MetalCloak Overline Rocker ExoSkins, Black Powder Coat, Jeep Wrangler JK Unlimited 4-Door (pair)

On a 4-door JK the rocker runs the length of two doors, and along all of it that is the thinnest metal on the vehicle. The factory rocker trim is plastic and protects nothing — and a dented Jeep rocker is bodywork, not a parts swap.

The ExoSkin is 1/8in steel plate (3.2 mm), laser cut and CAD formed, bolted straight onto the factory rocker. It stiffens the panel and takes the hit itself rather than just covering it.

? The most honest thing we can tell you: the install is harder than the listing says

The manufacturer rates it "easy, 2–3 hours". Nine reviews say otherwise — and this is the most valuable thing on this page, because the product itself is praised almost unanimously.

The recurring themes:

• A lot of holes in the body, with little room for error. A 2025 customer: "The product is good, fits as it should. Install is not the easiest. Many hole need drilled with little room for error. Protection seems good but man it's a lot of drilling in the body. None of this is MC fault, like I said product is perfect."
• The supplied riv-nut tool is poor. Three independent reviews come back to this. One from 2025: "scratch the rivnut 'tool' and get a ratcheting rivnut tool, it makes the end result way better with a lot less time spent and unecessary frustration." Another: "I found the provided RIVNUT tool to be worthless after the first 8 RIVNUTS."
• Riv-nut quality varies. One customer: "metalcloak sends hardware that easily strips out. I suggest having a set of rivnuts of higher quality on hand."

? And one review to read before buying (the lowest score, 2/5, from 2015): the customer ruined one of the holes and reports the repair cost him $2,000. We are not hiding it, because that is exactly the point: with this product what is at risk is not the part, it is the bodywork.

For balance — it can be done well at home. From one of the manufacturer's customers: "Not sure why the reviewer below had such problems. I am a tiny 23 year old female and installed these by myself. It is not that complicated. Invest in a uni-bit and it will be done in no time."

There is one conclusion and it is a practical one: the difference is tooling, not strength. A step bit, a proper riv-nut tool (ratcheting, or driven with an impact wrench), a few spare riv-nuts — and the install stops being a problem.

Fitting tips gathered from the reviews

• A step bit rather than ordinary drill bits — named in four separate reviews as the single biggest time saver.
• A ratcheting riv-nut tool, or working with an impact wrench, instead of the supplied tool.
• Oil the thread in the riv-nut tool — without it the resistance is friction and you cannot tell whether the riv-nut has actually set.
• Watch the angle the riv-nuts go in at — one set crooked makes the ExoSkin bolt hard to start.
• ⚠ If you run rocker rails (factory or otherwise), consider skipping the lower ExoSkin bolts. One customer describes his rails pressing against those bolt heads and wishes he had never drilled those holes. Trial fit before drilling.
• ⚠ The holes under the doors are the hardest — behind the outer skin there is a second sheet at a different angle and the bit can walk.
• Apply RTV to the riv-nuts before setting them — corrosion protection in freshly drilled holes.

ExoSkin alone, or ExoSkin plus rocker rails?

The ExoSkin works either way — the manufacturer says so directly: "Can be used with or without MetalCloak Rocker Rails."

• ExoSkin alone – 1/8in plate on the rocker: protection against scrapes, dents and stones off the tyres, plus body stiffening.
• ExoSkin plus rocker rails – the rail takes the impact and the plate spreads the load across more of the body. MetalCloak's intended arrangement: "each piece improves on the strength of the next". The rails are a separate item we can order in.

? The manufacturer also settled the question that most often blocks a decision, in its Q&A: "Our Rocker Exo Skins will work with stock or aftermarket fender flares." You do not need MetalCloak fenders to fit them.

1/8in steel or aluminium?

MetalCloak makes JK rocker ExoSkins in two materials:

? Steel takes the hit, aluminium saves the weight. For the 2-door JK we stock the same pair: 3311 (steel) and 3313 (aluminium).

