Kickout on sliders - Why and where?

[RockDoc]

I'm starting to plan for some sliders, and one thing I don't totally understand is the purpose of the kickout.

Before reading much, I figured it would be best to have one at the front of the sliders to allow a bit more side clearance against a bank to allow the front wheels to turn away from the bank. After some searching I see some reference to the kickout being used as a pivot point to swing around a rock or tree on the inside of a tight turn.

So can someone explain the purpose(s) of the kickout, and where it is best positioned? Does it serve much purpose on muddy/treed trails, or is it mostly intended for tight rock crawling?

Thanks,
Curtis.

 

[Kynot62]

Personally I don't like kick outs at all. Any time my sliders are up against rocks and trees a kick out just would get in the way. It seems they would be more of a hinderance than a help.

And just plain sliders are pivot points for a wagon. This includes the whole slider not a fixed point such as a kickout. And I wheel my wagon pretty hard in the rocks and the trees, and they got me through Rubicon as well.

Proper placement of the sliders determines how well they work. Both the height and the amount that stick out past the body. And don't forget that quarter guards are just as important as sliders if your gonna wheel the wagon hard.

Tony

 

[NCFJ]

I personally like a bit of a kick out. As stated above, the entire slider at any point can act as a pivot point. I like a small kick out as it aids to push the rear end of a rig away from an obsticle. Too much of a kick out can crimp you under the right circumstances, but for the most part I like them.

These are sliders I build for the 60/62 series. They can be built with or without kick outs. This customer chose the kick out more as a step for his two young sons than for any other reason. Note the expanded metal on the kick out, this is to prevent little legs from slipping through and getting hurt.

I agree with quarter guards also being important. Rather than seperate pieces I build them into the bumper and tie them up into the side of the frame.

 

[RockDoc]

Quarter protection as part of a rear bumper is in the plan Does the quarter protection negate some of the need for a kickout pushing the rear of the truck out?

 

[Kynot62]

The quarter guards protect the back end, no amount of kick out will protect that area of a wagon. Wagons bang and smash through the rocks due to the overhang and quarter guards just make sure they stay in the shape they left the factory in

Tony

 

[tat2matt]

Thanks you RocDoc for asking. I'm getting ready to build sliders and that was my stumbling block also. *subscribed

 

[RockDoc]

Nice pics guys. Protecting the "as delivered" nature of my sheet metal on Wobble is far from a concern, salt has taken care of much of that already.

That's all been fiberglassed and bedlined now though.

 

[Kynot62]

Not so much the factory condition but more just the general shape. If you look on that pic of my sliders you can see the totally rusted out rocker panel.

Tony

 

[Elbert]

If you are up against a tree or rocks....the kickout allows you a little bit of wiggle room between the hard object and your sheet metal. If you have no kickouts then all you are doing is protecting the bottom of the truck rather than the side. I realize that its minimal protection but its better than none. I would rather hard objects hit the kick-out rather than sheet metal.

 

[Kynot62]

When installed correctly the whole slider becomes a "kickout". My sliders stick out past the widest part of the body by about 1.5 inch at the rear and an inch at the front. This is when you look down from the top.

In the wrong place a kickout may get you stuck... On a flat pivot a kick out may help but when the weight of the rig is leaning on the slider that bump of the kickout is going to be a problem... I have been around numerous rocks and trees just like the one in the pick and have never done damage due to the lack of a kickout. Just as the slider starts to come off an obstacle the tire takes over. Any carnage has been from rocks and trees that are above the sliders anyway.

For an idea how my sliders have survived, search Kynot61 on youtube for some video from Rubicon.

Tony

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I have one set of sliders with a kick out and one without.

On balance, I think the kick out ones work a bit better. There were a couple of times when that extra width was important. Just be sure the kick out angle isn't too acute and you'll slide past as opposed to hanging on the kick out.

 

[klinetime574]

I have Trail-Gear sliders and I set them pretty level to maximize the kick-out.

Figure I need to protect my body as much as possible. Plus I can still access my rocker panels easily when I re-paint the cruiser. If they are hugged up close to the body and welded on the frame you won't be able to access the rocker panels for painting. I know you guys aren't too concerned with those technicalities though

I like them with the kick out. Also gives me something to stand on the access the roof.

 

[phishincruisin]

I think the kickout being discussed is that shown in the 3rd post, not just having a tube out. Having the tube come out away from the sliders is required IMO. I would avoid having the kickout as all I see it doing is allowing the truck to get wedged into and stopping the truck from sliding along a tree or rock.

 

[klinetime574]

oh shoot you're right phishincruisin haha. my bad.

I think the actual kick out is not needed on a 60, on 80's they make sense though with their bubbly body.

 

[tat2matt]

kynot62, your rear QP sliders are welded to the bumper have you had ones that are bolted or welded to the frame also? I was thinking that I would bolt mine to the frame and have the very bottom of the QP protected during assent off a rock. Opinion either way?