Got some MCC rock sliders or as they like to call it, side steps for my 2007 spanish STX. These come with three attachment plates per side where you attach them to the chassis via U bolts and fasten them on the side of the chassis, facing the outside. See the pic below. They look similar to these.
So I started on the passenger side, the ubolts fit fine in the middle and the back bracket. However I have notice that the chasis at the front end of the rockslider bracket pouint is shorter than the middle and rear point of attachment. The chassis just tapers in at the bottom and is slightly shorter by about approx 7mm. The top of the chassis remains straight. Boggles the mind why Nissan would do this. Anyway these MCC rock sliders have plates and u bolts that are all the same size and do not accomodate this change in chassis size at the first attachment point. My crude drawing illustrates. The right side shows this tapering in to a shorter chassis. The plates and ubolts are all the same size. The holes are where the U bolt attaches to the plate.
Here is my thoughts. I may need to place some metal shims at the bottom of the chassis where the u bolts would normally sit up against the chassis, otherwise its going to move up and down if something hits the rock sliders from below. Particularly where the chassis gets smaller.
I've notice very little room between the top of the chassis and some sort of (assumed) brake line or something (on my passenger side). I had to jimmy the gap with a screwdriver to make room for these ubolts to slip through. If my rock sliders where to move up when it hits a rut, the U bolts might pinch or cut this brake line. Would that be a wise assumption?
Can someone confirm this has been their experience when installing side steps with U bolts on their spanish D40? and is shimming the way to go?
I need some advice on how to install these so I dont damage the lines or other parts of this vehicle.
I probably should have gone for a set of more robust rock sliders than these as the U bolts just don't look like they will do the job. ie hold them securely. The U bolts themselves look like they are high tensile but the lock nuts that come with them are zinc coated lock nuts. I don't think these are high tensile, but the threads on these are more denser and not the sort of nuts or U bolts you can get from bunnings.
Just looking at the driver side chassis, there is a spaghetti jumble of solid lines all around the back of the chassis I'm going to have to be careful about. These vehicles just weren't made for mods that well.
So I started on the passenger side, the ubolts fit fine in the middle and the back bracket. However I have notice that the chasis at the front end of the rockslider bracket pouint is shorter than the middle and rear point of attachment. The chassis just tapers in at the bottom and is slightly shorter by about approx 7mm. The top of the chassis remains straight. Boggles the mind why Nissan would do this. Anyway these MCC rock sliders have plates and u bolts that are all the same size and do not accomodate this change in chassis size at the first attachment point. My crude drawing illustrates. The right side shows this tapering in to a shorter chassis. The plates and ubolts are all the same size. The holes are where the U bolt attaches to the plate.
Here is my thoughts. I may need to place some metal shims at the bottom of the chassis where the u bolts would normally sit up against the chassis, otherwise its going to move up and down if something hits the rock sliders from below. Particularly where the chassis gets smaller.
I've notice very little room between the top of the chassis and some sort of (assumed) brake line or something (on my passenger side). I had to jimmy the gap with a screwdriver to make room for these ubolts to slip through. If my rock sliders where to move up when it hits a rut, the U bolts might pinch or cut this brake line. Would that be a wise assumption?
Can someone confirm this has been their experience when installing side steps with U bolts on their spanish D40? and is shimming the way to go?
I need some advice on how to install these so I dont damage the lines or other parts of this vehicle.
I probably should have gone for a set of more robust rock sliders than these as the U bolts just don't look like they will do the job. ie hold them securely. The U bolts themselves look like they are high tensile but the lock nuts that come with them are zinc coated lock nuts. I don't think these are high tensile, but the threads on these are more denser and not the sort of nuts or U bolts you can get from bunnings.
Just looking at the driver side chassis, there is a spaghetti jumble of solid lines all around the back of the chassis I'm going to have to be careful about. These vehicles just weren't made for mods that well.
