Rock Sliders / Rocker Armor

Difficulty 4/54–10 hrs$380–6001984-1990, 1991-1995, 1996, 1997-2001

Rock sliders mount to the unibody frame rails to protect the rocker panels — XJ rockers crumple easily, and sliders also act as a high-lift jack point.

The XJ's rocker panels are thin stamped sheet metal welded to the unibody. They crumple on first contact with a rock. Rock sliders bolt or weld to the unibody at the rocker area and provide:

Rocker protection (rock impacts hit the slider, not the body).
Step / running board functionality.
High-Lift jack contact point (drive the jack base under the slider).
Additional structural rigidity.

Good options:

JCR Offroad XJ sliders: ~$450 (bolt-on, 2" DOM tubing). The most popular XJ slider.
Iron Rock Off Road sliders: ~$420.
C4 Fabrication rock sliders: ~$550, high-clearance design.
Rusty's Off Road sliders: ~$380.
DIY: $150 in tubing and weld time.

Mounting styles:

Bolt-on through the unibody (requires drilling/sleeves; can leak if not sealed).
Weld-on (most rigid, requires welding the unibody — gas tank must be dropped to access).

Note: many "bolt-on" sliders use the rocker pinch seam mounting, which is fine for moderate use but can pull through under hard impact. For serious wheeling, weld-on or hybrid bolt+weld mounting is recommended.

XJ-specific gotcha: the gas tank lives RIGHT next to the driver's-side rocker. Welding sliders requires either dropping the tank or extreme care with heat shields. Many builders drop the tank for slider install.

Why it works

Saves the rocker panels
High-Lift jack point
Step function
Adds rigidity

Trade-offs

Welding access requires gas tank drop
Bolt-on can pull through unibody under hard impact
Adds weight

Tools required

MIG welder (weld-on)
drill (bolt-on)
metric sockets
torque wrench

Parts

Part	Vendor	Est. price
JCR Offroad XJ rock sliders	JCR Offroad	~$450
IRO XJ rock sliders	Iron Rock Off Road	~$420
C4 Fabrication XJ sliders	C4 Fabrication	~$550

Sources

{'title': 'JCR XJ sliders', 'url': 'https://www.jcroffroad.com/'}

Written and maintained by an AZ wheeler and driveway wrencher. Always cross-reference your factory service manual — modifications affect vehicle safety and warranty. Work at your own risk.