Twizted Engineering Prototype Blazer Rocker Guards - Feedback Wanted!

[romeolimagolf]

The crossmember thread made me search your name and I came across this thread. I really like the look of these. Has there been any further development on these Rocker Guards? I do not see them on your website, so I assume they did not make it into production? Was the idea abandoned? Are they still available? If so has final pricing been decided?

 

[TwiztedEngineering]

The crossmember thread made me search your name and I came across this thread. I really like the look of these. Has there been any further development on these Rocker Guards? I do not see them on your website, so I assume they did not make it into production? Was the idea abandoned? Are they still available? If so has final pricing been decided?

I haven't gone much further with these, since it seemed that most everyone thought the price was a bit steep. Unfortunately, they take a lot of steel plate to make, and steel is expensive. The cost of steel has actually dropped a bit since I originaly posted these, and I am cutting plate in-house now instead of farming it out, so I can re-figure the pricing now. Do you have a Blazer, or another vehicle? I will try to find some time tomorrow at the shop to re-price this setup - I still have the plans for them.
As ar as the website goes, it's tough to keep everything we make up there! The slower movers we don't bother putting up since by the time they are re-ordered the pricing on everything has changed.... But if there's something you'd like, just get in contact with me, and I'll let you know if we've done it before and can re-create it easily.
Also, our existing webiste at www.TwiztedEngineering.com is getting pretty out-dated, so I am currently working (in my free time, haha!) on a newer site (www.TwiztedEng.com), with Photo Galleries, Forums, possibly a Blog, etc.... Getting the design down now, will be adding products soon!

-Darren

 

[colbystephens]

i think this product looks great!

however, i'm thinking that most folks who will be in wheeling situations where a product like this might be useful probably are willing to accept having their truck get beat up quite a bit. If that's the case, they'd likely go for increasing ground clearance and doing the cut-out-the-rocker-weld-in-the-tube method. also, these folks will be concerned with the weight of the rig (like mentioned previously) - and this is precisely why I would not be interested in this product. I've thought long and hard about putting in a skid plate from my sliders to my frame, but the weight is what killed the idea.

I just don't think that the situation arises commonly enough where a rock gets hung up between the body and the frame to justify the cost and weight. It most cases the rocks are going to be hitting the frame and/or slider area - and the truck can slide along these well enough. A driver would be picking a pretty bad line to decide to take some tall skinny rock and try to drive directly over it such that it would end up on the floor board...

I would bet, however, that you'd really be able to market a product that simply went around the lip of the rocker like those ones they have on Jeeps to alot of Chevy owners. Just have it bolt to the body and throw out the idea of having the slider plate. It would probably sell more to the "look tough" consumer - but I think that would sell really well.

To me it's a losing weight to advantage ratio.

 

[blowedupmotor87]

i think this product looks great!

however, i'm thinking that most folks who will be in wheeling situations where a product like this might be useful probably are willing to accept having their truck get beat up quite a bit. If that's the case, they'd likely go for increasing ground clearance and doing the cut-out-the-rocker-weld-in-the-tube method. also, these folks will be concerned with the weight of the rig (like mentioned previously) - and this is precisely why I would not be interested in this product. I've thought long and hard about putting in a skid plate from my sliders to my frame, but the weight is what killed the idea.

I just don't think that the situation arises commonly enough where a rock gets hung up between the body and the frame to justify the cost and weight. It most cases the rocks are going to be hitting the frame and/or slider area - and the truck can slide along these well enough. A driver would be picking a pretty bad line to decide to take some tall skinny rock and try to drive directly over it such that it would end up on the floor board...

I would bet, however, that you'd really be able to market a product that simply went around the lip of the rocker like those ones they have on Jeeps to alot of Chevy owners. Just have it bolt to the body and throw out the idea of having the slider plate. It would probably sell more to the "look tough" consumer - but I think that would sell really well.

To me it's a losing weight to advantage ratio.

I agree with the idea of a rocker lip type of guard. I actually was looking for something along that lines and never found one so, now I run tube style. I really like your idea TwiztedEngineering, but, I am personally hesitant to frame mount something that is in very close proximity to the body with all the frame flex Gm's have. I like the added beef and added protection but, personally I would prefer the exact same edges you make but with only a little bit of underbody extension and a mount to the body's reinforcement boxes (it wouldn't really be a potential jacking point anymore but, it would add some needed beef at the rocker panels.). I would actually be severely tempted to sell my current tube style ones and run a lower profile set of sliders like that! The side profile you've got looks PIMP and your overall design looks great but, that's just my preference. It would bring cost, weight, and manufacturing complexity down considerably too!

