OEM Rocker Panel Protectors question

[Dave92270]

just an update - got the OEM rails installed and like them - took me under two hours incl. the removal of the chrome nerf bars. The driver side install was trickier because the parking brake cable routing, but managed OK. The panels are nice black finish, perfect fit, strong material - quite heavy (I estimate about 40-50# each); each side has 8 bolts on 4 mount points.. Incuding a few pics - as reference for those who consider buying them. I paid $590 shipped @ GM Accessories online store, got them in 7 days from the order date. Oh, they stick out to the sides about 1 3/4"- 2" so they should be able to prevent some parking lot door damage as well. Vertical clearance without rails was 20", with rails 17" (measured at the edge of rocker panel)...

They look great! I was also thinking about ordering the Rocker Panel Protectors, but I don't do any rock climbing. So they wouldn't serve to much of a practicality for me.
But...
How do they work for your issue with the car door dings? That really is what you got them for No? Are they worth the install?
That is the reason I would use them.

[Dave92270]

Originally Posted by Lex_Ordo

They look great! I was also thinking about ordering the Rocker Panel Protectors, but I don't do any rock climbing. So they wouldn't serve to much of a practicality for me.
But...
How do they work for your issue with the car door dings? That really is what you got them for No? Are they worth the install?
That is the reason I would use them.

I wanted these panels for two reasons - to protect rocker panel - I don't plan on serious rock sliding however when going over terrain holes, bumps and rocks while off-roading, I don't want to take any chance to end up sitting on entirely unprotected rocker panel and damage it. The chance is slim that I'd hit such an obstacle but you never know, better to be prepared. As second and equal reason I wanted to prevent my wife damaging the right door with her car's door (as used to happen regularly in the past, most of my door dings used to come from wife's vehicle door). As you see on the images, the rocker protector catches the door before hitting - it is very close, but enough. I still think to buy a few washers to get another 1/16"-1/8" offset to the side - that would be perfect and shouldn't compromise the rocker panel's rigidity too much, but the panels already work as they are so I may skip the washers. I guess the RockyRoads would do better for the side damage, however I prefer the OEM's. One more thing is that I can attach the U step for my wife if needed and remove it easily before going off-road.

Here are few pics - that will give you idea.