Slee slider install question

[tominboise]

Ok, need to vent/rant a minute. I have spent over 4 hours trying to install the one front allen head bolt and nut plate on the drivers side. I have way more time invested trying to install that bolt than the rest of the slider install all together. I am two hours into round two with this particular bolt and getting no where. Have my borescope in the frame, can see the bolt. Just can't ever get the nut aligned enough on the bolt to get a thread started.

Passenger side went in without a hitch.

I am throwing up my hands and doing without it. If I ever am in Colorado at the Slee shop I gladly pay them to install the #($)O(U$)(%ing thing.

 

[indycole]

A few ideas:

1. Maybe try grabbing the end of the screw with one of those telescoping magnets from the nut side
2. A bit of lube
3. Clean the screw and nut threads with a tap and die

 

[benjrblant]

You could also give them a call. Slee installs quite a few and they might have some tips if you're experiencing difficulty.

 

[LINUS]

When I did my Tundra ones I remember using some masking tape if the lolipop nut plates are the issue.

I'd have to look again but I remember myself & buddy had a roll of blue masking tape out, although I forget the exact details since it's been ~yr since doing mine.

 

[tominboise]

Just to follow up. Today I changed the oil in my rig and mounted some new TT recovery hooks on the front. On a whim, I pulled the front wheel and body mount and took a look in the frame with my bore scope. Saw the original lollypop nut right there, and was able to recover it from inside the frame. Win #1.

Took a few minutes, cleaned all the threads on the nut and the bolt, got myself in a comfortable position and in a zen like state of serenity, and was able to get the nut threaded on the bolt and all tightened up. Took 5 minutes. Win #2.

I am heading to the store to buy a 6 pack and a lottery ticket....

 

[OregonLC]

With that kind of luck, I'd start looking for all those missing 10mm sockets...

 

[kcjaz]

Started installing Slee sliders on my 2013 200. I have some questions about the rivet nuts. 1st, how many on each side? I could 12 holes the could go in on the passenger side. The sliders only came with 16 total. Some of the holes are high on the frame rail and there is no way to get a drill in there to drill out the hole for the rivit nut. See pic for example.

Are the holes that are high on the frame rail not supposed to get rivit nuts?

 

[KenB]

I found that the color photos in the online directions are much easier to study and understand. Rivet nuts don’t go in every single hole. You can see which holes get rivet nuts much better on the website. Pay attention to how washers are stacked under some brake line brackets. I didn’t notice that until I looked at the website directions.

Last week when I installed mine I installed too many rivet nuts on the passenger side and didn’t have enough left for the driver side. Ordered some more 8 mm rivet nuts off of Amazon. They fit the 8 mm bolt, but are too small for the 17/32” frame hole. Tried again and found some on McMaster Carr that matched the ones supplied by Slee and bought those. Should have just called Slee.

I used a HSS twist drill on the passenger side. Between slow cutting and stopping often to resharpen it took forever to drill all the holes. Several days later I had time to tackle the drivers side and by then the cobalt twist drill I’d ordered for the job had arrived. I drilled all the drivers side holes in 1/10th the time compared to the passenger side. I’m not sure what kind of twist drill Slee will supply, but a cobalt drill is worth the $25 it cost me.

HTH, Ken

 

[CharlieS]

Slow speed, lubrication and quality/sharp drills (aka bits) are the key to drilling steel. Precision HSS twist drills are reasonably priced, and a Drill Doctor sharpener has been a great tool to have.

 

[KenB]

Slow speed, lubrication and quality/sharp drills (aka bits) are the key to drilling steel. Precision HSS twist drills are reasonably priced, and a Drill Doctor sharpener has been a great tool to have.

Absolutely. As a high school metal shop teacher I spend my day teaching spindle speeds and feed rates to teenagers. I machine holes all the time in various materials. The Landcruiser frame steel is not made from dead soft mild steel. It’s tougher than that. To drill the holes in my frame I used a right hand drive Milwaukee hole hawg set on low speed. It’s normally used by plumbers for turning large hole saws. Lots of purpose specific drill lube, a Drill Doctor handy, and slow speed is required.

 

[CharlieS]

Oops, sorry, I was “preaching to the choir” as they say. I guess I’ve gotten used to people that don’t frequently drill metal and see them getting frustrated when their dull box store wood bit in a drill set on high speed doesn’t work. Good luck with the rest of your project.

