Rock skin liners

[wwood]

I don't really know what the liner would help with. You still have to drill holes in your body and it's not like you can easily fix them if you want to take the skins off. Seems like a gimmick and waste of money to me.

My worry is not about protecting the Jeep sheet metal from physical damage by the skins, its about rust. Water wicks and stays trapped between close together flat surfaces (picture a drop of water between 2 glass slides). Also, air will always be between the 2 metal surfaces and air always contains water vapor. Humid areas have a lot of water vapor which will condense on the inner surfaces every time the dew point is hit and that water is virtually trapped between the skins and the sheet metal. Rust is almost guaranteed given enough time, especially around the rivnuts which are regular steel, not stainless, and the edges of the drilled holes.

How much time will it take to see rust damage? Don't know. Probably depends on where you live. That's why I asked if anybody had skins on for a number of years and what happened.

Any way to minimize the problem? Seems to me that a rubber liner is a good idea because it will displace air and probably prevent more water from entering (rain, washing, wheeling,etc). I also like Jags idea of RTV around the rivnuts.

Hinrichs: I am from south Jersey, went to school in Reading, pretty humid back there. I would hesitate to RTV around the outside edges of installed skins because you would be trapping any existing water. Might be a good idea to remove the skins temporarily if practical and see what is behind them. Dry them off and then consider RTV. Personally I don't think I would use RTV in a humid climate due to the condensation risk. Rather leave the gap open so there is at least a chance that any condensed or trapped water can evaporate.

For my install here in the Phoenix area I think I am going to put a few coats of Rustoleum on/around the installed rivnuts. Might put a rubber gasket type liner under the skins if I can find something that will definitely not absorb water. Otherwise I will just screw them on and leave the gaps open. I would then be relying solely on the paint on the Jeep and the inside of the skins to prevent rust. Still makes me nervous since I want to keep my Jeep for many years.

 

[SDG]

Seems to me unless you silicone the entire thing water will get in. I dont think the rubber surround buys you anything. Water will creep between the rubber and paint or rubber and steel because of capilary action as soon as 1 grain of sand dusrupts the "seal".

Want to make sure no water gets in? Wrap the body panels after the holes are drilled and before rivnuts go in. Then rely on a good paint job or powder coat on the skins.

Sounds kinda crazy to me. Seal the gap with rtv or silicone for esthetics and thats about it in my opinion.

 

[seanb33]

I've heard to seal the top and sides with silicone or similar and to leave the bottom open to leave any water that may get in a way to get out.

 

[wwood]

I've heard to seal the top and sides with silicone or similar and to leave the bottom open to leave any water that may get in a way to get out.

Don't think that would work reliably in a humid climate where you could get condensed water under the skins. Might if the gaps are big, but might not. Water tends to wick by capillary action and stay trapped between flat surfaces that are close together. There is also a vacuum type issue - kinda like putting a straw in a glass of water then putting your finger on top of the straw, lift the straw out of the water and the water in the straw will not fall out. Sealing the top and sides might do the same and keep condensed water trapped.

All of this is really speculation, I certainly don't know what is going to happen, never had skins on a Jeep, don't know anybody who has them. What we really need are some folks who have had skins on for many years to let us know what happens. Hopefully somebody will chime in.

 

[piginajeep]

I ran the liners on my TJ when I lived in Ohio with the TJ psc sliders. I took them off before I sold it. It still trapped in dirt, water. It still rusted.

I would rather not run anything so at least you can rinse it out.

 

[Irish JK]

I ran the liners on my TJ when I lived in Ohio with the TJ psc sliders. I took them off before I sold it. It still trapped in dirt, water. It still rusted.

I would rather not run anything so at least you can rinse it out.

To that point, how much are skins actually needed with a quality rock rail such as EVO's or others?

 

[wwood]

I ran the liners on my TJ when I lived in Ohio with the TJ psc sliders. I took them off before I sold it. It still trapped in dirt, water. It still rusted.

I would rather not run anything so at least you can rinse it out.

