Step Slider Gas Spring Replacement Update.

Step Slider Gas Spring Replacement Update installation video. If you are running our older 2nd generation Step Slider and have issues with a step not retracting fully, it could be an issue with the gas spring wearing out or being affected by weather conditions. The gas spring assists the electric motor in fully retracting the step. Our 3rd generation Step Slider did away with the gas spring and uses a mechanical expansion spring design. We now have an update available for 2nd Gen that allows you to replace the gas spring with the expansion spring and fix your step that does not close fully. 2DR and 4DR kits are available for purchase via our website: rockslideengin...

[@wesleybray3046]

I just installed this kit to replace the gas shocks that had stopped closing completely on the driver side. It was an easy install. The drivers side was more difficult to me. I backed the tension off because the full tension would cause the step to bounce when closing from the force. YMMV. It’s a tight install but the retro spring fix seems good. My steps were installed originally by me in 2020. Good luck. Took an hour for drivers side. 10 minutes for the passenger.

[@johntamulonis4626]

Thanks for the info.

[@karinar370]

I’ve had these steps for 3 years and they started going bad about a year ago (wouldn’t come all the way up if the engine wasn’t on). Finally received this kit and installed on my 4 door JL. My boyfriend and I did it in probably about 3 .5 hours for one side and 1.5 in the other. The tools the kit comes with is not enough we used a bunch of different stuff to get the job done. It’s honestly way harder than the video suggests but if there’s a will there’s a way. This kit has been installed for about a month now and they’re great! (These steps have endured mud, water, and snow when off-roading so yes I would recommend these steps even tho this was a damn hassle)

[@JoseLOPEZ-fk5gc]

Sorry to bother u, how do u knw when its just the kit i need or the motor is out on it, i do hear the motor but its just stuck down, it use to at least try to go up before but now it jst makes the noise, i guess my question is, was yours like my situation?

[@karinar370]

@@JoseLOPEZ-fk5gc yup definitely the same thing was happening to me it would make noise then stop after trying for a little and the step would stay stuck down. It sounds like it isn’t the motor it’s the spring. I suggest giving this kit a try. I was willing to pay $100+ and spent 5 hours to try and fix them then to throw away $2k+ worth of side steps

[@walterumana811]

I really think you guys (rock slide) could make it easier for your costumers if you made 1 video for 4 doors and a separate video for 2 doors, come on it doesn't take much to create 2 separate videos,

[@IronsideAdventures801]

Installed this kit in about an hour. It is a little more difficult than the video suggests on an old, crusty, mud covered set of steps. Here are a few things to note. I had to tap the pin out with a hammer and punch to remove the step. Reinstalling was a combination of pushing, pulling, twisting, swearing, and tapping to get the pins back in place. It is a good time to grease and spray lube the whole mechanism while the step is off. The springs that shipped have a much tighter eye than those in the video. I had to really work at it to get the extension stud and hook attached. The aluminum hook is quite soft and I actually bent one of them. No way to attach then like in the video. I had to attach them all together outside and thread the stud into place with the spring and extension attached. The e clip tool is surprisingly handy. It's staying in the tool box. Also, make sure you have a pick like they use in the video. It makes life much easier.

[@user-fc5sm2fv5f]

I did the driver side this morning in about 3 hours at a very leisurely place. The key pearls of wisdom gleaned from doing this are (1) the step needs to raised up and down several times during the procedure to have good access. (2) the "crux" is getting the e-clip off at the end of the cylinder. What worked for me was to rotate the e-clip opening towards the cylinder and pop it off using a cotter pin removal tool. Everything else was pretty much per the video.

[@rords3695]

Just replaced mine.. Took around 30min each but could have been quicker if not for that e-clip that holds the gas struts.. Now that I did it, I learned the fastest way was just twist and break that e-clip and use the extra e-clip RSE has provided.. Probably, I could have save 10-15min.. Very happy now that my step sliders works perfectly again..

