Critique my sliders please

[stumpXJ]

I did something very similar, but added a kick-out at the rear of the tube. I cant tell you how many times I saved my old truck from trees and deep ruts/trenches. Without the kickout, it would have eaten my bedsides for breakfast.

I pulled the sliders off the truck before getting rid of it, and they are going on my XJ soon.

Definitely want to run a few braces in the middle though.

The tube, if they are mounted correctly, will also make a VERY nice place to use a hi-lift on. I used to easily lift the whole side of my truck on mine. Sliders arent very practical if they wont support the weight of the vehicle. I have slammed down on mine many of times... Build it strong.

~James

PS, leave them angled. You will lose breakover clearance when they are straightout, especially in rutted/dipped hilltops. "Boatsides" on comp trucks are angled up for a reason.

 

[Destroyer]

Thanks for the input everyone!

First off, the plan for mounting them: There are plenty of posts on here of people designing different mounts so I took what I liked from those and came up with this. 3 legs (1"x2"x.120") going from main rail to "frame" with .25" plate feet. The rear foot will be an L that bolts through the spring hanger. The rest of the feet will be held on with self-tapping bolts, 2 or 4 per plate. I do want to keep these removable for future frame plating, etc. Pinch seam will be (1"x1"x.120") bolted through in 8 places per side with 1/4" grade 8 bolts.

I was concerned about door-slider clearance, hence the post here. I do plan to brace the door guard to the main rail with the same 1.66"x.140 wall pipe, 1 or more per side (depending on how much scrap I end up with). They are currently not quite as wide as the fender flares, but since they will be going away in favor of tube fenders eventually I'm not real worried about them. While I would like to do a complete rocker replacement, cage, etc, this is my DD/only vehicle so any mods or upgrading must not disable the vehicle.

Looking out the window they look huge to me, when in reality they are about 2" off the door which is why I wanted to get some opinions. The general view I am getting so far is maybe a little less angle on them and brace them well? The amount they stick out from the body seems about right?

Thanks
-Destroyer

 

[arctycfox]

I'd bolt through the uni-rail, as opposed to self tapping lags, if i were you. The sheet metal is only 18ga. I believe. Not sure I'd trust that for a hi-lift point or pivot rail.

 

[Deadman 94 xj]

"Boatsides" on comp trucks are angled up for a reason.

Boatsides remove "area" from the truck creating more clearence. Notice boatsides arn't bolt on.

OP, I'd leave them the way they are. At the most you could decrease the angle just enough to not worry about door clearance. Being that it's a DD I might not even do that much. It looks great, especially for a first time fab job.

 

[kidarkitect]

this may be a dumb q but is that galvanized? that stuff's toxic to weld. hope your wearing a breather element of some sort if it is.

 

[TNT]

I would use 3 supports per side.

 

[stumpXJ]

Boatsides remove "area" from the truck creating more clearence. Notice boatsides arn't bolt on.

True enough, but they also angle up after the material is removed. The same principle applies here, but in a less extreme case.

Bottom line, I have a buddy with a Tacoma that the sliders are sticking straight out with no angle, and he gets hung on more crap than he did without them. If they stick out past the rockers, the higher the better.

~James