by Matt Konkle
Managing Editor
The rocky, off-camber hill climb looks tempting, you say. After all, you can handle it, right? Your friends certainly think so, as do all those in the group already perched at the top.
They wave enthusiastically and so you carefully creep up and begin the process. First, both front tires bump up against a few of those rocks and the vehicle tilts upward. Then, as the front tires slide over and drop off into a small rut, your rear tires take their place and the vehicle tips sideways a bit, throwing you off-camber.
No worries, the spotter yells out. You continue forward, slightly askew when suddenly you hear a small bang and scraping below the driver side door. It's an unsettling noise. One that hits you just like a knife to the soul when you realize body damage could be involved because all you have are plastic factory side steps that may have ripped off. Or worse, you have nothing there at all.
It may be a rock, it may be a tree stump or some other trail debris, but regardless of the obstacle, without adequate side protection you run the risk of this happening every time you try and tackle stuff on the trail.
But this kind of damage can also happen anywhere. Even if you never take the vehicle into the woods, all it takes is for someone to park too close to you and open their door a bit too fast. Or perhaps it is a wind blown shopping cart that comes out of nowhere and gouges out a spot below your passenger door.
Things happen, as things often do.
That’s why adding solid side protection is a great modification to make – along the same lines as stronger aftermarket front and rear bumpers. Stuff that either serves as the vehicle’s initial side barrier because the Jeep didn't come with any, or replaces a run-of-the-mill factory version with something that can take a hit.
These days, the most popular aftermarket side protection falls into two main categories—rocker guards and side steps.
Rocker Guards
Jeep Rocker Guards, quite simply, are slabs of steel that cover the lower rocker area and provide a heavy-duty shield against rocks, tree branches, or other trail debris looking to cause harm to your vehicle’s body while off-roading.
They generally attach via drilling into the body and secure with nutserts for a flush, low profile look that also compliments both factory or aftermarket flares, while giving you superior ground clearance.
These protection pieces utilize a steel construction with a black power coat for lasting durability, and often have some type of lower flat side rail integrated into the design for added protection against ground collisions as well as side ones.
Additionally, rocker guards can help add some longevity to the Jeep’s exterior sill plate area as well—protecting it against gouges or accidental dents from constantly jumping in and out of the vehicle when trail riding.
One thing to note on rocker guards, though. Because of the drilling involved for attachment, they generally are a permanent mod and best used by those who expect to push their vehicle more aggressively off-road.
Another version of the rocker guard design are rock sliders, which sit lower on the body than those rockers and utilize powder coated steel tubing—sometimes angled—to protect the body while allowing it to easily slide off rocks during more technical obstacles. They are also excellent to negotiate tree stumps while providing additional side recovery points.
Most rock sliders can be either bolted or drilled into the frame for attachment instead of into the body, so they should be more easily interchangeable with other types of side protection if needed down the road.
For many, the rock slider design usually offers the best in functionality during intense rock crawling, while presenting a more rugged appearance than either the rocker guards or side steps.
They also make a great upgrade from the plastic factory steps and provide a much stronger standing surface for tasks like installing/removing the soft or hardtop, lifting items onto a roof rack above the hardtop, or cleaning the windshield. The wider full-length tubular step on many of these designs also makes it easier should the vehicle become stuck, and you need to climb across the step to access the winch or safely find the best spot to jump out.
Side Steps
Jeep Side Steps exist mainly for the everyday driver who wants some relatively inexpensive side protection against stuff like accidental car door strikes, as well as shopping carts and brush when traveling on dirt or fire roads. These also provide an easy way to step into the vehicle for those who have added body or suspension lifts.
Side steps can simply be a physical step that bolts into the body or frame, a tubular bar that includes a textured step—often referred to as a nerf bar—or even a running board that runs from flare to flare for better overall protection coverage during everyday driving.
They are also fairly simple to install as most do not include any drilling, and can easily bolt into factory mounting positions.
However, for the more aggressive off-road driver, this style of side protection is not usually recommended as most utilize plastic, aluminum or a lighter-grade steel than what you find in rocker guards or rock sliders. While you can certainly head off-road with side steps on the vehicle, there is a higher chance the steps will become damaged following a good rock strike, or other type of impact during more intense driving.