[@AV8XRC]

I finally installed this update kit due to the cooler weather causing steps to not fully rise up. Like most comments, I had a tough time with the first side, but the second side (passenger) went smoothly. I don’t have one of the picks, so I made due with what I had which made it more difficult. As for the E-clip tool, I couldn’t get clip to stay like video shows, so I used a small piece of scotch tape and laid it over the slot, but not letting it stick yet, then pushed the E-clip against the tape pushing it into the slot then pushing down the outer edges of the tape. It held the clips perfectly after that. Drivers side took 1.5 hours, and passenger side took 15 minutes.

[@tomconklin9232]

Unless you have little lady hands that are somehow also strong as a vice, this is a complete MFer. 97 hours for the driver side. Have not tried the passenger side because it is working. Shortcuts...buy more E Clips before you start. They are springy and scurry under heavy objects when allowed their freedom. After trying forever to get the E Clip on the gas piston end off, I used dental tools to pry it off. Get some dental tools. The gas piston itself was so difficult to remove that I almost gave up on the repair and my sobriety. Cursing helps. The end piece came off after 400 1/16th revolution turns and a full teaspoon of knuckle meat scuffed off. I almost took the step off the truck because there is so little room to work. In the end, I realized the piston was trash, so I pried it much further out than I would have otherwise and actually got that crappy little wrench they sent to work (again, 600 tiny turns). Plan A was also Plan N. Afterwards it was pretty straight forward. Again, surplus E Clips are advised. The cheesy music on this video will haunt my dreams for the rest of my life.

[@keithelder]

It took me over 3 hours to do just one side by myself. It would have been faster if I had help but as others have mentioned you have to raise and lower the steps and I had to go to the store to get the correct tools. I have a switch under steering wheel I could reach to let steps up and down, but that's going to go slower on passenger side unless I can get a buddy to come over and drink some pops while I do the work. Tough part for me was the Jeep is raised high enough that sitting in a chair didn't work, so I sat on a roll bed which was uncomfortable. Getting the e-clip off the shock is the toughest spot. I suggest to go purchase like I did a pick kit. I would up using two different pick ends at different times. I didn't realize how much mud was on the back of the step and this probably over time contributed to the shock deterioating faster than expected. If you are washing these, get behind the step itself, lots of mud back there. The install on passenger will no doubt go faster as I have all the tools now laid out and will def have someone helping. I'd hate to pay a shop for all this labor. It isn't hard, just tedious to get into the area you need to get into. Then, the hardest part was getting the step back on so the bolt lined up with the holes trying to hold it by myself. Get a small round flash light you can lay up inside these steps, makes seeing things much easier. I had two flashlights, one dewalt I could stand up on the ground and a small one to put inside.

[@williamkee7924]

This definitely favors those with small hands 😂 finally got it done and it works well.

[@ScottMcnairKC]

If you try to do this on the weekend and need help, you have to wait until Monday to be able to talk to support. It was really convenient in the video for the clip on the gas spring to be in a horizontal position, since that's the only way you can get the tool in there. However, for me, the open end of the clip is facing down to the ground, and there's no room to get anything in there around it to reposition itself. I wanted to get help from support, but it's Saturday. What to do in this situation isn't provided in the video, there's no employee providing any narration with tips and advice, and I'm pretty frustrated that all there's only a few captions over music. That "reverse" angle camera shot must be done on a unit that isn't mounted or fully assembled, because if I could get a camera in there to see what I'm doing, it sure would help. It's like trying to thread a needle with your eyes shut. You can't see it, and you can't feel it, because there's no room to get a finger in there to feel if you have the tool and clip positioned correctly. This is premium equipment with a premium price, and this small bag of screws, ciips, springs, etc. comes at a premium price, so why not a premium effort on a video to help customers and reduce frustration? I would be a lot happier right now. Not every customer is a RSE support person making a videos. I'm going to do a search on KZbin now to see if a customer has created their own video with tips and advice.

[@steveschaefer6555]

My tip is to install the spring retaining pin into the end of the old gas shock tip you’re reusing BEFORE reattaching. Screwing the end in took way too long when it was already reattached. Those eclips are terrible and I had to use needle nose pliers instead of the thing they provided. I also used my impact wrench a few times to make things go faster.

