commercial rock sliders

[Bronco]

I’m looking for some experience with commercial rock sliders. I’m interested in some that can be used for “sliding on rock” the real deal, but I don’t want any that are just way over built as some seem to be. I like the way the Rocky Road rails are mounted but they look like they don’t stick out as much as say the Tomkens 2x4’s or the Olimpics/ORGS tube style. I like the look of the ORGS but look is definitely second to performance. What I don’t want is something that will make me feel protected and then let me down and do more damage than the rock would have when it comes lose. Who has use some that didn’t work well?

[xjmike]

take a look at www.kevinsjeepparts.com his rock rails are super strong and at $250.00 shipped it's like a sore pecker......you can't beat it

[ChuckD]

I have the C4X4 square ones, they hold up great. Punished really well when I was at 3" of lift. You really should consider wider ones, helps protect the doors as well as the rockers. :)

The only thing I don't like about is the front rail bracket, sticks down too much. Plasma cutter fixed mine. :)

[ROKRWLR]

I have the ORGS super nerfs... Been beating them hard for 2 years, and I wouldn't trade them for any other brand.

They fit nice and tight to the body, but the nerf bar sticks out just enough to keep the doors off the rocks.

I've drug them over lots of rocks, and bashed them sideways, too. They don't budge. After the first couple hits, and you learn to trust them, it's almost like playing a game trying to find things to hit them on. But, I'm kinda twisted like that....

[XJ_MAC]

I like my Tomken's. One of my first mods, back in 97 and have landed on them hard with plenty of weight in the vehicle.

[Bronco]

Thanks for all the input! I know I’ve heard some bad stuff about some of them. Anyone?

[gearwhine]

Tomken's will be the first to make you feel protected and then leave you down. They push up into the rockers with the weight of the jeep rested on them. If they had a full length pinch seam mount it would be better, but instead they are mounted on about 2 inches of it. Don't waste your money on these if you want something that will actually prtect the rockers....they do slide though. _nicko_

[FrankNBrew]

I have the Custom 4X4 double tube rails. I'm not sure if they handle rocks well, but alot of people tell me they look cool, and they are a great place to stand when I'm putting a fresh coat of wax on the roof.

[Royce]

Anyone have a top and side angle shot of Kevin's ?

[XJ_MAC]

Gearwhine,
That's interesting you should say that. Just after I put mine on I slide about 10 feet sideways and landed on a large rosck buried in a rather large mud hole. All four wheels were off the ground. I had three 200 lb individuals and about 4-500 lb of gear in my XJ at stock up-country height. No damage other than to the paint on the underside of the Tomken 2x4 rock rider. My one passenger figured I wouldn't be able to open my door because of the force which which we hit the rock.

Have they changed their design. Mine had two large bolts going into the bottom of the frame rail and two into the side for the two mounting brackets. The pinch seam mounts I put on loosely. It said not to tighten them down at the seam much past hand tight to allow some movement.

I did find out the frame rails aren't square, so you need to leave all the bolts very loose until you get the rail attached. It causes some real bind on the system once you tighten it all up and you can't slide the rails into thier channels on the end of the mounts.

[Mike L]

Don't buy the Olympics. They deform under weight and will push into the door and the rocker panels. I can send some pics and so can Jes, Jes got pics of your Olympic bars? I like the ORGS ones and will upgrade when I got the money.

Mike

[xjmike]

Originally posted by Royce
Anyone have a top and side angle shot of Kevin's ?
look on his web site....... www.kevinsjeepparts.com .......;)

[ChuckD]

Why don't you just build them, I know you could easily do it for $150 or less. $50-100 in material, $50 for someone to weld them up, if you didn't have a buddy. The design's are actually pretty simple. As far as cutting the material, a skill saw with a metal blade should cut 90% of it, then use a drill for the bolt holes.

The only reason I went with the C4x4, is that I just started getting into my jeep at the time. With help here on the board, I know you could make your own. Save your money for the expensive stuff like gears and lockers. :D

[JnJ]

Well I've seen Eric T. put a hole in his tomken and I've seen them flex up into the body also.

[gearwhine]

XJ_MAC It sounds more like you were on your frame rails rather than your rock sliders if you had all 4 wheels off the ground. When mine was pushed up, it had most of the weight of my jeep laying on it, and it was a soft hit, barely shook me, except my shaking in terror :) . (picture down below, but doesn't show the the rocker). Lots of force, but they still didn't do what they're supposed to do. I had to cut off the stock mounts of the tomken's and add my own angle iron in about 10" lengths to each arm. I haven't had a problem with them since. I have the 2x2's also, but I think the 2x4's are the same type of mounting. I will be cutting my rockers out and welding in some 2x5 or some sort in place.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_img_a/170000-170999/170272_5_full.jpg

[GSequoia]

Hey Gearwhine...