What's in the kit

• 2 × rocker ExoSkin (driver and passenger), 1/8in cold rolled steel
• all installation hardware (riv-nuts and bolts)

⚠ MetalCloak rocker rails are not part of this kit. ⚠ It is worth having your own spare riv-nuts — see the fitting notes.

Technical data

• Application: Jeep Wrangler JK Unlimited 2007–2018, 4-door body only
• Manufacturer part number: 3316
• Material: 1/8in (approx. 3.2 mm) cold rolled steel plate
• Processing: laser cut, CAD formed
• Finish: MetalCloak signature black textured powder coat
• Mounting: riv-nuts set into the rocker
• Compatibility: with rocker rails or without them; with stock or aftermarket fender flares
• Installation difficulty per the manufacturer: easy (⚠ per the reviews: moderate to hard)
• Body modification: drilling required, many holes
• Time to install per the manufacturer: 2–3 hours
• Shipping weight: approx. 18.1 kg
• Country of manufacture: USA
• Manufacturer lead time: 1–2 weeks

Who it's for

For owners of 4-door JKs who go off road and know the rocker gets hit first. On a JKU that run is half a metre longer than on the 2-door — and so is the stretch the vehicle can lean onto a rock with.

And for anyone building the vehicle around the Overline system: the fenders, front and rear flares and the rear ExoSkins are in our range, and the rocker plates close out the side.

88% from nine reviews. That is lower than most MetalCloak items in our range — and it is worth knowing why: every mark taken off is about the install, not the product. Even the customer who gave 3/5 wrote of the part itself: "product is perfect".

Installation notes

To sum up everything above: this is a product where fitting at a workshop is worth considering. Not because it is heavy — it is 18 kg and two people hold it up without effort — but because several dozen holes in the body get drilled once, and a mistake is a bodyshop bill.

Szekla4x4.pl is an authorised MetalCloak dealer with a workshop specialising in Jeeps. We have the right riv-nut tooling and this is not our first set — we will fit the plates together with rails, flares or armour in one visit.

⚠ If you plan to paint them body colour, the manufacturer requires a test fit before painting and does not cover the cost of any custom finish applied. One customer finished the raw version in 2K epoxy bedliner matched to his paint code and was pleased with it — but that is a job of its own. With the powder coated version we sell, the question does not arise.

Why they're worth it

• They protect the longest and most exposed stretch of metal on a 4-door JK.
• They stiffen the rocker rather than just covering it — customers write plainly about the body being strengthened.
• They work alone or as the layer under rocker rails.
• They fit stock and aftermarket flares — confirmed by the manufacturer.
• Laser cut and formed for this specific body.
• Black textured powder coat — consistent with the rest of the MetalCloak armour.

Frequently asked questions

Will it fit a 2-door JK?

No. The 2-door has its own part number, 3311, which we stock.

Do I need MetalCloak fenders?

No. The manufacturer confirmed in its Q&A: the ExoSkins work with stock or aftermarket fender flares.

Do I need rocker rails?

No. The manufacturer states that the plates work with rocker rails or without them.

Is the install really that hard?

The difficulty is the number of holes and the riv-nuts, not strength or weight. With a step bit and a proper riv-nut tool it is doable at home — the reviews confirm that from both sides. If you do not have those tools, having us fit it costs less than one mistake.

How many spare riv-nuts should I have?

A handful is enough. Two independent reviews mention the supplied hardware stripping — they cost very little, and being one short stops the whole job.

How does it differ from the aluminium version (3318)?

Material and purpose. 1/8in steel takes the impact; aluminium is lighter. For rock work, take the steel. We order the aluminium version in on request.

What is the lead time?

The manufacturer quotes 1–2 weeks to ship from its end, plus transport to Poland. That is shorter than the Overline flares (3–5 weeks).