That's awesome. I share your glee. Stupid careless insensitive old man. A big cup of comeuppance is even more satisfying to serve than a can of whoopass.

Let's see they are called running boards when they are solid, Nerf bars when the steel tubes were first brought in and now they are "side step bars" when looking through brochures as the open design took over the market place, gotta love evolution.

What are they called when they're the ridiculous ones on overly expensive vehicles that suck up into the side of the truck when you close the door? Status bars?

If a vehicle has a retractable side step, is it still a side step if no one sees it?

Oh, it's important that people see it going up. That's why you make sure you park those vehicles in red zones in front of stores. How else will they know that you spent $60000 for a $20000 truck?

I was actually going into the whole 'if a tree falls in the forest does it still make a sound?' thing, TGIF, I get extra sleep tomorrow only had 22hrs in thast 5 days. OH wait no extra sleep, have that GTG at Mojo's

LOL

Just so you know, mine are very unobtrusive. they attach to the frame underneath so they don't jut way out the side. They are only about 4" wide with 1" of that actually underneath the rocker. They are flat and rectangular and run the full length of the rocker from the front wheel well to the rear wheel well. They are tapered ant both ends and match the black factory rocker guard on the lower sheet metal that comes factory with the Rubicons.

They actually look like they belong there and the name has progressed to "Rock Sliders" because they are actually meant more to allow you to drive over a rock with your front tire, and (if absolutely required) slide the vehicle along the rock until it gets to the rear tire. They double as good steps for the WAF.

I'd have sent a picture but its a few blocks away and would probably just induced further jokes. Thanks for the laughts though, they were well deserved.

A buddy got tired of vehicles that he had to worry about scratches... so he drives a YJ now, "painted" in truck bed liner inside and out. Since learning that "you play - you pay" (in broken stuff) he doesn't take it offroad much anymore, it's nearly useless in the winter with a short wheelbase (IMO) and absolutely useless on the highway without being suspended in some kind of non-newtonian fluid and using hearing protection.

He still gets the satisfaction of not wondering if that WAS a rock hit or not.

Also, the only thing worse than a stock Jeep ignition system is retrofitting it for aftermarket HEI.

Bren R.

I have owned a YJ, then a TJ, then my TJ- Rubicon.

YJ's were awful but obsessively fun filled creatures. I had to adjust my carb once a week to keep it starting and the leaf spring suspension was so rough I thought I might start a business where I drive overdue pregnant ladies to the hospital and induce them all in the same trip.

Yup, you play you pay is soo true.

A short wheelbase on a 4x4 is not a problem in the winter when you use the 4wd AND "BIG AND" you drive at speeds that the weather warrants. I see so many people barreling along in 4WDs of all sizes thinking that they are indestructible cause they pulled the 4wd level/button. Yes, it well help you keep going in a straight line longer but it will not help much on a sudden emergency turn or stop any faster.

However, without the 4wd, ya its a spinning top. The transfer case on my old YJ wouldn't change in/out of 4wd unless I slowed to an almost standstill so when pavement conditions constantly changed, you tended to leave it o ff to protect your drive train. Also, hardly anybody knows how to drive a rear wheel drive anymore. Give it gas and your rear end goes sideways. Seems to surprise people now.

You should get a ride in a 97 or up, ie TJ. That's when they switched to a spring coil suspension and now it rides as smooth as a small 1/4 ton truck at least. Still no Seniormobile Buick but night and Day compared to the old! Still noisy though when you use a soft top. A less aggressive tire makes it pretty quiet but then your obviously not doing any serious off-roading so you might as well have bought a car or a CRV or some other 'urban' SUV.

The 4.0L Straight Six that started with the TJ is now considered one of the more reliable engines of it's time. The older YJ injection system came came around in its last couple of model years and was just kind of an afterthought and did work crappy.

07s and up come in a wheelbase thats almost 2' longer and more creature comforts yet again but remains a robust trail vehicle.

Opps Rambling. Will stop now. Takes a while to give equal time to the good and the bad so you don't sound like you are defending the brand too much.

And 33" chunk tires on ice in ruts made by passenger width tires are useless... thus the reason we packed it into a snowbank backwards on my front street with no wheelspin at about, oh... 10kmh.

Already replaced the weak vacuum system with a cable linkage for positive transfer case selection.

I think I've been in just about every OR-type vehicle made to date from the Tracker up to a Willys... and I'll have to say it's like night and dusk compared to the YJ - still a butt-pounder.

Not trying to slag the brand, more one of those "oh, those crazy machines" posts...

Bren R.