Sun Performance Rocker Protectors

This was a pretty easy mod when compared to some of the others I have already done.  Even if it is one of your first mods, you should have no major problems with it.  The install instructions that Sun provides were more than adequate to do the job.  It clearly lists all of the parts in the hardware bag and gives you a clear step by step procedure.
The first thing to do is remove any existing trim you have on your rocker panels.  My Sahara had trim running the full length between the front and rear fender flares.  After removing the half dozen screws form the bottom of the trim panel, I pushed the panel up and off of the metal strip that the top edge attaches too.  From there, I had to drill out a half dozen rivets so this mounting strip could be removed from the rocker panel area.  The last thing I did was to take a hard rubber mallet and give each mounting tab (on the bottom of the rocker panel itself) a couple of whacks to bend them up and out of the way.  Doing so allows the rocker protector to fit more snuggly up against the bottom of the rocker panel.

I used my Hi-Lift jack to securely hold the rocker protector in place so I could drill and mark the mounting holes.  Be sure you have the protector pushed up securely in place.  This is certainly one of those situations where you want to measure twice and drill only once!  You will use two different well-inserts on each rocker protector.  One of them goes in the 2nd hole from the front on the side of the protector while the remaining one (note it is larger) goes in the first hole at the front of the protector on the bottom side.

Once you have all of the holes marked and drilled, insert the two well-inserts and then bolt everything down tight.  (Don’t get too carried away on the ones with the well-inserts.)  Carefully lower the jack, step back, and admire the nice job you did.

Here is a shot of the passenger side are right below the front edge of the door.  You can see two bolts in this picture.  The 2nd and 3rd bolts (the 2nd one is seen here) that come through the bottom of the floor are longer than required.  I stopped off at the hardware store afterwards and got a couple for both sides that were 1/2″ shorter.  When I get a chance, I’ll just back these longer ones out (one at a time) and put the new ones in.  Easier to do that than it was to cut them off.Well, that is about it.  Nothing else much to it.  Like I said, it is pretty easy.  Just be sure you have the protector up tight against the body (the Hi-Lift did a good job at that) before you drill the holes.  If you are wondering why they look a little scratched up, I bought them used from another Jeeper who was selling his TJ.  Since some of the hardware was missing when I picked up the rocker protectors, I ordered a replacement hardware kit from Sun Performance.  It was $15 and now I have the original hardware as spares in case I loose a bolt, etc.