Slider Fabrication Time? (1 Viewer)

[Fochdog]

I am planning to pull the trigger on sliders for my truck this week. Either buy a set of Slee Step Sliders or fab some up starting with George's online design. I have a friend who is willing help me with the fab work. I have an esitmate for material costs, but no estimate for time to fab them.

My question is:

For those who have fabed up custom sliders (George's or otherwise) what was your time in hours from start to finish?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Gumby]

two good days. It takes a lot longer than you would think for a fairly straight forward fab.

 

[sc40]

what is George's online design? where do i find it? thank you for your help.

 

[Fochdog]

http://george4wd.taskled.com/

 

[mooker82]

Not to hijack too bad but has anyone modified his design to use rounded tubing vs the square. I would really like to give this a shot next time I go home for a few days and have access to a welder.

 

[NorCalDoug]

No time estimates to share with you, but just about every post I've read and virtually everyone I have spoken with who've made their own following George's or other designs has said that if they were to do it again, they would've bought a set of Slee's or Hanna's ready-made.

 

[NorCalDoug]

Not to hijack too bad but has anyone modified his design to use rounded tubing vs the square. I would really like to give this a shot next time I go home for a few days and have access to a welder.

For round tubed ones...if I were to do it, I'd buy a set from marlincrawler for $495 and either weld them on or (my preference) modify them for bolt-on.

Here's a link to a few pics:
http://marlincrawler.com/80series_nerfs.html

Pricing is here:
http://marlincrawler.com/80series.html

If nothing else...you might get some ideas from the pics

 

[OGBeno]

Give ConcreteJungle a PM--he just fabbed up a set of sliders recently and they looked really nice. I want to get a pair from him, but PM cash is taking its toll.

Best.
-onur
Akron, OH

 

[concretejungle]

At least two solid days, and then time for additional tweaking. I used george's design and had a friend to get all the materials together while i was at work and help considerably during the construction.

 

[george_tlc]

2 solid days if you're really good (I'm not).

There's a ton of work - buy the metal (drive to get it), metal prep (etch), cutting all the metal (a lot of cuts!), test fits, tack welding, finish welding, u-bolt sourcing, cleanup, painting or powder coating.

If you do it in stages then the time aspect will fade - but if you plan on doing a marathon you'll be wondering why you ever started...

It really comes down to one thing - are you going to have fun making your own the way you want them or do you just want/need a set of sliders. If the former - go for it and have nice cold beers waiting to reward you at the end of each fabrication day. If the latter (or your wife owns your time) then DEFINITELY buy them ready made.

george.

 

[Josh83]

Fabbing most anything on a vehicle that looks decent takes a lot of time. Me and another guy have about 20 hours each into my rear bumper right now and we are nowhere near done. If I wasn't just working on it during down time at work, I would buy one.

 

[Fochdog]

Thanks everybody for the feedback! I also found some good SOR threads on the topic.

Bottom line: custom sliders are a PITA to fab and not a lot cheaper if you consider the time it takes.

So, I bit the bullet and ordered a set of Slee Step Sliders.

Later,

 

[alia176]

At the time I made them using George's plans, I had to rent a plasma cutter for a weekend. It was worth the $50 rental fee that made metal cutting a breeze. Just a FYI.

 

[Shahram]

A buddy of mine (who is a really good welder) and I fabbed our own sliders in about 10 working hours. It was my first welding project, and it turned out great. However, the design was really simple. It was for my (former) Xterra. There was only one main stay (the part that runs from front to rear), with three outriggers per side. They were bolt-on, and the machining of the holes was the hardest part. We did not use a secondary stay (step rail), but instead lengthened the outriggers so that the slider itself could be used as a step, as well as offer better protection. Once the welding was done, a couple of rattle cans of black Pep Boys Bed Liner ($7 a pop) was sprayed on. Those sliders worked phenomenally well for a year or so, and are on another Xterra right now. We were able to jack the entire truck onto two wheels with some flex, but it got the job done. Took some good hits, too. All it took was a wipe-down and a new layer of spray-on liner.