 

[TwiztedEngineering]

Cool, thanks so much for the input to everyone on these! As far as being hesitant to mount to the frame, I hear 'ya - but what we found with these is that when set on a rock, they move upwards (and rest on the factory rocker), but distribute the load along the whole rocker panel (much like the type you and others have suggested would do) ... and that by doing so they actually help to keep the frame from flexing too much!!
BUT... I certainly like the idea of a simple guard like the outer edge of these that would wrap around the rocker panel (up the inside) and mount flush to the body, as has been suggested.
I have a bunch of "Irons in the Fire" so to speak at the moment, including a few different custom engine crossmembers/track bar setups, a bunch of Jeep Cherokee stuff to finish and release, two new disc brake conversions (including the DRW 14-bolt, finally!) to design, a 3-link/track bar/coilover setup on an F-150, another F-150 Engine/Tranny swap, along with running a general 4x4 store too!!!! But I think this might be next on the list to really give a good look at... Oh, yeah, and I have a new Rear Bumper with a Swing-Away Spare Tire Carrier designed for the new Superdutys that I'll be trying to get together next week!

-Darren

I agree with the idea of a rocker lip type of guard. I actually was looking for something along that lines and never found one so, now I run tube style. I really like your idea TwiztedEngineering, but, I am personally hesitant to frame mount something that is in very close proximity to the body with all the frame flex Gm's have. I like the added beef and added protection but, personally I would prefer the exact same edges you make but with only a little bit of underbody extension and a mount to the body's reinforcement boxes (it wouldn't really be a potential jacking point anymore but, it would add some needed beef at the rocker panels.). I would actually be severely tempted to sell my current tube style ones and run a lower profile set of sliders like that! The side profile you've got looks PIMP and your overall design looks great but, that's just my preference. It would bring cost, weight, and manufacturing complexity down considerably too!

 

[mnstrburbon]

I kind of scanned this but how about making them out of the delron plastic sheat not sure of the name slides better on rocks so forth maybe half and half outer lip steal underside plastic.Should help with cost.

 

[4X4HIGH]

You ever price a sheet of delrin? That stuff is EXPENSIVE. I just did a quick search and for a piece of .187" x 24" x 48" is $215.00 and if you want it in .250" thick it jumps to $383.00. That is alot more than a piece of steel the same size.

 

[Brocky]

I really like these. The fit and finish looks sweet. The price is kindof high but it is a great product. Only thing that kills it for me is welding to the chassis. I would much rather just bolt these on. Are there any existing holes in the chassis that could be used with some supports added on the backside?

 

[rob h]

They look good and seem to fit good......any in the works for the short bed truck..?.....plus how bad would shipping be to the other side of the country..?

 

[TwiztedEngineering]

I really like these. The fit and finish looks sweet. The price is kindof high but it is a great product. Only thing that kills it for me is welding to the chassis. I would much rather just bolt these on. Are there any existing holes in the chassis that could be used with some supports added on the backside?

They look good and seem to fit good......any in the works for the short bed truck..?.....plus how bad would shipping be to the other side of the country..?

Thanks for the great feedback!

Brocky, We can always make some mounting plates with holes in them for bolts - the hardest thing is marking the holes with the big skidplate installed (which you will want to do in order to get the skidplate bolt holes lined up). *OR*...

I was also thinking of making a more "universal" set of these, with mounting plates, pieces of tubing for the skidplate supports, the skidplates, and you can cut and weld everything together yourself however you see fit (or bolting it as you see fit)... Or I could even supply just the skidplates, and you guys can fab up your own mounts!! Either way, I'm not opposed to doing it!

Also, the pricing at the beginning of this thread was set based on old methods of cutting and forming my plates... I should be able to do them a little cheaper now, as we are doing most of this stuff in-house!

rob h, I have not done them for a shortbed truck as of yet - got to get one here to take some measurments off of first! I am totally willing to though! Let me know!

-Darren

 

[rob h]

yea ill let you know shortly, im thinking of putting a fuel cell in my alum tool box in the bed and getting rid of the saddle tank, then there is plenty of room to work with..