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Rockslide Engineering Power Steps

zuki_dan

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Sorry to revive this thread but I've got the front and center drivers out no problem using the torque wrench and heat method. On the rear I've put 90ftibs into it without moving. How hard was it for you to remove the mount after it broke? Did you need to jack the body up?
The rear body mounts in bolt from the bottom of the frame and come right out without lifting the body. Mine was moving slightly until it broke.

There was just enough sticking out to get an ez out socket on and with heat directly on it came out easily. Worst parts was waiting a couple days for the Jeep dealer to order the bolts. It was a 2 pack for about $11.
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22EcoDs

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The rear body mounts in bolt from the bottom of the frame and come right out withoutlifting the body. Mine was moving slightly until it broke.

There was just enough sticking out to get an ez out socket on and with heat directly on it came out easily. Worst parts was waiting a couple days for the Jeep dealer to order the bolts. It was a 2 pack for about $11.
Awesome thanks for the info.
 

22EcoDs

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Me too. I use my large torque wrench gently as a breaker bar sometimes. I highly recommended against an impact wrench. Many have broken those body bolts doing that. This is one of those manual tool jobs.
I got it!! Thanks to you both appreciate the guidance. Stupid long bolt... Going to use the supplied ones going back in.

Screenshot_20230318-091445.png
 

WILDHOBO

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I got it!! Thanks to you both appreciate the guidance. Stupid long bolt... Going to use the supplied ones going back in.

Jeep Gladiator Rockslide Engineering Power Steps Screenshot_20230318-091445
Good work.
 

ShadowsPapa

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The rear body mounts in bolt from the bottom of the frame and come right out without lifting the body. Mine was moving slightly until it broke.

There was just enough sticking out to get an ez out socket on and with heat directly on it came out easily. Worst parts was waiting a couple days for the Jeep dealer to order the bolts. It was a 2 pack for about $11.
Well, I just joined the broken bolt club.
The Wrangler went fine - the left front was a pain in the butt but a propane torch and patience did the trick. Took a long time but the brackets when in and the steps all done before our trip.
Today I decided I'd put the brackets on my Gladiator. Trying to time things out so we could use it today and Saturday, then do the bulk of the work on Sunday and Monday as far as wiring and mounting the steps.
The right side went beautifully. I had all 3 brackets in place without a lot of trouble. The center mount was easy, the front not really bad, the rear was the worst, but still went ok.
Moved to left side - center was fine, bolt not really all that tough. Went to the left front...... took almost an hour with propane torch off and on, work it 1/50th of a turn, heat, another 1/50th of a turn, more heat, got it just far enough out to work the bracket in place.
Applied more heat with propane torch, started to tighten the bolt - SNAP. Really?????? Got it loose, bracket in, tried to tight it and it snapped.
Great.
I can see the bolt broken off up there - in the threads. Not a bit of it sticks down at all. In fact, I'd say it's broken up about 1/2 a thread or so, it's not even even with the bottom of the threads so there's nothing to heat, nothing to grab.
I so very rarely ever break bolts. It just doesn't happen, especially not on newer stuff. Last time was long ago on 40 year old rusty bolts (and I frankly didn't care as I could mill out the remains on my tiny cheap mill as the part was in my hand)
So now I'm screwed. It's broken off way up in there, too deep to heat, and likely a hard bolt.


To those who have broken body mount bolts - can it at least be DRIVEN until fixed??
 

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ShadowsPapa

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This is how easy the REARS were -
Right after posting the above, I put my shoes back on, my coat, went out to garage, propane torch on left rear mount bolt for a while, scraped off the undercoating, put the left rear bracket between bolt head and captive washer, tightened bolt, put tools away, came in. So basically under 15 minutes - and that includes getting coat and shoes on to go back out.
Left front - over an hour on that one single bolt and it still broke while TIGHTENING it.
 

