Just thought i ask, how many of u out there wheel with a pair of sliders? i looked at a lot of the pics and i see that a lot dont have sliders. so, just thought i check with a poll.
thanks.

Where's the "I would if I could, but I can't (wallet issues) so I don't" option?

Originally posted by Hokie
Where's the "I would if I could, but I can't (wallet issues) so I don't" option?

Exactly.

I do and they were free. I just had to get off my lazy good for nothing a.. and go spend 2 hrs making them:D

Nope, my rockers can't get anything but straighter from now on anyway.

I want sliders but i dont have access to a welder right now. but soon, soon i'll have some. :D

Originally posted by Hokie
Where's the "I would if I could, but I can't (wallet issues) so I don't" option?

That would be too.

Where is the "I have them, but haven't had a chance to use them" choice? :(

just bought the material yesterday, so i'll be making mine in the next couple of day just in time for moab :)

hopefully the $60.00 i spent on material will save me more money that would be used on body repair

Originally posted by Robb
Where is the "I have them, but haven't had a chance to use them" choice? :(

Yeah! Where is it huh? :p

i do.. but not to keep it pretty. they are functional. they protect, can be used as a jacking point, a pivot point on big rocks, and are just fun to have!

Originally posted by hvac man
I do and they were free. I just had to get off my lazy good for nothing a.. and go spend 2 hrs making them:D

I would build a set if I had the welder and the place to do it. My wife would want me doing it in the kitchen

Tim

I got em on my truck! Its the best $26 I've spent!!

The last trip I was on, they kept my whole passenger side off of a 30 yard embankment, remember that one Jason.

I have 'em on my Zuk. Cost a whopping $24.

Doug, you're gonna have to come out here and spend a weekend (when you have some cash :D) so we can outfit your truck with some armor so those nasty trees and rocks can't bite :D

Originally posted by Josh Adams
I got em on my truck! Its the best $26 I've spent!!

The last trip I was on, they kept my whole passenger side off of a 30 yard embankment, remember that one Jason.

lol yep.. up one of the many roller coaster style hill climbs!

I have them and have used them many times, there are scars underneath them to prove it :D . Sliders are one of the first mods I made. They have done a good job of protecting the rockers but in the future I will be making some new beefier sliders that stick out farther to also protect the side of the body more.

Originally posted by JDraper
I have 'em on my Zuk. Cost a whopping $24.

Doug, you're gonna have to come out here and spend a weekend (when you have some cash :D) so we can outfit your truck with some armor so those nasty trees and rocks can't bite :D

DEFINANTLY!!! I want bumpers and sliders!

I can do that. Just need to know long enough in advance to get the proper metal ordered.

I'll let you know when i'm feeling weathly again.

Mine were a good investment of $35 bucks in steel and some time. They are used almost everytime I wheel.

Originally posted by JDraper
I can do that. Just need to know long enough in advance to get the proper metal ordered.

You opening up shop? ;) I'd probably make my own and suck up the $40/day stick welder rental.

Originally posted by Hokie
You opening up shop? ;) I'd probably make my own and suck up the $40/day stick welder rental.

I occasionally do stuff on the side.....Bumpers, lift kits, sliders, skid plates, repairs, high performance stuff...Vehicles are a hobby to me. Check with people like Lizardtrac, Doug, Spas, Explorereb96. They can tell ya the kind of stuff I do and the attention I pay to detail.

Originally posted by JDraper


I occasionally do stuff on the side.....Bumpers, lift kits, sliders, skid plates, repairs, high performance stuff...Vehicles are a hobby to me. Check with people like Lizardtrac, Doug, Spas, Explorereb96. They can tell ya the kind of stuff I do and the attention I pay to detail.

Jeff's a web wheeler, I've never actually seen him out on the trail, I just see him trailering the zookie around. :rolleyes:



No, Jeff pays great attention to detail and pushes the zuki pretty hard. I cant wait to get a bumper like the zuki has for my truck. :)

Got sliders, use them nearly every time I go out. They make you brave, cause you don't have to worry about causing so much damage anymore. Mine are made from 2X4" tubing.

allways used the stock rockers as sliders. green rattle can covered up the scars nicely.... however i couldnt get it to spray thick enough to fill in the dents. :D

I could see that when you go over speed bumps and gotta get out and push :D

I think they are a must for a wheeler. If not, some of you guys like GJarrett, who just ignore rocks, wouldn't be able to open you door after some of the trips!! lol

Originally posted by Kirby N.
I could see that when you go over speed bumps and gotta get out and push :D i was talking about my other Ford, hence the "green rattle can" reference. ;)

http://myweb.cableone.net/jamesandbrandy/bronc1.jpg

I want em, problem is finding a source for steel... Haven't been too successful yet...

