Well, my rails have arrived! These suckers are *heavy*.

The bad news: The instructions and hardware weren't in the box.

The good news, MoparSuperCenter is getting me replacements!

First stage of the game is going to be stripping off the factory coating.

Tuesday (I work a 24 hour shift monday) I'll be swinging by the metal supplier to get the tubing.

 

[sm=popcorn.gif]
What are you going to plate/paint them?

If you say chrome, I'm gonna tear out your eyeballs and
skull[sm=smiley35.gif] you!

[sm=joke.gif]

 

Yes, the dealermissed this bolt on your install. It should be the short bolt that came with the kit. Its really the first bolt that should be installed as it does not always line up later. I have installted two of these rock rail kits and this bolt and the lower needs to be installed prior to marking the holes you are going to drill. If it does not line up you can try loosening the mounting bolts and nudging the rails in place so it will. (assuming there is enough play). The drilled holes are oversized to allow you to fish the boltsinto the frame so there is a good chance you will be able to get everthing to line up. Running without these two bolts should not be a problem. But it is not correct.

Note: I also bugger the last few threads on all frame mounting bolts with a center punch after install is completed to insure that should these nuts ever come loose they can not fall off allowing the mounting bollts to fall back into the frame. Fishing them out would be a nightmare . Maybe impossible...

 

Nah, they're going to get a basic, rattle-can semi-gloss black paint job. I'm not a big chrome guy.

As for the bolts coming loose, why not use red lock-tite on 'em? That's what I plan to do.

 

Red loctite is good. Probably overkill. If for some reason, like a collision repair, you need to remove the rails, it will make things difficult. Side collision protection is themain reason I got these massive [sm=yikesomg.gif]Rock Rails in the first place.

I'd rather be able to go back and retorque later if things loosen up.

You willsee what 06Ram2500PowerWagon is talking about once you begin the install. If these bolts fall back into the fully boxed frame rails, you are SOL bigtime trying to retrieve them. I used a pair of the smallest neeedle nose vise-grips toclamp-holdthe bolts while I unwound the piano wire feeders and started the nuts.
So disrupting a few threads on the end of the bolts to prevent the nuts from falling off completely is a good idea. Probably never happen, butI plan on doing it and not take that chance.

 

I know this thread is really old but I'm trying to find information/ pictures of these OEM rock rails. I'm wanting to either find an original set if possible or at minimum get some pictures of them and how they're installed so I can fabricate my own.

Thanks in advance