Rock slider idea

[Geargrinder]

My idea is very eazy, but I'm not sure how well it would hold up. I was thinking about just taking some 2" .125 wall round tube and cuting it to length, cap the ends and weld it right to the rockers of the truck. I don't really want to cut out the rockers, but I do need some protection. Would this hold up as well as cuting them out and welding in tube? Shold I use thicker tube?
I'm thinking I would weld it to the pinch seem and the rocker it's self. Do U think that would be strong enough?

 

[pauly383]

I dunno , I totally smashed my rockers in until they hit the inner wall thingy , they seem so fragile .

Perhaps your idea would even out the force , and deflect it , and sliiiiddddde over stuff .

I would still suggest cutting the rocker out . Makes it look real clean too .

 

[6.2Blazer]

In general I think it would probably work okay. If the tube is relatively strong and won't bend by itself then it will definitely reinforce the stock rockers. With that said there isn't a lot of support on a stock outer rocker so maybe some reinforcements running from the tube inwards to body support panels would make it better. Also keep in mind that it sounds like you will have a nice ridge at the top tube to rocker interface to hold mud and water (not really good).

In any case, if you are willing to weld a tube to the rockers than I really don't see why you are worried about cutting the stock rockers out anyway? The advantage is that this allows you to tie in the beefier steel to some more substantial body parts.

 

[darkshadow]

could always weld in braces to the body suports.

my other idea is to cut of the back of the rocker and stick some2 1/2" or bigger tube inside the rocker, so you really beaf it up but keep the skin for the look