Anyplace that sells surplus steel should have what you need. I used a couple of six foot lengths of 2X4X3/16 tubing for the sliders and less than 10' of DOM 1-1/2" OD tubing for the braces on mine. They seem to work pretty good. Total cost was less than $50.00 for the steel, but I bought new stuff. Sometimes you can hit the scrap yards and get what you want for around .25 cents a pound if you don't mind a little sanding to get the surface rust off.

James
Ok, that makes more sense! I like the Bronco much more!

What is the suggested thickness of the metal that should be used... I'm think 2x3 or 2x4 rectangle tube, either thickness are .12 or .25
the .12 (1/8th an inch) of 2x4 is $4.86 a foot Weight/lineal foot: 4.7112 pounds


.25 (1/4th an inch) 2x4 is $11.89 a foot & Weight/lineal foot: 9.372 pounds

Huge difference in weight price and weight. I would guess that 1/8th isn't enough... but 3/16ths would be my guess... anyone?

Hmm, after getting out the ruler maybe 1.5x3in would work?

when i get around to cutting my rockers off and making mine, it will be 2x4 3/16 with 1 3/4 DOM for the mounting tubes. this is mainly because a cousin has alot of the 2x4 scraps in that size laying around, and i wont have to buy any. :)

On the bars that Gloria made, and one the ones I'm making for Doug, we used 2" x 3" x 1/4" rectangular tubing for the sliders, 2" x 2" x 1/4" square tubing for the connecting bars, and 1/4" thick plate for the mounting plates. I'd rather have a little extra weight than have sliders that can't take the punishment.

I really don't care about weight unless i end up buying online, as I've come up short handed finding a steel supplier around chicago fitting my needs. Also how much space is everyone leaving between the body and the sliders, so as allowing for flex?

Also for the mounting plate, you guys running plate on both sides of the frame for added strength?

The ones I mounted on Karol's truck bolt in from the outside and the bottom. That is plenty strong if you go with a 5/8" grade 8 bolt.

Originally posted by RFR2212
I really don't care about weight unless i end up buying online, as I've come up short handed finding a steel supplier around chicago fitting my needs. Also how much space is everyone leaving between the body and the sliders, so as allowing for flex?

Also for the mounting plate, you guys running plate on both sides of the frame for added strength?

I left just a smidge of space between the pinch weld and my sliders and i've not had a bit of problem out of them.

I used 3x1.5 1/8th" wall. I've not used them to seriously, but i have used the hijack on them and have had no problems yet. They are welded strait to the frame and i have a bar going to the top of the frame down, to make like a triangle against the slider so it can't give when i put wait on them from the bottom. I'm not running a plate on the both sides to answer your question. Fuel lines run on the DS rail, so it would be a PAIN!

Mine are welded onto small plates that are welded to the frame in four places on each side with gussetts for added strength. The small plates are in case it peels away from the frame, it will peel the plate, not the frame. Most of the sliders I have seen are 2X4 OD with various mounting locations and styles. I think .25 thickness is major overkill and a lot of unnecessary weight. I folded the pinch weld over and the sliders are less than 1/2" from the bottom of the body.

I disagree with 1/4" being major overkill. There are times when you will be on the trail and your slider might just be sitting on a point of a rock. If you have half the weight of your vehicle resting on a single point, that's 2000lbs or so resting on a very small area. If the point of the rock is 1/4" in diameter, you're applying over 10,000 psi to that area, which is a considerable amout of force to be applying in one small point.

I'd rather overbuild it a little and have them last, then underbuild it a little to save a little weight and have them bend or fail.

I disagree with 1/4" being major overkill. There are times when you will be on the trail and your slider might just be sitting on a point of a rock. If you have half the weight of your vehicle resting on a single point, that's 2000lbs or so resting on a very small area. If the point of the rock is 1/4" in diameter, you're applying over 10,000 psi to that area, which is a considerable amout of force to be applying in one small point.

I'd rather overbuild it a little and have them last, then underbuild it a little to save a little weight and have them bend or fail.
I agree. 1/8" or .120 wall will bend/dent with a good hit. Heck, just look at Diff Wack Daddy's slider after the :roll:

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/500/154MVC-512S.JPG

They're next on my build list... Have pipe bender - will build sliders. :thumbsup:

They are the next thing I am getting! :bounce: Probably have them by mid/end of Feb.

So, where's the option for "using @#$$@ step bars for now and waiting to see how quickly they get destroyed first"

Or, read another way, one off road trips and its time to fix the step bar again....

So, where's the option for "using @#$$@ step bars for now and waiting to see how quickly they get destroyed first"

Or, read another way, one off road trips and its time to fix the step bar again....


haha yea you used them pretty good last weekend, as well as the rear quarterpanel as a large stick collector :hammer:

Quarterpanel was amazing! Bent it back by hand and can't tell it was that bent up. I wish I got pics 'cause no one at work believes me.

