bloc
SILVER Star
If our sheet metal is as thick/strong as those brackets, then great! From installing it, it does not feel like car sheet metal...but i am a neophyte when it comes to these things.
I have enough fabrication experience to know that in this application (heavy vehicle, lots of potential for force) if my goal was to keep these from hitting the body I'd have much thicker steel for those brackets. @VooDoo2 brings up a GREAT point.. ARB is one of the few manufacturers that really takes Toyota's OE crash test standards into account when designing these things, and doesn't want to either take the liability or imperil the vehicle occupants to anything other than what toyota designed.
To that end.. frankly, my gut is that budbuilt stuff is stronger than it really needs to be.. but in this application, with "rock sliders" being the label, that is what I'd prefer my "protection" to be. Over built. Yes, these trucks are heavy. Anything that can be done to lighten the final setup is a good goal to work toward, but with regard to sliders at least the weight is low and sprung, minimizing handling/offroading drawbacks and "putting the weight where it will do the most good".
Maybe one day someone will go overboard with engineering sliders that provide the perfect combination of attachment, convenience, strength (without overpowering the frame rail), materials, weight, etc. But I'd expect these to be $$$$. For now, if you need "protection", look for "sliders." If you need steps, and very minor protection that fits the wheeling environment of places like Australia (as whoever pointed out, sorry I've had too many Hazy IPA's to go back and look and successfully navigate back here), the ARBs are a high quality and attractive option. With my propensity for Colorado rocks, and frankly not enough experience to avoid the problem ones.. I like my Metal Techs a lot.
It's funny how our perspectives of metal thickness is.
The OEM frame is rarely are over 3/16" gauge. With sheet metal like 1/8 in more places than not. Some places are folded over or stacked where additional strength may be needed. With advanced design and manufacturing, OEMs optimize weight with strength greatly increased from geometry used to its advantage. Versus flat square shapes that are commonly used in the aftermarket and material gauge used to increase strength. I do agree that material gauge is sometimes necessary for increased impact robustness in commonly hit areas.
Great points.. and all part of an engineered system. Any change to that system (sliders, steps, etc) can throw things off.
Sometimes I feel like we should all just be towing buggies to the trails. Then I think about having AC and ventilated seats.....