here is the article that I wrote on my rock rails / side steps
I made a set of those rails and they work a treat and easy to mount total of 9 high tensile bolts each side 5 in pinch seam and 4 into mono chassis
Chris Ball of Consoles and Carriers is now making them for sale: check out his web site
www.consolesandcarriers.com.au
mine are out from body about 2.5 - 3 inches and they have saved my sills several times mind you they need to be painted regularly (I keep taking paint off them)
total cost for me to make them was approx $150.00 no labour in that just my materials
the tubes are made out of 2*2*1/4 inch hitch steel (same as the tow bar receiver is made out of). rest is 1inch square tube
Have had an engineer mate check them out and in his esteemed opinion he says get a crane and sling on each corner of them and lift whole vehicle into air safely.I have lifted whole side up using a high lift jack no problems
Grant