I think I broke the bolts or maybe even the body mount points for the driver side step bar - I can't tell yet, the mud is still frozen on it and I'd have to use a chisel before taking a closer look. :D

Quarterpanel was amazing! Bent it back by hand and can't tell it was that bent up. I wish I got pics 'cause no one at work believes me.

I think I broke the bolts or maybe even the body mount points for the driver side step bar - I can't tell yet, the mud is still frozen on it and I'd have to use a chisel before taking a closer look. :D


yea to bad we didnt get a pic :p

I agree. 1/8" or .120 wall will bend/dent with a good hit. Heck, just look at Diff Wack Daddy's slider after the :roll:

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/500/154MVC-512S.JPG

after seeing that I think all my sliders I'm going to build are going to be 1/4" :eek:

[QUOTE=Jefe]I agree. 1/8" or .120 wall will bend/dent with a good hit. Heck, just look at Diff Wack Daddy's slider after the :roll:

Okay, but I used 3/16 and have not had any problems in over one year of heavy off-roading.

Where's the "I would have them but I'm stuck at school so can't make them till next summer" option?

Savage, I don't think 1/4 inch sliders would stand up to rolling 30 feet down an embankment and landing on a tree. If you make them to withstand that kind of hit, you might as well build a buggy, cause an Explorer won't live through that.

Savage, I don't think 1/4 inch sliders would stand up to rolling 30 feet down an embankment and landing on a tree. If you make them to withstand that kind of hit, you might as well build a buggy, cause an Explorer won't live through that.

I would have to agree with you on that Brian.

I do have sliders they are 2x2 with a 1.5" OD kick out tube. I am not sure but think they are made out of .120 wall. They come in handy as I added them for my wife when she was pregnant. This was so she could get in and out of the truck as it was our only vehicle at the time. I had them built for off road use and to double as step bars for her. At the truck haven 05 event they paid for themselves in the shear fact they gave me a pivot point and kept from crushing my doors in on large rocks/hills.

Mine are 2X4 3/16 thick with a 1-1/2" .120 wall tubing to bring the rocks father away from the body, and provide more of a step for entry, and slider monkeys (friends standing on the slider to keep the truck from tipping over). I have already bent the tubing slightly up on one side on the Swamp trail at Shaver, but I was using it as a pivot point to fit in between the four foot tall rocks. I can also Hi-lift jack both tires off the ground on that .120 wall tubing without bending it.

2 inch tube welded to plates on the frame, .180 wall.

I would love to find a place to get some made, Chris, you know of any around Ft. Collins

Tim

Savage, I don't think 1/4 inch sliders would stand up to rolling 30 feet down an embankment and landing on a tree. If you make them to withstand that kind of hit, you might as well build a buggy, cause an Explorer won't live through that.

well no one told me that :p I'm in the process of building my sliders now, 2x4ish inch square tube thats 3/16" or 1/8" (i forgot) that i had laying around, i have both main tubes made and 4 of the mounts I'm using, one side assembled, other got shoved in a corner cause I had a pita project come up for a snow removal contractor to make a swing away salter mount... thead on the silder coming soon :D (with alot of pics)

I don't really know any off hand that would specialize in making them. Where I work at Fort Collins 4x4, we would customize them, but I warn you it wouldn't be too cheap. The other two "main" 4x4 shops is Bullhide 4x4 down south on College, or MTO but they don't do very quality work at all.

I voted yes since i'm working on a set of sliders as we speak, i'm using 1.75" OD x 120. wall for the main runners and frame supports and 1.5" OD x .120 wall for some quarter panel protection which comes up from the main runners.
See my sliders post for more info and pics.

They are the next thing I am getting! :bounce: Probably have them by mid/end of Feb.
I didn't get them in Feb, like I wanted. But I did just get off the phone with the shop who's building them. I am going to go in next Thursday to get them on! :bounce: I can't wait!

EDIT: The shop will be building sliders that will be the same as JasonB's sliders. (Except for the big Tellico dent on the driver's side ;))

Mine are 2x2 square tubing .25" wall tubing. I plan on adding a round tube off them to help protect the doors eventually.

Here are a couple of pix of the sliders I'm building for Ben (Blee1099). This morning I welded the endcaps in place and ground 'em down smooth. The sliders are 2 x 3 x 1/4" wall, the supports are 2x2x 1/4" wall, and the mounting plates are 1/4" plate material. More pix will follow next weekend when we do the install.

BTW, material costs are right around $100, at least from the Amish shop I deal with.

I just had mine made a couple of weeks ago: .120 wall, 1.5" DOM, with 3 frame mounts. :cool:
Pics are in my sig.

...at least from the Amish shop I deal with.


