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How to Install Rugged Ridge Solid Rocker Guards Heavy-Duty on your 1997-2006 Wrangler
Shop Parts in this Guide
1. Read all instructions before starting installation. Remove any side steps or panels before getting started. Also, clean thoroughly any surfaces that will be covered by the rocker panels.
2. Carefully hold a rocker panel up to the vehicle and position it by pushing it upward as far as it will go. It should fit snugly between the factory fender flares. If the fit is too tight, loosen the flares. Aftermarket flares may also require loosening to ensure a proper fit. Once positioned, mark the five side holes using the rocker panel as a guide. Before drilling, check inside the vehicle and move any wires that may be in the way. For 03’-06’ TJ’s, see step 3 before proceeding. Center punch and Drill the five side holes to 7/16”. Clean any metal chips off the side of the vehicle. NOTE: to prevent corosion, use factory touch up paint to cover exposed metal from drilling.
3. For TJ’s 03’-06’, the rear most mounting hole cannot be reached from inside the vehicle. For these models use the supplied (2) 10mm rivet nuts. Drill the rear most holes on each side to 9/16” and Insert the rivet nut into the hole. Use the supplied rivet bolt tool to pass through the clearance nut tool and tighten into the rivet nut. For the rivet nut to collapse use a wrench and a ratchet placing one on the clearance nut tool to keep it from spinning and one on the rivet bolt tool. Tighten until the rivet nut has fully collapsed, remove the rivet bolt tool and the clearance nut tool and insert a button head bolt. This bolt will not require a flat washer, lock washer, or standard nut.
4. After drilling the side holes, Place the rocker panel against the side of the vehicle and use the 10mm black button head bolts with at washers, and standard nuts on the inside of the vehicle. Do not use the lock washers yet as the rocker panel will be removed after marking the bottom holes. Hand tighten bolts evenly to secure the rocker panel in position.
5. To mark the three bottom holes, stick a black marker through each hole and mark the vehicle making sure the mark is aligned vertically with the hole. Remove the rocker panels after the three bottom holes are marked. Use a center punch to mark each bottom hole so that from inside the vehicle, you can tell where the hole will be located. Before drilling, pull carpeting back and remove anything that might get in the way of the drill. Drill the three bottom holes to 7/16” .
6. Re-install the rocker panel by using the 10mm button head bolts with at washers, lock washers, and standard nuts for the side mounting holes. For the bottom three mounting holes, use the three hex head bolts with washers, spacers and nylock nuts. The long bolt goes in the bottom center hole with the 45mm spacer and the 2 medium bolts go in the front and rear bottom mounting holes with the 25mm spacer.
