too much fun this weekend -> corner guards needed

[Iceman]

Hello all,

after having too much fun on the trails this weekend I'm looking for corner guards
I did a quick search and Avalanche came forward, but there's a whole bunch more out there (Poison Spyder, TxT etc.)

Any recommendations, where to buy etc.? I like the idea of coming all the way down to the Rock Sliders, since the body got a good work out towards the front of the rear fender as well (cover up current and prevent future damage)

Any info is welcome ....... and keep the shiny side up

[Jeepincj7]

Avalanche and Poison Spyder are the same. Long story about who has rights to the design, but they are the exact same thing.

I'd recommend them if you are going to playing in the rocks quite a bit and can't build your own. They are WAY overkill IMHO though. 3/16" that size is HEAVY! At this point, my weight(both Jeep and myself) is a concern. Any way I can shed some weight off my Jeep, I will. With that in mind, I personally think that 1/8" is more than adequate for protecting the rear panels. Its not a rocker where you may drop on to it constantly and need the 3/16" angle.

[ScottyY2K]

Hey Ron - Mine are from www.offyourrockers.com . I really like them. They are not nearly as heavy or big as the Poison Spider corner guards though. I was leary of putting that much weight on the Jeep. 3/16" plate wrapping from the rear tailgate all the way to the doors. Too much steel IMHO. The OYR are 1/8" (10 gauge) and wrap from the tailgate to the back of the wheel well.

OYR cut the holes for the LED light conversion and they come checkered or flat steel and powder coated. Craftsmenship and fit were perfect.

Scott

[Jerry Bransford]

There are a few of us here who installed Warrior's 1/8" steel corner guards. They're a lot lighter and will protect against most low-speed trail impacts. Plus they're not that expensive... I forget exactly how much but $100 doesn't seem far off from what I paid.

[Robert J. Yates]

Bob Supplee can get the Warriors delivered to you for $95 all day long. They are a PITA to install but at less than $100 for the set, they can be considered disposable

I agree with the weight thing too , unless you have really tore up your tub in front of the rear wheel, I'd skip the 3/16's avalanche stuff.

[Deaver]

Poison Spider now offers 1/8" panels as well

They are listed as "Trail Corners" under Jeep? TJ Only Parts
on THIS Link



They seem to fit above the flare. Does anyone know if the OffYourRockers version fit the same way? I'm am looking into them also

[Jeepincj7]

Wow, I just noticed the way they tie in their TJ Cage:


Much better design than the ones that only bolt to the cowl. MUCH Stronger, and you don't have to cut the dash.

Scotty

[Jeff Weston]

Originally posted by Deaver
Poison Spider now offers 1/8" panels as well

They are listed as "Trail Corners" under Jeep? TJ Only Parts
on THIS Link



They seem to fit above the flare. Does anyone know if the OffYourRockers version fit the same way? I'm am looking into them also

Wow, that's so shiny you don't need a mirror to shave!

I'm pretty sure the Warriors are 12 ga. and are slightly thinner than the 10 ga. OYR's. Like the ones above, they fit around the flare. As Robert stated, they are a little tricky to install but aren't too tough if you have a bunch of clamps and a helper. Like him, I like them because they are light and are cheap. I managed to smack one pretty good, and although the tub caved in a bit there, it was easily worked back into shape with a big c-clamp and a couple of 2x4's.

[Jeff Weston]

Originally posted by Jeepincj7
Wow, I just noticed the way they tie in their TJ Cage:


Much better design than the ones that only bolt to the cowl. MUCH Stronger, and you don't have to cut the dash.

Scotty

Getting the 1.75" tubing down behind the dash right up against the window frame is quite doable for a patient bender. Unlike the EOR, TOR, et al cages which go down over the center of the vent (and require re-routing the vent ducts), you can sqeeze the tube in there and not block your vision or fiddle with the vents. This isn't bolt-in, however, which will turn off the majority of people looking for a mail-order solution.

[ScottyY2K]

Here are a couple of pics showing my OYR guards. They do go under the flairs.


and a poser rear shot that I cropped....

[Iceman]

thanks for all the replies
It seems that I've pretty much got my mind set on the Poison Spyder ones.
1) they're beefy and might be overkill, but fit exactly the kinda trails I'm getting into
2) they will cover up current damage which extends all the way towards the Warn Rock Sliders, so in the future I'm likely to hit these spots again

[Deaver]

Originally posted by ScottyY2K
Here are a couple of pics showing my OYR guards. They do go under the flairs.

Scott

Is there a gap between the tub and the flare at the forward edge of the rocker panel

[Chris L]

Originally posted by Iceman
thanks for all the replies
It seems that I've pretty much got my mind set on the Poison Spyder ones.
1) they're beefy and might be overkill, but fit exactly the kinda trails I'm getting into
2) they will cover up current damage which extends all the way towards the Warn Rock Sliders, so in the future I'm likely to hit these spots again

Ron--
I like the avalanche ones myself. I figure what I lack in weight these more than make up for

[Jerry Bransford]

Don't waste your time with aluminum pop-rivets, they will shear the first time a shear force is placed against them. When a rock tried to push my corner guards upwards from the bottom, it sheared half of the aluminum pop rivets. Use stainless steel instead. Just use a big-assed (extra-long handles) pop-riveting to set them unless you have Superman arms and pecs and are strong enough to use a more common size of pop-rivet tool.