People hold you up on the trail too?

http://www.sb-host.com/imagehost/data/6012/12773556-R1-12A-med.jpg

I thought I was the only one!

[gearwhine]

haha, If Kolb wasn't there holding onto my bumper...who knows what would've happened. :) My Jeep was more like a jungle gym once we established I wasn't going over. Everyone was having so much fun climbing all over the side, standing on the tires, sticking their heads in my window to make sure I didn't wet myself, making fun of my faces of terror, etc. _nicko_

[Jes]

Ya, don't get the Olympic4X4 ones...
http://www.fototime.com/{C2B7AC10-50BF-4249-9DEB-5B43ABD69256}/picture.JPG
...maybe I'm a little hard on my equipment but these rails bend and dent the body.

Jes

[TOZOVR]

Jes, I've seen a few other of that design do that!

[XJ_MAC]

Actually I was setting at an angle, not as steep as your picture, on the driver's side mostly. Maybe I was lucky. I've used them for pivots a couple times also. I wish i could have seen how yours were installed. I'm wondering if they were really tight against the rocker or maybe you installed the mounts with the rail installed on them. Just postulating mechanical theory. I really had to loosen evrything up and push/pull to get the rails onto/into the end of the mounts after I installed the mounts first. Once I tightened it all up there was a great deal of stiffness/tightness added by the torsion tension caused by that. Does any of that make any sense?

[Bronco]

Any one used the Rock Road rails. The mounting system looks Awsome!
I have considered making my own. Are you offering to weld them up for me? I just keep spending my cash on building my rig this winter and I haven’t had the lose cash for that MillerMatic175. My plan is to eventually weld the Sliders to a set of skid plates that cross from frame rail to frame rail immediately behind and in fount of the cross member. For now though I think I just want to get something so I can go play when the snow is gone.

[ChuckD]

Well, from the boards the following have gotten good reviews: C4X4, ORGS, Kevin's Parts and maybe even the Rocky Roads (That's if they have their new Inventory system working, otherwise goodluck).

Any of these should last your many seasons of hard wheeling, if they are temporary, then go for the best price. They are ecential for rocker protection.

BTW, I would offer help with the welding, but I would be borrowing Niel's here in Fresno or my Mechanic buddy (he has a nice Miller MIG and TIG, :D ) The only reason I can't help is lack of time. I can barely keep my junk rolling down the road. ;)

[Bronco]

thanks Chuck you are the man

[poppabear]

www.jeepin.com Jason West has the step models of the rocky road rails. They stick out more than the "regular" models.

I will be getting mine from kevinsjeepparts.com. They are solid as any on the market, stick out a bit more and while providing a step they have a nice slot for the hi-lift. I don't think they can be beat especially for the price.

[EricsXJ]

I have the RRO step rails also. Sorry for the poser pic but this is testing them out the same day I installed them. No pics of them on a rock yet. The fact that they stick out is very important I think. Kevins rock rails also seem to be very well made.

http://www.ericsxj.com/images/jackrail02.jpg

[gearwhine]

Your picture is an example of the main reason they stick out....the hi-lift jack. If they don't stick out, the high lift will be rubbing and crushing the door and body panels in when you try to jack your jeep up on them. Also you get a little extra protection from big rocks on the side.

[Bronco]

how did RRO treat you

[EricsXJ]

They treated me OK except for the fact that they said it would be 2 weeks for the rails when in fact it took 5. The finish on the rails is also a bit "thin" and looks more like paint rather than powdercoat. After this first winter they are rusting on the bottom, mostly due to rocks being thrown at them from my tires but the chipping is more than what I would have expected. I am going to pull them off, remove the rust and bedliner them.

[crazy4mopar]

Hey bronco
check out my web page for some pics of my sliders!! Greg at Heckler motoersports makes the from 2x4 3/16 steel, thats enough to support a 7000lb full size bronco!! He charges about 300.00 including installation!!!

[Casper]

I have an 87 4 door, and I am running a set of Grizzly's on mine. I have had 3 good size men standing on them for counter weight due to to much over center problem. They are made of 3"x2" tubing, powder coated black, and mounted with self taping bolts. I can jack up my XJ on them, and they do not move at all, plus they keep the high lift jack away from hitting the door. They have saved my lower panels and doors from damage, especially when I have slipped off of rocks. And personally, they look great. Also, I loose no clearance at all. If you would like a picture, let me know.
Hope this helps,

Casper