Rock slider MINIMUM thickness

Jeffro600 · Oct 4, 2005

I ran across a whole bunch of 2x2 11(guess that would be 1/8th inch) gauge box tube for free and was wondering if the stuff would be tough enough for rock sliders or if i should swap it for something heavier or save it for another project for a rainy day? Seems a little wimpy to me, but has anyone run something similar?

Mods, i just realized this should probably be in the fabrication area...if you could move it for me i would appreciate it!

bj-666 · Oct 4, 2005

it may hold up if you double up the contact area where rocks are gonna hit i would just save it and buy some 1/4" stuff

IntrepidXJ · Oct 4, 2005

bj-666 said:
it may hold up if you double up the contact area where rocks are gonna hit i would just save it and buy some 1/4" stuff

1/4"??? 3/16" is plenty.

however, it all depends on the trerrain he wheels. 1/8" is fine for some people, but maybe not for others.

if you got it for free, i'd run with it. if it doesn;t hold up, then worry about replacing it.

XJ_ranger · Oct 4, 2005

bj-666 said:
buy some 1/4" stuff

holy overweight rockers batman!

3/16" would be plenty! if designed properly...

ipkyss · Oct 4, 2005

i run 2 pieces of 2x2x 1/8 side by side for a wide rock rail. I beat them hard and I have not bent or dented one.

BrettM · Oct 4, 2005

didn't we just have this exact thread about 2 weeks ago?

Jeffro600 · Oct 4, 2005

BrettM said:
didn't we just have this exact thread about 2 weeks ago?

I dunno...did we??

Highlander · Oct 4, 2005

YEP!!!!!!!!

I started it in fabrication with the same thing.....Free 2x2x1/8 tube..

I ended up not using it.

BrettM · Oct 4, 2005

here it is: http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=65588

Jeffro600 · Oct 4, 2005

my-xj-addiction said:
YEP!!!!!!!!

I started it in fabrication with the same thing.....Free 2x2x1/8 tube..

I ended up not using it.

Seemed like you were going to use it in the thread you posted...what made you change your mind??

Bent · Oct 4, 2005

1/8"? I killed mine.

orvpark · Oct 4, 2005

not thick enough

this is 1/8" with 3 frame supports and plug welded every 2-3" all the way down the pinch seam. It really F'd up my junk when they gave.

hadfield4wd · Oct 4, 2005

I have 1 x 2 1/8th inch. It is not strong enough as I made it, with three tabs bolting to the pinch seam. I have dropped and bent it as well as pushed the floor up. I would use the same if I ran angle the length of the pinch seam. It's all a design flaw.

Matt

Dirk Pitt · Oct 4, 2005

A main rock slider tube (estimating 6' length) made of 1/4" wall 2x2 square tube weighs 35.7 lbs. The same tube made of 3/16" wall 2x2 square tube weighs 27.7 lbs.

That's a difference of 8 lbs per slider or 16 lbs total. Approximately equivalent to the weight of 2 gallons of gas.

Saying a 1/16" difference in 2x2 rocker tube wall thickness will increase weight to a meaningful difference is like saying throwing a match on a fire will cause it to burn too hot.

Get real people.

If you have 3/16", use it. If you have 1/4", use it. I would not however use 1/8".

Mine are 1/4" main tubes and I'm not worried about the weight or the chance of bending it.

HTH

MaXJohnson · Oct 4, 2005

Dirk Pitt said:
A main rock slider tube (estimating 6' length) made of 1/4" wall 2x2 square tube weighs 35.7 lbs. The same tube made of 3/16" wall 2x2 square tube weighs 27.7 lbs.

That's a difference of 8 lbs per slider or 16 lbs total. Approximately equivalent to the weight of 2 gallons of gas.

Saying a 1/16" difference in 2x2 rocker tube wall thickness will increase weight to a meaningful difference is like saying throwing a match on a fire will cause it to burn too hot.

Get real people.

If you have 3/16", use it. If you have 1/4", use it. I would not however use 1/8".

Mine are 1/4" main tubes and I'm not worried about the weight or the chance of bending it.

HTH

One of the prime advantages of the XJ is light weight. If you're building rock rails, bumpers, skidplates, roll cages, roof racks, tire carriers, suspension mods and who knows what else, the cumulative effect of ignoring excess weight could add up to hundreds of pounds. Luckily, Jeep didn't have your additude or that 25% "meaningful difference" would have our XJ's weighing 4,000 lbs rather than 3,200 lbs.

Mine are 3/16" square. I've thought that 1/8" square with some 3/16" strap welded to the bottom for impact strength would be a good idea, but that picture makes me think otherwise.

Dirk Pitt · Oct 4, 2005

MaXJohnson said:
One of the prime advantages of the XJ is light weight. If you're building rock rails, bumpers, skidplates, roll cages, roof racks, tire carriers, suspension mods and who knows what else, the cumulative effect of ignoring excess weight could add up to hundreds of pounds. Luckily, Jeep didn't have your additude or that 25% "meaningful difference" would have our XJ's weighing 4,000 lbs rather than 3,200 lbs.

Mine are 3/16" square. I've thought that 1/8" square with some 3/16" strap welded to the bottom for impact strength would be a good idea, but that picture makes me think otherwise.

Show me a XJ, built to tackle the trails where a 3/16" rail is absolutely needed, carrying spares, with appropriate skids, and a weekends worth of stuff that weighs 3200 lbs.

Mine might have weighted that empty, stock rolling off the assemely line but it is no longer empty and stock.

I'm a big fan of staying light also but really when we're talking 25% of 35 lbs, I don't even think about it.

If we were discussing 25% of 3200 lbs, I would look at it differently.

Roxtar · Oct 4, 2005

I use 1/4 wall tube on all my sliders.
They have to hold the entire weight of your rig at times.
Mine can.

An analogy based on something a friend once told me about guns comes to mind.
A .38 can glance off a windshield, a .357 will go through the windshield, but a .44 will stop the car.
Think 1/8", 3/16", and 1/4"

"Nothing exceeds like excess."

Dirk Pitt · Oct 4, 2005

kid4lyf said:
I use 1/4 wall tube on all my sliders.
They have to hold the entire weight of your rig at times.
Mine can.

And I like mine very much.

Thank you.

Knowing what you put yours through, leaves me never worrying about mine.

MaXJohnson · Oct 6, 2005

Dirk Pitt said:
Show me a XJ, built to tackle the trails where a 3/16" rail is absolutely needed, carrying spares, with appropriate skids, and a weekends worth of stuff that weighs 3200 lbs...

that would be silly ...

... and obviously not my point

AJsArmor · Oct 6, 2005

I think what is more important than outright wall thickness is the design/structure of the sliders themselves. That alone will play more a factor than anything. You can use 1/4" wall tube and in a poor design will end up bending and smashing in your rocker panel. In the last 5 years of building rockrails, I've only had one person report back with even bending a set of 1/8" wall rails and it was minimal. In a 2x2 configuration, 1/8" wall is stronger per pound than 3/16" or 1/4". I'd say use whatever fits the style of wheeling you do. If you're not regularly slamming onto rocks, go 1/8". If you do, get the 3/16.

Rock slider MINIMUM thickness

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