zuki_dan

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Well, I just joined the broken bolt club.
The Wrangler went fine - the left front was a pain in the butt but a propane torch and patience did the trick. Took a long time but the brackets when in and the steps all done before our trip.
Today I decided I'd put the brackets on my Gladiator. Trying to time things out so we could use it today and Saturday, then do the bulk of the work on Sunday and Monday as far as wiring and mounting the steps.
The right side went beautifully. I had all 3 brackets in place without a lot of trouble. The center mount was easy, the front not really bad, the rear was the worst, but still went ok.
Moved to left side - center was fine, bolt not really all that tough. Went to the left front...... took almost an hour with propane torch off and on, work it 1/50th of a turn, heat, another 1/50th of a turn, more heat, got it just far enough out to work the bracket in place.
Applied more heat with propane torch, started to tighten the bolt - SNAP. Really?????? Got it loose, bracket in, tried to tight it and it snapped.
Great.
I can see the bolt broken off up there - in the threads. Not a bit of it sticks down at all. In fact, I'd say it's broken up about 1/2 a thread or so, it's not even even with the bottom of the threads so there's nothing to heat, nothing to grab.
I so very rarely ever break bolts. It just doesn't happen, especially not on newer stuff. Last time was long ago on 40 year old rusty bolts (and I frankly didn't care as I could mill out the remains on my tiny cheap mill as the part was in my hand)
So now I'm screwed. It's broken off way up in there, too deep to heat, and likely a hard bolt.


To those who have broken body mount bolts - can it at least be DRIVEN until fixed??
I drove mine with the driver's rear broken until the new bolts came in. A little noise from that corner but not bad.

After mine broke I was able to get heat on the it and it came out easily. Probably have to drill and easy out yours from what it sounds like.

When I re-installed the new bolt I removed all the factory loctite paste and used some regular blue loctite on it.
 

ShadowsPapa

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I drove mine with the driver's rear broken until the new bolts came in. A little noise from that corner but not bad.

After mine broke I was able to get heat on the it and it came out easily. Probably have to drill and easy out yours from what it sounds like.

When I re-installed the new bolt I removed all the factory loctite paste and used some regular blue loctite on it.
The front one is way up in there............. not going to be an easy task.
Thanks for the thought on driving it as it may be days or even a week before I can get to getting that bolt out. You can't see it unless you are 100% directly below it, which means using goggles, etc. and a long bit. (and praying you are centered)
Not sure how anyone could even heat it up in there. It's really recessed.
 

zuki_dan

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The front one is way up in there............. not going to be an easy task.
Thanks for the thought on driving it as it may be days or even a week before I can get to getting that bolt out. You can't see it unless you are 100% directly below it, which means using goggles, etc. and a long bit. (and praying you are centered)
Not sure how anyone could even heat it up in there. It's really recessed.
Yeah breaking the front ones scared me. No way to get the mount out of the way short of lifting the cab off.

I even had the steps mounted up missing the one rear bolt mount until the new bolts came in.
 

ShadowsPapa

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Yeah breaking the front ones scared me. No way to get the mount out of the way short of lifting the cab off.

I even had the steps mounted up missing the one rear bolt mount until the new bolts came in.
I plan on going ahead and mounting the steps, getting them all working when the temperatures are above 50 in the next week. Bit cold out there today - didn't warm up much and my shop is too full of stuff and cars to get it in where it's warm to work on it.

Using my finger as a measure, it's about 2" up in there.

Jeep Gladiator Rockslide Engineering Power Steps broken-mount-bolt
 

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Mbryson

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I'm pretty interested to see how you get that out of there. Hope it goes well
 

ShadowsPapa

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I'm pretty interested to see how you get that out of there.
So am I LOL
Thanks.

It's weird, but there have been many dozens of times, maybe into the hundreds, over the years, where I have looked at something and been reminded that "you built that" or "you fixed that" or "you painted that" and I think - naw, not me. Someone else did that, no way I could have done that, I can't even remember how to do it, how could I have done it?"
I'm hoping that in the near future, I have another one of those experiences.
 

jebiruph

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I plan on going ahead and mounting the steps, getting them all working when the temperatures are above 50 in the next week. Bit cold out there today - didn't warm up much and my shop is too full of stuff and cars to get it in where it's warm to work on it.

Using my finger as a measure, it's about 2" up in there.

Jeep Gladiator Rockslide Engineering Power Steps broken-mount-bolt
Give your favorite service advisor a call and see what they can do for you. I would expect they have some experience with this repair.
 

22EcoDs

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@ShadowsPapa sorry to hear this happened to you. I got my rock hards all installed on my 22. Front two were the easiest for me , heat and came right out at 50 ftibs despite red loctite . Mids same thing but blue and 60ft ibs. Rears even heated I had to put over 100ftibs into and fought me the whole time, minimal blue loctite. Got the fronts in on new bolts, mid and rear in using old bolts (easier since the threads ramp). All 6 tightened to 85ftibs.
 

22EcoDs

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They will either drill in from the body or lift the cab depending on the dealer from what I read.
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