skids vs sliders

[kashmir]

Seems like conventional wisdom is that generally the order of adding armor should be rock sliders, then skid plates.

But on the gx470 since there are things hanging kinda low under there maybe it is a little different (vs a 100 series)?

Opinions?

Do you guys that only have sliders on drive differently knowing that your rig can take more abuse on the edges?

 

[The Jade Bean]

Sliders first! Rocker panels are a $&@! To fix...

-Daniel Kent

 

[GXO]

x2 Sliders first ALWAYS. The worst you will do underneath is dent your gas tank

 

[SouthernSS]

x3 on sliders.

 

[jbmccul]

Always sliders first

 

[BonnerBB]

x5 on the sliders

 

[kashmir]

I'm still not convinced, what to do...

j/k

Ok, definitely doing sliders - new owners of krawltex seem eager to work with me.

I still want to do bolton and think I have found a solution that makes me happy.

This guy, welded on an ("inner") tube that his slider fits over - then a bolt holds the overlapping tubes.
http://www.yotatech.com/f2/alternative-rock-sliders-163590/#post51026124

I'm going to do a variation on this and make the tube welded to the frame the "outer" one, that way I can add a support gusset on top (to the frame), seems like that would significantly add to the strength.

I'll probably have trailgear 4r sliders modded up (need to cut the longest one down.)

What do you think?

 

[robustbambi]

I would not do that. I wouldn't really want to trust the weight of the truck on a few bolts. Those are probably more for looks anyway.

Look at metal tech or white knuckle offroad sliders. Excellent quality. They use a ubolt that goes around the frame. Way stronger then the toyo tech weird idea.

 

[kashmir]

That would be my first option - but none of the existing bolton solutions will work on the gx470.

The way I was planning on doing it, the weight would actually be born by the doubled overlapping tubes going to the frame (of which one is welded on with gussets) - the bolt would just be preventing it from sliding off sideways (to break the bolt you'd actually need a force pulling on the slider from the side.)

I'll still ask the fab guys if they can see a way to do the ubolt thing, but I think my current plan may still work - I'll get their opinion on that too.

thx

 

[The Jade Bean]

If your set on your idea I would also double bolt each pipe along with using DOM.

-Daniel Kent

 

[TexasJack]

Take a hard look at the Metal Tech sliders. They are hardy enough to take the bashing you'll likely incur.

You should be able to find some sliders to fit your vehicle that are constructed in a similar fashion.

It isn't just the weight of your vehicle you have to be concerned about. Impacts are much more likely to damage your sliders than the weight. Remember Einstein's theory of relativity here. E=MC2. The energy is what will damage your vehicle and that equals the weight (mass of the vehicle) times the speed of travel squared. That is why companies like Metal Tech seemingly over-engineer their sliders.

 

[GXO]

If you buy pre fab, make sure you measure twice and confirm where they attach....there are differences on the GX which will affect fitment!

 

[SouthernSS]

yeah, also the frame of the truck is a weird overlapping dealio. Its like they took a single piece of flat steel and then folded it over itself into a square tube, then welded that together on an overlapping joint. So when you go to weld your slider plates onto it, you'll have a large gap nearer the ground while the plate touches the frame near the top.

I'd suggest cutting some small plate to fill that gap otherwise welding it will be problematic.

 

[kashmir]

The guy at krawltex thinks the idea is sound but will eventually rattle, but he thinks he'd still be able to put some kind of bolt mount on the frame - so that's the direction I'm heading in.

SouthernSS - I see you also used trailgear sliders, modified 67" ones... I lost my notes, but I think I remember the running board coming in about 73" (and the next size up for trailgear is 78".) Did you just spread the 6" difference to each wheel or did you add to it or reshape it? Very helpful tip about the frame though, I'll give those guys warning.

 

[SouthernSS]

yeah, I emphasized it a little more towards the rear, but not much. My logic is that I'm more likely to get my front around something than my back end.