Thank you for purchasing the finest in underbody protection for your Jeep Cherokee…

Blah…blah…blah…

Just kidding.  I expect it will take about 2-4 hours for someone with a moderate ability to install these.  Just take your time, and they should go on great.  Call me if you get stuck: 602.841.3355. 

Take care, and let me know what you think when you are all finished.

Very Sincerely,

Kevin

Here are the tools you will need to install the sliders:

• Hammer and Vice Grips
• Pencil or sharp point that you can use for a marking device.
• Ratchet set that includes a 9/16" socket. (Self-threading bolts included in packaging)
• Drill motor with a 5/16" drill bit (right-angle drill very helpful)
• 2 Jack Stands
• Floor jack

     Optional Equipment to make your life easier:

• A right angle drill attachment
• Shorter drill bits
• A Dremel or right-angle grinder

You will want to finish the exterior of the sliders with paint or covering of some sort before the install.  I recommend just a simple can of Krylon Semi-Flat Black spray paint, as you can easily touch up as needed once you bump a rock.  Other methods include powder coating, underbody coating, and POR-15.  I use the rattle-can method on mine.  I grind down the welds to make it pretty and used a wire wheel to clean up the welding splatter, but you will need some paint thinner or turpentine to get the protective oil off of the steel before you paint. There are some unwelded seams that I recommend you applying some black epoxy or RTV to so that they won't rust if you live in a wet climate.  It's impossible to get the head of the welding gun to those areas, and there is no structural difference between welding those areas or not welding them. 

1. After they are painted and ready, it’s time to get started on the install.  I suggest you begin with whichever side has the least amount of damage, so that you are familiar with the procedure when you have to do the dented up side that will take a little more effort.   If the pinch seam is dented, try to hammer or “vice-grip” it back into place as much as possible if you have mashed it.  NOTE: If the rocker panel is damaged, you may not get it to fit up correctly, and you MAY have to have the slider modified by a shop locally.  It’s only happened once, but be forewarned if you have damaged your rocker panel badly.  
2. Get out your jack stands and position them about 3” lower than the Jeep’s rocker panel on one side of the Jeep and lift the slider into place to visualize how it attaches.    The wider end of the slider goes toward the rear of the Jeep, as AMC/Chrysler manufactures the pinch-seam slightly diagonal.  Raise your floor jack, lifting them up until the frame rail mounting legs rest against the pinch seam, assuring that the slider is centered front to rear on the Jeep.
3. To separate Kevin's Rock sliders from the competitors, and in order to leave the maximum amount of ground clearance possible, I designed the frame rail mounting legs to go THROUGH a small section of where the pinch seam currently resides.  Fortunately, this doesn't create any structural integrity issues because it's such a small area.  In fact, most heavy duty designs require this same minor modification.  Mark the pinch seam on the right and left of both legs with a pencil or nail, leaving two vertical marks on the pinch seam that are approximately 2.0"~2.25" apart.  Now, remove the sliders and cut upward on the lines with a hacksaw or cutoff saw.  You can now fold the 2" section of pinch seam inwards, toward the exhaust pipe, but it's better if you have access to a Dremel or right angle grinder to remove the 2" section completely.  If you are in a wet area, I would probably use some silicone to seal up the small gap left behind if you use a grinder. The inside rail of the sliders should now sit flush against the bottom of the rocker panel.    
4. Now, slowly and carefully, raise the floor jack around 2" higher.  Place the jack stands under each leg, and slowly and carefully lower the jack so that there is some weight resting on the sliders, pressing them against the body panel.  NOTE: ON SOME MID-RUN XJ MODELS (I'M SORRY, I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONES SPECIFICALLY), DEPENDING ON YEAR AND REAR AXLE, THE REAR SPRING PERCH CONFLICTS WITH THE REAR LEG ON THE sliders.  YOU MAY HAVE TO EITHER MOVE THE RAILS SLIGHTLY MORE FORWARD ON THE JEEP, REMOVING OR CLEARANCING THE LOWER FORWARD FENDER BOLT AND TRIMMING THE FRONT FENDER FLARE.  IF THAT'S A PROBLEM, YOU MAY HAVE TO CLEARANCE THE REAR L BRACKET MOUNT WITH A GRINDER.  UNFORTUNATELY THE XJs SEEM TO VARY MORE THAN WE'D LIKE ON THE BODY PAN AREA. 
5. Carefully mark all the frame rail mounting holes carefully, making sure that the rock slider isn’t moving around and that it is sitting in the EXACT spot that you want it attached.  Drilling into the frame rails isn’t something you want to do over and over until you get it right!  This is where a right-angle drill comes in handy, or you can remove the jack stands, let the jack down, and remove the slider before drilling if you prefer.  A quicker method is, instead of marking the holes, simply drill the holes into the frame rail through the bolt hole in the brackets with the 5/16" drill bit with as good of an angle as you can get with the drill.  The bolts will go in slightly crooked, but will straighten out once they are tightened.  Due to the slightly oval shape that will be caused by the drill bit not being at a 90* angle, I strongly recommend doing it the "long" way and removing the Slider before drilling.  On the other hand, others have used the "quick method" and have had zero problems to date.  It's your rig/time...you choose what is best for YOU.
6. If you removed the Slider to drill the holes, reposition the Slider under the Jeep, and lift it up so that it is tight against the Jeep’s rocker panel once again.  Thread the self-tapping bolts into the frame rails and tighten them down slowly.  The frame rail, as you have already found out, is NOT very thick, and with one twist too many on the self-tapping bolt, you will find that you have stripped the hole you just drilled.  I feel strongly that a LITTLE accidental stripping is OK, but don’t keep twisting and twisting, as you will hollow out the frame rail even more, and the bolt won’t fit tight.   If you accidentally strip it out badly, you can get larger bolts from a local nut and bolt company, such as Copper State Nut and Bolt in the Southwest states, and drill a slightly larger hole to fit the larger bolt.  Don’t loose any of the bolts…they cost about $.60 each.  Home Depot and Lowe's don't normally stock these specialty bolts.
7. Lower the jack down slowly, and check your work.  You should now be able to stand on the slider with your full weight and access the roof rack.  Look it over and make sure that you got all the bolts as tight as you can without stripping them.  

8. Now you are ready for the other side.  Repeat steps 1-5. 

9. This is the fun part…TRAIL TEST TIME!  Have fun with them!  But, please, let me know what you think.  I need to know if you had a difficult time with fitment or with the install itself so that I can make changes for the future.  Please e-mail me at sales@kevinsoffroad.com and give me some feedback.

Thanks for your purchase!  Let’s go Jeepin’, Baby!

Very Sincerely,

Kevin

P.S. Some customers have attached non-slip tape to the top so that your foot doesn’t slip off in wet weather when you’re climbing up for roof access.