Did you tell them it's for a horse drawn rock crawler :thumbsup:

Well, since they're for Ben, that just might be true :D! He'll probably need a couple of horses to help him wheel :)

The Amish are not exactly what everyone perceives them to be. They will use modern technology if it suits their needs. The shop I deal with uses Mig welders, tube benders, lathes, mills, etc. They have a phone and a fax machine, and the owner (who is also Amish) drives a 1998 Explorer.

great ben's sliders are going to look almost the same as mine :p looks like I'm going to need to change mine then... but really they look good, if it wasnt for the fact that I had the stuff I used already laying around I would have gone with 1/4" thick tube and pull-pin mount like the ones Gloria was making
my current sliders I made more as steps and to keep the imports out from under my truck :D

This is the third set I will have installed with this design. The first set was one of Gloria's that I put on Karol's truck. I liked the way hers were designed, so I copied a good portion of the ones I make from them. I also made Doug's sliders, but they don't have the pin mount (Ben's won't either), they are just bolted to the frame. Using the pin mount style proved to be somewhat of a PITA when I mounted them on Karol's truck so I decided to just go with the bolt on design.

Maybe, just maybe, I'll be working on a Gen II front bumper design this summer :D . I'm thinking of taking the bumper I made for my sammy and upsizing it for Explorers.

great ben's sliders are going to look almost the same as mine :p looks like I'm going to need to change mine then... but really they look good, if it wasnt for the fact that I had the stuff I used already laying around I would have gone with 1/4" thick tube and pull-pin mount like the ones Gloria was making
my current sliders I made more as steps and to keep the imports out from under my truck :D

The only difference between your sliders & mine are that mine will be used on the trails. :D

Well, Ben's sliders are now installed. Here's a couple of pix of them going in:

The mounts we made for the frame:

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/2/4156P4090001.JPG

Front mount in place:

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/2/4156mount2.jpg

Rear mount in place:

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/2/4156slidermount1.jpg

Test fitting the bar:

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/2/4156fitbar.jpg

Bar mounts welded on:

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/2/4156weldee.jpg

Bars installed !! :D

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/2/4156P4090010.JPG

It took us about 8 hours to build and install the bars....

Nice job Draper. It almost looks like you've made sliders before. ;) :thumsbup:

Nice job Draper. It almost looks like you've made sliders before. ;) :thumsbup:


Gee, I "almost" might have!! :mattmoon: :p

Ben/Jeff

I'd love to see a pic off the frame mount to "outrigger" bar. I really like the your design, and would appreicate any tips.

DeRocha and I are going to be building a pair of sliders for our trucks soon.

Ben/Jeff

I'd love to see a pic off the frame mount to "outrigger" bar. I really like the your design, and would appreicate any tips.

DeRocha and I are going to be building a pair of sliders for our trucks soon.

After doing 3 sets of these, IMHO, the easiest way to build them is to first get the frame mounts in place (just a piece of 1/4" x 4" wide flat stock) and temporarily bolted down, then bring the slider into the location you want it, measure the distance from the frame mounts to the slider and cut your outriggers to that length. While the slider is sitting in the position you want, mark it as to where the outriggers are to go. Take everything out and weld the outriggers to the sliders. Then, reposition the sliders and tack weld the outriggers to the frame mounts. After that is done, remove the frame mounts and finish the welds.

I also recommend using a stiffener between the top of the frame mount and the outriggers. It made a big difference on Ben's sliders as far as vertical stiffness. Check out http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133670 for more pictures. Scroll down to the bottom for close up of the frame mounts and the stiffeners.

Thanks!

Those pics look great.

Did you do any re-inforcing to the frame, or just bolt through the thin metal?

The front mounts actually go through the boxed frame section so you'll need long bolts there. The rear just bolt directly to the frame with fender washers behind them. You could put a re-inforcing plate on the rear ones, but it hasn't appeared to be necessary so far. The C-Channel will flex a little if you lift the truck off the ground, but that's not a problem.

Jeff, have you had any problems with the welded to the mount?? If you rember how Gloria had hers bolted into the "hitch", that's how mine were as well. I've got mine removed right now, and I'm not sure I want to fight them back into the correct spot to get the bolt into them. I'm debating about welding them into the mount and saving o'well. Just wondering about any problems if you've had any.

Here's a pic about the mounts I've got
http://www.explorer4x4.com/zimnerffront.jpg

Lee, I haven't seen any problems with any of the sets that I've done so far. The ones I bought from Gloria are now on Karol's (ExplorerEB96) truck, and the alignment issue with the receivers is one of the reasons I went to a solid mount on the subsequent sets I've built. Right now Doug and Blee1099 have sliders that I made on, and Parli22 is on the list to get a set made. As far as I know, neither Doug or Ben has had any issues with the one piece sliders.