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Body mounted sliders...just how much abuse can they take?

The Pumpkinator

The Pumpkinator

1/2 ton status
Joined
Aug 14, 2010
Posts
303
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Location
Evanston WY
I've always wanted to re-design my sliders ever since I built them, I went the typical 'Jeep' method of bolting them to the frame and having the outermost part of the slider bolt to the pinch seem under the rocker panel. They certainly stiffened up the frame and have proven to be very durable (landed my truck on them pretty hard on rocks), however the angle iron that bolts to the pinch seem always came loose and they would squeak constantly, and the way the plates had to be shaped to the frame were sub-par (note that each frame mount had three 1/2" bolts, a total of 6 bolts per slider).

So I searched around and found out that many home-brew sliders, also sliders that are sold from vendors, only have them bolt to the body structure under the floor pan, some with only 1-2 bolts per mount :eek1:. Yet I don't hear any horror stories about them, and the manufactured ones sell like hotcakes (please not that I am not saying that others' work isn't quality, I almost purchased a set myself). Maybe I over design things, hell my front bumper is made out of 2" schedule 40 pipe, and the center plate is half inch thick plate steel.

I finally got a break from work and decided to modify my sliders, but my question is; just how much abuse can this design take? Pics and or carnage of your slider setups are certainty welcomed, also I am open to ANY suggestions and input.

Material: 1/4" plate steel mounts,and 2"x2" square tubing 3/16" thick

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Years back, not enough clearance to make this one. Equal sized rock on the opposite side, just too wide/not enough tire:

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Thats was 2"x3" .188" wall tubing I believe, never dented or bent it. Scratches, sure, and it was only tied into the body.
 
pics, pics, pics....

The sliders are tucked up under the rocker and the mounts go up through the pinch seem, each are angled up at ten degrees and they stick out past the doors approx 1/4 of an inch.

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I did the "replace rocker panels with box tube" rock sliders. They take an absolute ass kicking. i was able to hi-lift the entire one side of my truck using the middle of the box tube rock slider.

I used 3X3 x .188 wall tube.

Rene
 
38377k5 said:
Years back, not enough clearance to make this one. Equal sized rock on the opposite side, just too wide/not enough tire:

post3.jpg



Thats was 2"x3" .188" wall tubing I believe, never dented or bent it. Scratches, sure, and it was only tied into the body.
Click to expand...

WOW! No damage was visible in the body structure? Did the mounting holes get egged out causing the slider to sag?
 
tRustyK5 said:
I did the "replace rocker panels with box tube" rock sliders.
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I love how those turn out, and they look really stout with them being tied in to the A and B pillars, but I don't have the guts to chop out my 'pristine rust free' rockers....yet:D
 
I did the replace the rocker with box tube too. Worked awesome.

I think your bolt on type design will work very well
 
Just noticed your location, there is another CK5 member very close to you. His user name here was Solowookie. I drove through that area in 2001, actually caught a few hours of shut-eye just outside of Evanston at a ranch exit. :doah:

Rene
 
The Pumpkinator said:
I have no doubts on the structural integrity of sectioned-in sliders, and that is probably my pan of attack when I get to that point of unleashing the cut off wheel on my truck...oh btw I assume you used wire feed to weld up the sheet metal to the square tube? what wire dia did you use, .030?
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Yes wire feed, and .030 would be good
 
I had 030 in when I did mine.

I do know a guy that did it with a stick welder, but he was a dang good welder. And it was on a bronco.

Have you put yours to the test yet?
 
blazinzuk said:
I had 030 in when I did mine.

I do know a guy that did it with a stick welder, but he was a dang good welder. And it was on a bronco.

Have you put yours to the test yet?
Click to expand...

Man that would suck to run stick on this thin sheet metal, even with 3/32" LH 7018 on the cold side, I bet while the guy you mentioned would be laying down beads, I would be chasing holes.

My first frame mounted version took a full week of Moab, and a couple of bad lines, they worked flawlessly. These ones I haven't messed with, but they feel pretty solid. Had friend with me, we jumped up and down on them and they didn't budge. All the rocks up here are buried in 2 feet of snow, and I can no longer mess with adjacent road barricades because of "close encounters with the law enforcement kind" :doah:
 
tRustyK5 said:
Just noticed your location, there is another CK5 member very close to you. His user name here was Solowookie. I drove through that area in 2001, actually caught a few hours of shut-eye just outside of Evanston at a ranch exit. :doah:

Rene
Click to expand...

Whereabouts in Wyoming? Seen in one of his posts he was at around 7000ft elevation, coincidentally that's the same elevation here :laugh:
 
Mine were mounted to the body ribs like you posted for years with lots of abuse. I added steb additions like yours that stuck out about 5" the extra leverage quickly started egging the holes. I added a single piece of 2x2 to the frame off the back side of the slider and beat them regularly again.
 
The Pumpkinator said:
Whereabouts in Wyoming? Seen in one of his posts he was at around 7000ft elevation, coincidentally that's the same elevation here :laugh:
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I'm pretty sure he was just on the outskirts of Evanston. Really good guy, I'm pretty sure his name is Jeff. His profile might have more info.

Rene
 
MTBLAZER89 said:
I added a single piece of 2x2 to the frame off the back side of the slider.
Click to expand...

Where did you locate it? in the middle of the frame? Also was it tied into a hinged bushing, or was it a flange that bolted to the frame?

Also has your improvement held up well?
 
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