Investments of any nature are worth considering in detail, and with a dose of advice where possible. That’s why Larry McRae, president of Poison Spyder Customs, is here to give us a little insight into the company’s frame-mounted Rocker Knockers for Wrangler JKs.

President Larry McRae takes the time to share some advice on the pros and cons of a body-mounted versus frame-mounted set of Rocker Knockers.

Before starting with the task of installing the new parts, McRae offers some insight into differences between the frame-mounted versus body-mounted Rocker Knockers.

Basically, it boils down to what you plan to do to your vehicle, as the body-mounted kit will move with whatever body lift you decide to add to your Jeep. Just as well, the body-mounted kit should mesh well with any suspension system, including long-arm kits, without any further modification.

The frame-mounted kit, on the other hand, offers more protection from side and vertical impacts than the body-mounted option. If you’re still questioning the pros and cons, McRae strongly recommends that you give Poison Spyders’ sales staff a call for more advice and assistance with making the right choice.

The video above offers a look at the pre-installation stage first, starting with a parts list and tool list to review. Then, it’s time for removing the stock rocker panels, which is a simple unbolting process.

The Rocker Knocker’s front outrigger is installed using the factory bolt to secure it between the frame rail and transmission crossmember.

Once removed, the next step involves removing the bolt on the driver’s side of the transmission skid plate crossmember (don’t remove the other side) and inserting the Rocker Knocker’s front-most outrigger flange between the crossmember and frame rail, then reinstalling the bolt, making sure the other two outriggers are sitting snug against the frame rail.

A pen or center punch is used for the following step: marking the outriggers’ holes along the frame rail. These are to be drilled out with a 1/2-inch threading tap after you’ve removed the Rocker Knocker.

Next the installation phase is shown. After reinstalling the factory bolt on the front outrigger, the center and rear outriggers are mounted using the supplied spacers and hex-head cap screws.

For added rigidity, Poison Spyder drills out the body mount brackets adjacent to each of the outriggers, inserts 3/8-inch hardware, and tightens it all down. Then all that’s left to do is repeat these steps (minus the thread-drilling task) on the other side of the Jeep, and the process is nearly done.

Drilling the frame requires a pilot hole, starting with a 3/16-inch bit.

The last steps call for removal of the Rocker Knockers–provided you want them painted or powder-coated–and attachment of the skid plates, which is done with the provided ¼x¾-inch flathead cap screws, washers, and lock nuts.

The finished product looks darn good.

Finally, the Rocker Knockers are installed using the same steps described in pre-installation. Welders are encouraged to use only the bolt-on procedures, and then install the skid plates after the Rocker Knockers have been welded to the Jeep.

And now the Jeep ready for the trail. Freshly equipped with thick DOM tubing and a sturdy adherence to the Jeep’s chassis, these Rocker Knockers can prove invaluable when negotiating ravines, loose chop, mud, and other natural obstacles, helping to minimize damage to your vehicle’s frame.

For questions, comments and concerns, feel free to visit the Poison Spyder website. Also, check out its Facebook page for updates on great new project vehicles, as well as new products.