[@luky61]

I finally did my driver side. Will do the passenger side when that fails. It was a straightforward fix but the stupid tiny cir-clips are a pain. The mini strut circlip took about 10-15 to finally get it off but after that everything went off/ on as described. One side took about 45 mins or less. I’d assume the second side would be a lot faster. Only tip I would suggest is to use a powered ratchet for the 10mm nuts, made it a breeze. If you have a pin hook to pull the circlip, it might also make it faster but I didn’t use one.

[@christianlemus6483]

If you do this BIG TIP fyi you will have to drop the arms up and down a bit if your having a hard time removing anything I e like the small arm for the gas spring or for installing the triangle bracket basically what they didn’t say in the video besides when they mention to lower step take step off and at end of the video where they say open the door to drop the arms to reattach the step also just put the spring and screw and eyelet screw on all at once way easier since you gotta pry the spring ends open to get the pieces on anyway just grab some Channys and pry em open and close them back up when you got both screw ends on also not totally necessary but if you watch the video having a small simple hook tool set on hand helps at times there cheap head to menards etc pick one up I did this for my 4door JL 2019

[@user-xl1nx7so4d]

It's a very good product. I finished installing it, but it doesn't come down to the end. What is the problem?

[@punknjl8722]

Thanks for the upgrade!

[@liv2ryd96]

Although I love my running boards, this spring upgrade was impossible to the point I am taking my JLR to the shop that did the original install to install this kit. Started on the passenger side. After much trying, because you can’t see the end of the pin that holds the gas spring end on, got a mirror and discovered there was no e clip! Manufacturing omission? Install error? Next, no matter how much I tried, I could not get the end off, as the whole shaft rotates. And you need that off for two reasons: 1 - you reuse it. 2 - you need it off to get the tool on the shock body. So, running board off on the right side, boards turned off right now (unhappy wife) and an appointment a week away at the shop, probably $300 or so. Oh, and paper instructions would be nice. Too hard to keep going back and forth between work area and device to watch, rewind, watch again, wait, what was that? Better be real good in the garage and have a lot of tools if you wanna tackle this yourself. A week later: Finally got the kit installed, but with little help from the video. You will need various angled and straight picks. Had to hold the shaft of the strut with a needle nose vice grips while turning the block bit by painful bit with picks through the hole, because the shaft will rotate if you try to rotate the block without them. The "tool" to take the gas strut off doesn't work. At all. Too big for the strut. Inched away with needle nose pliers on the strut body until it came off. Once you get everything taken of, it's not "too" bad, but don't count on the e ciip tool provided to help with reinstallation of the clip on the spring block - too weird of an angle and tight of a space. Again, needle nose pliers to the rescue. What also galls me is they charge about $99 for this kit, there isn't $25 worth of parts in it, and since it is their design flaw, they should charge no more than cost for those of us affected by bad struts.

[@bguerrero14100]

Has to be extra hard on the motor!

[@trailraiders6350]

Would it be easier to install the kit if the whole assembly is off the jeep?

[@robert5712]

This video needs work as it is confusing with small area images. Please add a schematic with full view. That would help tremendously to see the big picture of what the finished product should be. I finally figured it out but was not fun.

[@robert5712]

I'm stuck as the clip on the gas spring is turned the opposite way and can't push it off. Trying to turn it has failed. Question, if I drop the step/slider down off the Jeep will I have better access?

[@Hawkspecops]

i installed the springs on my 4 door jk but now they make alot of noise going down the road super loose on the up position anyone know why?

[@newmexicoretail1101]

This is driving me crazy! Please tell me you found an answer to this! My driver side has been clanking nonstop! I’ve tinkered with it so much! I can’t figure it out! Help!

[@Hawkspecops]

@@newmexicoretail1101 I ended up removing the entire system and putting in weather insulation so it would got that instead of the metal I’ll never buy from rock sliders again for the price you would think you wouldn’t have this kind of problem. I have two jeeps and put Rocksliders on both. The gladiator is the one that kept giving me the problems with the sound, but the motor was just a problem till the springs came in that I had to pay for which is upsetting to fix a problem that should’ve been free.