[ScottyY2K]

Originally posted by Deaver
Scott

Is there a gap between the tub and the flare at the forward edge of the rocker panel

Yes. It starts at an 1/8" and runs out in about 6". It has never bothered me enough to spend ten minutes to tape it off and seal it with silicone though. In fact when I saw your question I had to run out and take a closer look at the gap. It is definitely there but does not bother me.

[Deaver]

Originally posted by ScottyY2K
Yes. It starts at an 1/8" and runs out in about 6". It has never bothered me enough to spend ten minutes to tape it off and seal it with silicone though. In fact when I saw your question I had to run out and take a closer look at the gap. It is definitely there but does not bother me.

I meant to say corner guard but, I think you answered my question

Thanks

[ScottyY2K]

Originally posted by Deaver
I meant to say corner guard but, I think you answered my question

Thanks

Hopefully this clarifies and not confuses....

The Flare mounts up tight to the corner guard. The bolts sandwich the corner guards btw. the flare and the tub. The corner guard is tight to the tub. The fit-up was excellent. There is an 1/8" gap btw the flare and the tub just forward of the corner guard.

[William]

I wonder with all the bends and dents in my tub if these would fit at all?

[Jeff Weston]

Originally posted by William
I wonder with all the bends and dents in my tub if these would fit at all?

It depends how bent you're talking, but, installing the corner guards helped put my bent corner back into shape.

[TJRON]

more info

[William]

Originally posted by Jeff Weston
It depends how bent you're talking, but, installing the corner guards helped put my bent corner back into shape.

Uh, mine are pretty tweaked. I need to fix my trackbar issues and get a new front window, so corner gards are out of the window for a while anyway.

[Cement_guy]

Originally posted by Iceman
thanks for all the replies
It seems that I've pretty much got my mind set on the Poison Spyder ones.
1) they're beefy and might be overkill, but fit exactly the kinda trails I'm getting into
2) they will cover up current damage which extends all the way towards the Warn Rock Sliders, so in the future I'm likely to hit these spots again

I'm with you and going to do the same, my reasoning:

1) What do you cover the 1/8 ones with if/when you dent them?

2) The extra 1/16 will add twice the strength with only 33% more weight

3) If I don't guard the top of the tub rail and the panel behind the door, it will be next.

I also know that a 'flatty' job will spring out of necesity, just like all the other stuff has....

...............which is why I'm going with the recessed lights too, or the stockers will be next.

[Cement_guy]

Originally posted by William
Uh, mine are pretty tweaked. I need to fix my trackbar issues and get a new front window, so corner gards are out of the window for a while anyway.

Oh well, you can't 'dent a dent', right?

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally posted by Cement_guy
I'm with you and going to do the same, my 2) The extra 1/16 will add twice the strength with only 33% more weight

Such a minor point but what the heck... that's 50% more weight... since the extra 1/16" is equal to 50% of the original 1/8" thickness. You're adding an extra 50%, or half again of what the weight is of the 1/8" product. Now if you were to go from 3/16" back to 1/8, then you'd be cutting the corner guard's weight by 1/3.

The issue with weight isn't so much with a single component by itself, it's staying with a trend of not going extra-heavy as a rule.

[Bermudacat]

Originally posted by Jerry Bransford
Such a minor point but what the heck... that's 50% more weight... since the extra 1/16" is equal to 50% of the original 1/8" thickness. You're adding an extra 50%, or half again of what the weight is of the 1/8" product. Now if you were to go from 3/16" back to 1/8, then you'd be cutting the corner guard's weight by 1/3.

The issue with weight isn't so much with a single component by itself, it's staying with a trend of not going extra-heavy as a rule.

Hmmmmmm, I follow what your saying, but I thing something is being lost. Your right, they are 50% thicker, but they aren't doubling the weight, at least if you look at it as an increment of 1/16" inch thicknesses it doesn't appear to.

To double the weight, you would have to go 100% thicker, or twice the original thickness, right?

But back to weight; I had a hard time believing at first that a TJ would be pushing 4k + pounds in a 'rock ready' configuration, but I know accept it as the truth. I am big on saving weight wherever possible but I feel in this case 'cutting corners' (pun intended) would be bad. I agonized pretty heavily before putting the Kilby fuel skid on but I now see anything less would not hold up.

Aluminum wheels and not putting more guard (engine, tranny etc.) than you need to protect the component at risk is part of my strategy to save weight where I can. Pairing about 25 pounds off the driver is another thing that will be a plus!



EDIT: The light came on! If they weight 40lbs at 1/8th they weigh 60 lbs at 3/16th, but I do believe the strength goes up as a cube of the thickness.