 months or so.
They are absolutely solid though. If you want to have a look at mine then you're more than welcome but I'm overseas at the moment and won't be back for a couple of weeks.

[LeighP]

Try Blackjack Welding in WA....they do rocksliders with expanded mesh across the top as an option...I'm sure they could substitute checkerplate if you wanted it. Uneek in Melbourne also do rock sliders with a top panel to act as a step.

[Paul-JK]

The guys at both Blackjack and Uneek are great and they make some great stuff but I still think the White Knuckle sliders are better. That will of course depend on your criteria.
For me I never liked the design of the Blackjack sliders, either aesthetically or the way they fix using the body mounts. I've sure they're plenty strong enough but they just didn't do it for me.
I love the look of the Uneek ones, though they weren't available when I bought mine. The only issue I'd have with them is that they are not as wide as the White Knuckle (which are the same width as the original plastic side steps). That means they look sleeker, and they're easier to step over as you get out of the car so you don't get mud down the back of your trousers quite as much but you will still get a lot of dirt/stones coming of the front wheel and up the side of the car. That was what I really want to avoid. I also prefer to have a fuller step as well.
It really is horses for courses though. They'll all be good, just depends on what you want from them.

[uncaged123]

Thanks Paul, your views about white knuckle are the same.as mine. To me the narrow sliders looks odd, whereas white knuckle with the step plates keeps in character with the jku original design. I think I'll go the white knuckle sliders.

Cheers Rob S

[Paul-JK]

A word of warning though.
If you know a friend with a workshop then fitting them will be easier.
If you do it on the garage floor like I did then be prepared for some sore shoulders.
You need to to drill 6 holes in the side of the chassis rail and 2 holes in the bottom of the chassis rails. These are through the thickest part of the chassis (10mm+ thick in places). That's great for strength when fitted but it's slow going when you're drilling. The ones on the side are OK, just slow going, but the ones on the bottom are a pig to do if you're doing it on the garage floor.

Not sure how much drilling through metal you've done before. I'd done none and this is what I learned......
They say drill a small hole first (around 3mm) and then go for the full hole. I ended up doing it in 5 steps starting at 3mm and then going up in 1-1.5mm increments otherwise it was just too hard.
Run the drill as slow as you can and let it nibble the metal away rather than blasting away at it and overheating the drill bits.
Use a lubricant on the drill bit and the hole. I used WD40 and it made it so much easier......only learned that half way through!

[DanD]

A word of warning though.
They say drill a small hole first (around 3mm) and then go for the full hole. I ended up doing it in 5 steps starting at 3mm and then going up in 1-1.5mm increments otherwise it was just too hard.
Run the drill as slow as you can and let it nibble the metal away rather than blasting away at it and overheating the drill bits.
Use a lubricant on the drill bit and the hole. I used WD40 and it made it so much easier......only learned that half way through!

Same applies to using a metal lathe - little bit at a time with plenty of appropriate lubricant for the speed of cut, etc

[Paul-JK]

In my case the appropriate lubrication was copious amounts of Jim Beam. :smile-new:
Did bugger all to help the drilling but at least it relieved the pain in my shoulders after lying for hours under the JK on a cold garage floor trying to drill the holes in the bottom of the chassis.

[DanD]

The Jim Beam would have made the drilled holes seem right on target and straight as an arrow when doing them also :P