SmittybiltXRC GEN2 Armor Rear for Jeep JK 4-Door

This was the first set of these I put on my Jeep JKU and I have to say that they mount solidly, when you smack them there is no ringing, just solid steel. They're heavy but not unmanageable (the front ones weigh more). The install starts with removing your side step (or rock sliders), loosening or removing your back bumper for clearance, taking off your fender flares and inner liners and your license plate mount. It is strongly recommended that you tape the entire back end of the Jeep from the door jam to the rear door jam by the tail gate as you will be installing and removing these heavy chunks of steel several times and this will at least kinda protect your paint. Then you need to put these behemoths in place (I strongly recommend either quick clamps or C-Clamps to help position these panels and mark your rear holes (use of a transfer punch is recommended for the rear holes since you can reach them with one). Then you remove them and drill holes, and set in your rivnuts. (The "tool" they include may work but I'd recommend either spending $40-90 or renting a rivnut/nutsert tool) The nutserts you'll be installing are M10 if you're wondering. Install and set the rear rivnuts then re-mount the panel and install the rear bolts and tighten the down, don't torque them down all the way but you want them tight so they push the panels forward. Get your spacing near your door and at the top of the tub the way you want them, use the clamps to hold in place and then you'll have to mark the other holes under the panels. You won't be able to use your transfer punches under here. What I did was took some of my touch up paint and sprayed it onto a piece of scrap cardboard and dipped the end of one of the bolts into it and put the bolt into the hole and ran it around the rim so it left a nice paint circle on the tape beneath it. I marked all of the top holes this way then removed the panels and used a transfer punch to center on those marks, set then drilled and set my nutserts. Then you reinstall and again crank them down tight but don't go for broke, then use a transfer punch and mark the two bottom holes, then remove the panels again, drill, nutsert, remove your tape and then install your panel again, start with the rear bolts and then go till they're all in and final torque them all down at this point. It sounds complicated, and it is fairly labor intensive but it isn't really hard work if you have a friend or two. Once the panels are on you can reinstall the inner fenders or Raptor Liner or something along that line the inner fender area and any of the pinch seam that protrudes below the panels. I had to cut the top of my stock license plate mount to fit under the tail light armor and I could not refit my tail gate hinge covers, I'll modify them later and reinstall or just paint that section black when I get to doing my inner fender areas. Overall, this is a technical but not overly difficult install and isn't too bad if you have an extra set of hands and a couple of clamps. There may be some fitment to do with the license plate mount and tail gate covers and possibly even your rear bumper. I've seen videos where people couldn't get one of the bolts at the bottom on the rocker panel to go in because of their steps/rock sliders. This steel is solid enough that one of those bolts not being installed will likely never ever be a problem. When I get to Raptor Liner my inner fenders and the sheet metal that shows through I will update with pics.

It's perfect! Very strong! Very cool!

On my tj 2000