I had been looking for some lower quarter panel protection for a little while and was just about ready to buy a pair from C-Rok when I first heard about Rock Lizard Fabrications new guards. After talking to Marty from RLF, I decided that these were the guards for me, and got in my order for the first batch that were being produced.
The install is pretty straight forward, and the instructions that were sent were very good, but I have a few tips that might help make things a little easier for you. Before you get started, here’s what you are going to need:
– Drill with 3/8″ bit
– 7/32″ Allen Wrench
– 9/16″ Wrench
The instructions also call for a second person to help with the install, however I was able to do it all by myself without much trouble. It might be difficult if you have short arms, though!
Time to get started. As you can see from the following pic, my lower quarters had taked some abuse from previous wheeling trips.
Since my XJ came with the Laredo package, I had the grey plastic trim that needs to be removed so the guards will sit flat against the body. I was able to pull off the trim pieces by hand.
Then I was able to use my fingers to remove the leftover glue.
Next I lined up the guard where I wanted it, and marked the top hole closest to the back of the XJ. Then I drilled that one out and loosely put the bolt in.
Then I made sure the guard was lined up again, and marked the top hole closest to the front of the XJ and loosely put this bolt in.
The next hole I drilled was the bottom middle one. I did whis while the guard was in place (the holes in the guard are big enough to drill thru without touching, if you are careful). Then I tightened all 3 of these bolts down and drilled out the rest of them. Finally tightening all those bolts.
One of the big tips I can give you is to remove the spare tire support when you are doing the driver’s side. It gives you plenty of room to get to the inner quarter panel so you can tighten the bolts. There are four bolts that need to be removed. You can see the top three that need to be removed in the following picture. The fourth one is located near the floor.
Once the four bolts are removed, you can easily remove the spare tire support and get it out of your way.
I’d also like to point out that RLF has done a great job matching their guards to the lines of the body. Mine lined up almost perfectly. I say “almost” because my quarters were a little beat up from years of wheeling.
Overall, I am very impressed with the guards and their build quality. I’d recommend them to anyone looking to protect thier lower quarter panels.
