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Rock sliders **not Ace**

17K views 84 replies 45 participants last post by  Leadnut 
#1 ·
The reason why I do not want the ACE steps is because I do not like the gap they leave if you do not have a rubi rail installed. My Jeep does not have the factory rock rails so I would have the gap.

I am looking for some rock sliders that have a usable step. I would like to keep the cost bellow $400. I am not into rock crawling but still want to protect the rockers from logs and such.

What do you recommend? NOT ACE
 
#2 ·
I run MetalCloak's rails. The black cover is an optional brace to make them stronger. You probably wouldn't need that.

The step is very usable, if a little on the high side. It's angled up instead of down so that it can be used as a rock guard without ripping off. It also has a nice slot for a hilift.

They are $409 MSRP. If you call them they just might give you $10 off to keep it under $400 :p

 
#67 ·
I run MetalCloak's rails. The black cover is an optional brace to make them stronger. You probably wouldn't need that.
OK, so I am going to revive/high-jack this thread for personal purposes... I will start by saying that I am currently running the ACE/Rubi Rail combo and after a season of dropping and dragging the sliders I can attest to their strength and durability :thumb:.

That said, I am seriously considering a move to the Metalcloak rockers and body armor. While there are plenty of positive reviews of the company's lifts and fenders, I cannot find much, if anything, on their JK rockers... Plenty about the TJ's, but of course those are a different animal when considering body mounted sliders. Interested in your overall opinion and first hand experience.
 
#3 ·
#10 ·
The Barricade Enhance Rubi Rails are definitely a good option for you. They provide the protection and the step you're looking for and they're in your price range even before the forum member discount! Let me know if you'd like a quote.

-Ryan
 
#4 ·
#5 ·
The reason why I do not want the ACE steps is because I do not like the gap they leave if you do not have a rubi rail installed. My Jeep does not have the factory rock rails so I would have the gap.
I'm right there with you. I hated the sight of the pinch seam that came with the ACE Rock Rails. I ended up getting the $200 Smittybilt Rubi Rails for a couple of reasons. The first was to cover the seam. The second was for added protection in case I came down on a rock in the middle of the ACE rails. Obviously, the Smittybilt rails put the price over $400. In researching rails, I came across some patches for the seam showing through the gap in the ACE Rails. Some people got a can of bedliner and some tape. They masked off the bottom inch or two and bedlined the seam. I've never seen that in person but in the pictures, the seam seems to disappear. I know you said no ACE but I just wanted to make sure you had all the options so you'd be really happy with whatever sliders you go with.
 
#11 ·
I'm thinking either ACE or LOD sliders, and plan on spraying the pinch seam with black truck bed liner.
 
#15 ·
These are the Smittybilt SRC rock rails. Got em for like.. 500$ CAD so it would be less in the US, plus all that stuff is made there so it might actually end up being close to your budget.



As you can see, they've got a very wide, sturdy step. That what I was looking for besides protection



This is the prototype (just to show that bottom angled piece a bit better) but the recent version looks identical except it has 3 holes in the step, not 4.



These help alot with preventing crap from flinging onto your doors and handles as well, just as another bonus.
 
#19 ·
I know you said "not Ace" but I put Ace rails on my Sport. I didn't like the gap either so I looked on Craigslist every day for a set of Rubicon rail takeoffs. It took a few weeks, but in the end I found a set for $75. They had some minor dings so I refinished them with this:
Auto Coatings Truck Bed Coating Spray Product Page

It's a near perfect match for the finish on the Ace rails. It looks great and has held up well.
 
#23 ·
LOD sliders are frame-mounted, and have the metal plate on top to act as a step.


What about using rocker panel body armor to hide and protect the seam? MetalCloak and Poison Spyder come to mind.
 
#26 ·
White Knuckle sliders:







They are frame mounted so they do sit a little lower than the others, but they are rock solid. I plastidipped my pinch seam and it basically disappeared. Might redo it with bedliner though as it's starting to peel at the top a little. Overall I'm very satisfied with my purchase. With shipping figured in it was just a hair over $400.
 
#28 ·
White Knuckle sliders:







They are frame mounted so they do sit a little lower than the others, but they are rock solid. I plastidipped my pinch seam and it basically disappeared. Might redo it with bedliner though as it's starting to peel at the top a little. Overall I'm very satisfied with my purchase. With shipping figured in it was just a hair over $400.
I'm picking mine up this weekend from White Knuckle so I save myself $$ from shipping.
 
#27 ·
Here's the Poison Spyder rocker guards. They sit a little higher and tighter to the body if that is important to you. Some of the guards on this thread have a pretty big gap between the bar and the body of the Jeep; enough of a gap to let your foot slide down in there if it is wet and muddy. Then if you fall with your foot wedged in there, you might just break your leg. I'm just saying that because it happened to me once; not with a rocker guard, but a similar situation with a loading ramp and a pickup truck.

 
#33 ·
The Barricade Enhanced Rubi Rails attach to the tub. But the Barricade Rock Sliders bolt to the body mounts on the frame and they fit with the factory Rubi Rails! Let me know if you have other questions about any of the rails we have!



-Ryan
 
#57 ·
I'm in the same boat is there any way you can provide a picture facing down as a step..Or measurement to the outside. The rocker knockers are high on my list but a step function is also something needed for the family as well.

Also considering the Evo custom bent to provide a solid step platform.
 
#34 ·
I don't see the point of keeping the Rubi rails just for aesthetic reasons when upgrading to sliders- that's useless excess weight.

Better off bedlining the pinch seam, installing some seam covers like Bushwacker or better yet rocker panel skins like MetalCloak's.
 
#35 ·
I think you answered your own question. Keeping them is mainly for aesthetic purposes. The skins you suggest are about $190 for the painted version, about $10 less than the Smittybilt Rubi Rails. In addition, they don't cover the pinch seam. So I would have to disagree with your labeling a solution that costs almost as much as the rails but doesn't accomplish the goal as "better yet" when compared to the rails. You can install the rails with the skins to actually cover the seam that the skin leaves exposed but now you've only succeeded in adding even more weight (the skins) at a cost of about $190.

The Bushwacker option, on the other hand, does cover the seam. It only weighs about 4 pounds and you save about $40 over the Rubi Rails. But in the case of someone who already has a set of rails, they are a $160 option that would simply reduce the weight of the 4800+ pound vehicle by about 50 pounds. I'm not sure, in the long run, how much of a difference that 1% reduction in weight would really make.
 
#42 ·
I am not bashing Rugged Ridge, no one said I was, just tiring to state facts. I have Rugged Ridge front and rear bumper which I love, winch that is good, heat reduction hood which is great, hey make good stuff but these steps should not be advertised as sliders.
 
#46 ·
I needed something that was a step for the kids and would work as a rock slider, so I went with TnT customs. Love them so far, they've been on for a year and a half. They frame mount and have taken some good rock hits. Just throwing out another option for the OP.
Thanks, Dude! I've been thinking about the TnT's for a long time. Now I know what they'll look like on my True Blue!

(Have to say though, I kinda like the looks of the LOD's too.)
 
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