Total cost was about $150.00, which included $30 to have the plates properly machine drilled, $20 for having the steel professionally cut (didn't have a chop saw then) and $14 for paint. I've since bought all the proper tools, so I figure my next basic design for my Cruiser will cost less than $100.

If anyone's interested, I can post the basic measurements and requirements to make a basic set of sliders, and you can take it from there.

Here's a close-up pic:

Here's a better perspective of where they are in relation to the pinch:

 

[Shahram]

Duh...it just dawned on me why a straight bar from the frame wouldn't work...

...my bad. Damn stupid Toyota and its complicated, really good high-clearance design...

 

[Gauge]

A buddy of mine (who is a really good welder) and I fabbed our own sliders in about 10 working hours. It was my first welding project, and it turned out great. However, the design was really simple. It was for my (former) Xterra. There was only one main stay (the part that runs from front to rear), with three outriggers per side. They were bolt-on, and the machining of the holes was the hardest part. We did not use a secondary stay (step rail), but instead lengthened the outriggers so that the slider itself could be used as a step, as well as offer better protection. Once the welding was done, a couple of rattle cans of black Pep Boys Bed Liner ($7 a pop) was sprayed on. Those sliders worked phenomenally well for a year or so, and are on another Xterra right now. We were able to jack the entire truck onto two wheels with some flex, but it got the job done. Took some good hits, too. All it took was a wipe-down and a new layer of spray-on liner.

Total cost was about $150.00, which included $30 to have the plates properly machine drilled, $20 for having the steel professionally cut (didn't have a chop saw then) and $14 for paint. I've since bought all the proper tools, so I figure my next basic design for my Cruiser will cost less than $100.

If anyone's interested, I can post the basic measurements and requirements to make a basic set of sliders, and you can take it from there.

Here's a close-up pic:

Here's a better perspective of where they are in relation to the pinch:

The sliders look GREAT, but what is that fugly vehicle they are mounted on?

Just kidding with you man. I was hoping you attached them to a Cruiser!

 

[Shahram]

The sliders look GREAT, but what is that fugly vehicle they are mounted on?

Just kidding with you man. I was hoping you attached them to a Cruiser!

Yeah, even fuglier when you get under the hood...

I couldn't have attached them to the Cruiser. The outriggers reach straight out from the frame to the slider. The Cruiser body comes down over the frame, whereas the Xterra design is such that the body floats above the frame. Not only that, but the length of the body pinch is much longer on the Cruiser. I've always assumed I could just build out some straight outriggers and go to town...but damn, I got shot down on that. Makes things a touch more complex, that's for sure.

 

[CruisinGA]

I've been considering chopping the rocker panels to gain ~3" of body clearance, plus it would make sliders much easier to make.

I'm wondering if anyone has done this?

I couldn't have attached them to the Cruiser. The outriggers reach straight out from the frame to the slider. The Cruiser body comes down over the frame, whereas the Xterra design is such that the body floats above the frame. Not only that, but the length of the body pinch is much longer on the Cruiser. I've always assumed I could just build out some straight outriggers and go to town...but damn, I got shot down on that. Makes things a touch more complex, that's for sure.

 

[sleeoffroad]

Jeff Jones welded 2x4's into the rocker panels. Same clearance as before but something you can slide on. Catch is the frame is still the low point.

 

[2badfjs]

would'nt be hard

I've been considering chopping the rocker panels to gain ~3" of body clearance, plus it would make sliders much easier to make.

I'm wondering if anyone has done this?

it would make the outrigger level with the frame.
it would also be alot easier to make,no angles to cut for the outriggers.
everything would be flat.
OH,MY BAD!!!!!! SORRY,,,,,I WAS'NT PAYING ATTENTION THIS IS 80'S CHAT,AND I'M THINKING 60'S

I'LL GO AWAY NOW