 

[kcjaz]

Thanks guys. I don't have any issues with drilling the holes out using the bit I bought from Slee. I was actually surprised at how easy it was to drill out the hole. It went through it like it was butter.

The issues I have is access. the hole I'm pointing to in the picture is located in a position that I cant get any drill I have anywhere near perpendicular to the frame rail. The hole for the other high rivet nut you see in the pic was drilled at probably 80 degrees but the other one would be like 30. I'm afraid to do that and end up with an oval I can't put a rivet nut in.

The other issue I have is the number of rivet nuts it looks like it takes. I know I don't need a rivet nut if there are already threads in the hole. So my question is do I need a rivet nut in every hole without threads that lines up with a hole in the slider mounting flanges? Or, are some of these intended to be left open?

 

[CharlieS]

I’m lazy, so I’d probably look at the holes in the slider mounting points and use that as my guide to figure out where to install nutserts.

Do you have room for a right angle drill?

 

[KenB]

So my question is do I need a rivet nut in every hole without threads that lines up with a hole in the slider mounting flanges? Or, are some of these intended to be left open?

As I did this install just last week, I totally understand your frustration with the directions. Look at the online photos on the Slee site and you’ll see that some of the holes are left open.

The Slee directions really could use a diagram with arrows pointing to the holes with existing treads, those that need a rivet nut, and those that are left open. They don’t have a diagram, but they do have photos. Look at them closely. The color on line ones are best.

I didn’t take notes or photos of the install. I can’t tell you which ones are left open. Study the photos to find the open holes.

Consider calling Slee. It’s right in the directions to call if you have any questions.

Good luck.

 

[619TOY]

Started installing Slee sliders on my 2013 200. I have some questions about the rivet nuts. 1st, how many on each side? I could 12 holes the could go in on the passenger side. The sliders only came with 16 total. Some of the holes are high on the frame rail and there is no way to get a drill in there to drill out the hole for the rivit nut. See pic for example.
View attachment 1918178

Are the holes that are high on the frame rail not supposed to get rivit nuts?

Thanks guys. I don't have any issues with drilling the holes out using the bit I bought from Slee. I was actually surprised at how easy it was to drill out the hole. It went through it like it was butter.

The issues I have is access. the hole I'm pointing to in the picture is located in a position that I cant get any drill I have anywhere near perpendicular to the frame rail. The hole for the other high rivet nut you see in the pic was drilled at probably 80 degrees but the other one would be like 30. I'm afraid to do that and end up with an oval I can't put a rivet nut in.

The other issue I have is the number of rivet nuts it looks like it takes. I know I don't need a rivet nut if there are already threads in the hole. So my question is do I need a rivet nut in every hole without threads that lines up with a hole in the slider mounting flanges? Or, are some of these intended to be left open?

I think pretty much everybody uses the nutserts in the the holes they have the easiest access to,but you can certainly get more nutserts and put them in every hole. I think it’s easiest to get a right angle die grinder and enlarge the holes in the frame, but you may be able to get a right angle drill in there too. When in doubt, use em all

 

[kcjaz]

I got the passenger side installed except for the nut plate thing because I ran out of time today. I put in a total of 9 rivet nuts on the passenger side. 2 of them were high on the frame rail and I had to drill at an angle which worked but on one of those I had to cut the rivet tool off because I couldn't back it off before it hit the body. See picture, don't let this happen to you!

I also managed to strip the treads on one of the rivet nuts. Need to get a thread repair coil or something for that, or maybe I can drill it out and put in a new rivet nut.

All I can say is that the instructions could be clearer. The photos in the instructions and on the website help but in the end, the hole pattern I had on the slider flanges did not match exactly the pictures in the instructions or the web site. I'll post some pics of how I how did it.

 

[kcjaz]

 

[tominboise]

Good job - it's a big project to get these things mounted.

 

[kcjaz]

Finally "done done" with the sliders and TJM bumper. Also decided to black out the chrome rocker panel trim. I really wanted to just remove them but they are mounted with clips and would leave holes. One can of plastic dip and it looks good for now. I suspect that the plastic dip will not be tough enough to last. at least it is relatively easy to do and redo if needed. I may check with toyota to see if they make black rocker panel trim inserts.

 

[kcjaz]

Here are before and after plastic dip