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Installing ACE rock sliders by yourself

8K views 49 replies 33 participants last post by  wheelsup 
#1 ·
So I need to install my ACE rock sliders on my JKUR. My guy friends know nothing about vehicles, so even a bolt on option is too hard. Looks like I'll be doing this alone. Any tips? Also, I'm in Nassau county, Long Island. So if anyone wants to help there's a case of beer in it for you. Domestic stuff. Think affordable. Lol.
 
#4 ·
I have a messed up back and knees and I installed my sliders by myself in about 30 minutes. It's just 6 bolts. You may need to shove a flat head into the bolt hole, while pulling down on the bolt, after you have have the bolt almost out. They like to hang in there for some reason. When you reinstall the bolts, they get torqued to 80 FT LBS.
 
#7 ·
Do you still need to grind the washers? When I installed them on my `13 I had to remove maybe 1cm from 2 sides of the washers to get them to fit into the boxes on the rails.
 
#13 ·
It's very easy, watch the install video from ACE, no need to do any grinding to the washers.

Recommended to have, couple of jack stands since your lazy friends won't even hold the rails for you :), and a long pry bar, those body mount bolts are in there fairly good, so you better put some muscles into those bolts if you don't have one. once you back the bolts all the way down, it may appear as if the fackers doesn't want to let go from the holes, pry them down with a screw driver, then to get them in initially once you have your rail line up, hold the bolt straight and up firmly, while you tighten the bolt with your ratchet, once you put the first one back, you'll know what I'm talking about. easy job, and I'm not very mechanic inclined, but given current labor prices, I'm forcing myself to learn do to more myself :)
 
#16 ·
You can do it by yourself. I used two of the blue ice cube coolers to hold them while I mounted them. Use an impact drill if you have one to spin the body mount bolts out and back in quickly. If you use a hand ratchet you will have to pull down on the bolts with one hand while you ratchet with the other. Torque to 80 lbs as others have suggested.
 
#17 ·
I'm pretty incompetent with fixing things and usually create more problems than I started with.

Installed my patriot Rock sliders alone. However had my 11 and 9 year old sons help lift each slider.

I bought a 23 inch breaker bar to remove the body bolts with no problems.
 
#19 ·
The blown-in foam they ship in holds them nicely when put in a milk crate or box at either end. (Nicely packed rails!)

Shim it with a chunk of cardboard or 2x4 or 1x2, and slide boxes to line up perfectly. Surprisingly easy 1 person job, which I didn't expect. Watch the video.

The bolts were in really tight, so a 18mm socket on a breaker bar (not a ratchet!) or impact wrench will do it. Felt about as tight as a lug nut would be, just with no leverage to help you horizontally.

Bolts are about 4" long with some LocTite on threads. Gotta pull down to get out; push upward hard while installing with ratchet to get 'em to catch a thread. Patience and keep pushing up. They'll go.
 
#27 ·
Don't get me wrong, I love my Ace sliders. I bought a set that were obviously old stock as I needed to grind the washers down to make them fit. Find it really disappointing that ACE knew of the issue but couldn't have just sent out an updated washer kit to those vendors selling old stock?
Very disappointing.
 
#28 ·
Almost took longer to unwrap than put on by myself w a jackstand.

I don't have Ace but they go on the same. No washer issue.
 
#31 ·
Just installed my smittybilt side steps this weekend by myself. Not too bad and can definitely be held up with knees or milk crate while our bolting up the first side. I was also concerned about the length since I installed 35s and the rock sliders were tight. Luckily it the new steps were shorter
 
#40 ·
I did the same, kept slipping off the jack. Good thing I work out, those suckers are heavy!!
 
#43 ·
I put sliders on for two reasons. First as a step, girlfriend is 5' and has a 8 n 9yr old. I was also the transport vehicle for a wedding couple after the ceremony and that put me over the top.

I like the look of the factory steps a lot, but they offer no protection. In the first month of ownership of my jeep I had it stuck in some mud ruts and as I moved the vehicle back it ran right up next to a small tree that ended up tweaking my fender a little. I can see the rails being helpful in that kind of situation.

I also really like the look of the rails w the Rubicon rails. I have an 09' and want to keep the weight off the 3.8 engine. I weighed the Rubicon rails, if memory serves, I think they were about 70lbs for the pair. That didn't seem like that much and I've contemplated getting some takeoff rubi rails for it. Then just the other day I'm watching the new Raptor vid and they are talking up how much lighter it is than the old one. They claim 500# lighter. So the rubi rails are almost 15% of that, now they seem heavy again and I'll keep it the way it is.
 
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