[@brandofamily]

When removing the gas spring there where 6 plastic washers on the shaft that the gas spring slides on to. The video states to replace 4 plastic washers, but then shows 6 washers on the reverse angle. Am I NOT replacing all 6 original plastic washers? ONLY use 4 when replacing that black metal piece on to the shaft? I tried getting all 6 back on and I couldn't achieve that even using a store bought dedicated tool for the e-clip.

[@rockslideengineering5125]

Anthony, just use 4 as the spacing is not as critical now with the update.

[@brandofamily]

Kit installed on driver side; passenger side is still operating correctly with the gas spring so I’m waiting on that side. Install wasn’t too bad but not nearly as easy as shown in video. The space is very tight in there to work. But doable if you take your time. Thanks for making this update available. Edit: Replaced passenger side today as upcoming arctic freeze may kill gas spring in that side and it’s easier to do the replacement when it’s 50 degrees today. To clarify earlier comment: Removal of original gas spring is the part that’s is a PITA. The e-clip is tough to access and remove as well as the gas spring. Install of the new parts is a breeze!!

[@Rawbz08]

Installed today. I think is time for a motor replacement on drivers side as it doesn't want to fully extend and doesn't make the strong retract sound 🤔

[@dawnstevermer]

will you be up grading the first gen steps how do you now if its first or second gen

[@brandofamily]

2nd gen have that black gas cylinder "spring." I think 1st gen have an actuator built into the motor.

[@rockslideengineering5125]

Anthony is correct. Also, Gen 1 is 6+ years ago.

[@tkbisme]

@@rockslideengineering5125 They may be 6 years old (more like 9 on my 2014 JK) but that doesn't change the fact that I need to replace the gas springs (and motors as recommended by RSE). I don't want to replace the sliders that have otherwise worked just fine. I just want to replace the gas springs and motors. Please clarify your response, according to RSE support that responded to my email request to fix my sliders, Gen 1 does have gas springs that are separate from the motor. While RSE no longer stocks gas springs and motors for Gen 1 sliders, they do list places where you can buy them. Thumbs up to RSE. Their support is fantastic. The RSE response above, may not be correct???

[@georgeonderko5273]

I hate to say it. These steps are a bad product. These were my most expensive upgrade. First full winter struts went bad. Next summer replaced them with new gas struts. Second winter didn’t use them hoping the struts would live. They didn’t and I just stopped using them. Well. Now I install the springs. Difficult but done. And they won’t raise. Guessing motors are bad. These things worked the first year and have been nothing but trouble since. It’s a great idea… but they just aren’t reliable.

[@IronsideAdventures801]

That sucks. I've had mine for 5 years or so. Covered in mud, powder coat peeling, bashed against rocks, and they still work just fine. This is the first issue I've had with the gas struts. Just installed this kit and everything is back in working order.

[@georgeonderko5273]

@@IronsideAdventures801 maybe it’s the cold or just my luck. Who knows. Park it for a few days and these suckers will drain the battery as well. If other people love theirs I’m happy they worked out. I can just say my experience is headache after headache. Oh well.

[@georgeonderko5273]

RSE is sending me a motor replacement but oh man… the nightmare that will be replacing that motor. And do I really think the new motor will hold up to the spring? I’m guessing that spring tension will just burn it out in a year. I now have to remove them and to install the motor you need power. Not entirely sure how I’m going to get power to the steps to open and close them while they are off my Jeep. I’m thinking when I pull them off it will be to sell them and replace them with some regular steps.

[@georgeonderko5273]

Maybe in the future if they’re going to use parts that wear out quickly they will build them with the idea that replacing parts should be an easy swap. Of course that’s admitting your electronics are garbage.

[@user-ee5ty4zl5n]

Yep, terrible video. Separate the two door video from the four door video. A schematic would be helpful. Thanks