Interesting that the liner did not help. So it looks like you are right. Not running anything is probably the best idea unless somebody comes up with real experience that proves RTV or some other solution is better. I am still going to paint my rivnuts after they are installed.

 

[hillybilly]

My skins have been in my garage for almost a year! Been worried about this very issue. I had one suggestion of using Fluid Film between them. I have been thinking about this off and on the last few months and it seems to be feasible. Maybe some of you have some input on this suggestion? I'm about ready to sell them and just put on EVO sliders or something similar.

 

[JKFlyer]

Realistically...will you all still have the jeep by the time the rust really sets in and causes issues? I drilled all over mine....side armor....hood Louvre...rear skins etc... I wouldn't over think it and just enjoy it the way you want to see it . Just paint over holes u drill real well. Just my 2¢

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using WAYALIFE mobile app

 

[JayKay]

Realistically...will you all still have the jeep by the time the rust really sets in and causes issues? I drilled all over mine....side armor....hood Louvre...rear skins etc... I wouldn't over think it and just enjoy it the way you want to see it . Just paint over holes u drill real well. Just my 2¢

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using WAYALIFE mobile app

Agreed, any time you drill holes in sheet metal and don't touch it up, you're inhibiting rust. Put your skins on and I can assure you that if you took them off in a year, there'd be signs of rust. After all the years I've been customizing and modifying cars, there's always a trade off. You want to install skins for looks and protection, face the fact there's gonna be corrosion under them, that's the trade off. As JKFlyer said, don't worry about it and just enjoy your Jeep for the years you own it.

 

[Spartan]

Drew or Eddie have any insight on this?

 

[Rusty]

In our shitty climate in the Montreal area, we use RTV around the top, and a good amount of marine grade grease between the two. They use so much salt on our roads in the winter that...

 

[Mikes Offroad]

I siliconed the top and left the bottom free of silicon. Just for the thought that any water that did get would hopefully drain out the bottom. Does it help who knows, sounds like it would.

 

[wayoflife]

Does anybody have skins installed for more than a year or so? Did you use silicone or any sort of liner? Any rust issues?

I have run skins just as is, have run liners and have run silicon. I have also removed all 3 after a lot of use and have found the following:

1. Without anything, you will get grains of sand and fine dirt caught in between the body and skins. The dirt is not that big of a deal but the grains of sand will dig into the paint and even living in an area like SoCal where we have next to no rain and certainly no salt, they still dug in enough to cause tiny orange spots of rust to form.

2. Liners had a way of bonding to the paint but unevenly. Removing them almost looked like they damaged the paint and STILL, dirt managed to get in between. If I lived out in the east coast, I would definitely NOT do this.

3. Hands down, the bead of silicon offered the BEST results with nothing being able to get in. The only problem was removing the skins was a bit tougher and you will have a lot of clean up/scraping to do before reinstalling.

 

[Spartan]

Awesome detailed answer as always Eddie. Thank you.

 

[Rebel JK]

Currently working on some 3/16 home slice rocker protection myself. Im going with a healthy layer of plastidip (light coats) under entire shin, then rtv. Thinking this may lessen the surprise underneath, kinda like the not knowing when pulling a scab.
Maybe you back east guys with more corrosive conditions could go with rhino lining under to minimise the corrosion. I dont know.

 

[T&ERun]

3. Hands down, the bead of silicon offered the BEST results with nothing being able to get in.

Did you silicon just the top and sides, or bottom too?

 

[Serg5000]

What do the instructions call for? I am about to install a set but did not receive instructions. I don't need them for the install, but rather to read what or where to place the silicone. I plan on going along the entire perimeter and the holes. I was just wondering what they suggest on the instructions.

 

[olram30]

What do the instructions call for? I am about to install a set but did not receive instructions. I don't need them for the install, but rather to read what or where to place the silicone. I plan on going along the entire perimeter and the holes. I was just wondering what they suggest on the instructions.

that's what i did and around the logo also. get good rtv. not the cheap silicone for windows.

 

[10frank9]

that's what i did and around the logo also. get good rtv. not the cheap silicone for windows.

This^^^

If you need them I could email them to you Serg.