Wrenching Weekend

[IBCRUSN]

I'd offer up my 80 for cut and paste but with the body lift and exhaust being different than all others it won't work.

I too like Robert's (4Crawler) sliders but with a couple extra supports on the ends. The 80's weight a little more than a Runner. His are a simple design that can be made to work however you like (step sliders, etc) and are very sturdy. I think Bob G. can chime in as he is running that design on his 80 and mini truck.

 

[DuManchu]

I like the Metal Tech design the best, although doing formed metal would bee too extreme, we could copy the design using traditional methods.

I'm particularly fond of the kickout near the back.

http://metaltech4x4.com/products_80sliders.htm

 

[Zane]

I'm in for building a set! I agree with Chris in needing easier access into the rig for the wife and kids. It sounds like the out riggers are what people have differing opinions on. The development of the brackets to the frame and the main slide rail would be the same for all of us, but the out rigger style may differ in what each of us want. Those out riggers are the easiest part of building the slider so if at least we develop a template for the main slider and brackets we could each do our own desired out rigger/step...

Thoughts??

 

[Bob_Garrett]

I too like Robert's (4Crawler) sliders but with a couple extra supports on the ends. The 80's weight a little more than a Runner. His are a simple design that can be made to work however you like (step sliders, etc) and are very sturdy. I think Bob G. can chime in as he is running that design on his 80 and mini truck.

The ones that I have on the mini are basically a copy of 4Crawlers design. The ones on the 80 are more like Christo's step-sliders, execpt that I used square tube for the outer section (I also haven't gotten around to adding a plate to the top.

The ones on the 80 function much better as a step than the ones on the mini, due to the fact that they extend straight out from the inner tube, rather than being angled upward as on the mini.

Here's a pic of the ones on the 80. Sorry for the poor quality, the flash on my camera phone isn't very good.

 

[DuManchu]

I'm in for building a set! I agree with Chris in needing easier access into the rig for the wife and kids. It sounds like the out riggers are what people have differing opinions on. The development of the brackets to the frame and the main slide rail would be the same for all of us, but the out rigger style may differ in what each of us want. Those out riggers are the easiest part of building the slider so if at least we develop a template for the main slider and brackets we could each do our own desired out rigger/step...

Thoughts??

Sounds like a good idea to me, I know I personally don't want a step-style slider, but I know others do (as expressed in the posts above).

I just want a nice tube outrigger with a kickout at the rear.

 

[schlopecki]

(...)
The development of the brackets to the frame and the main slide rail would be the same for all of us, but the out rigger style may differ in what each of us want. Those out riggers are the easiest part of building the slider so if at least we develop a template for the main slider and brackets we could each do our own desired out rigger/step...

Thoughts??

I agree.
As far as mounting to frame... final version of mount on my sliders was something like this:

I had 1/4" plates bent on a brake to that shape then original plates cut off from the sliders and those welded to instead.
... but, I was able to do only after I put 1" body lift, so there was enough space for the nut on top of the bolt, without body hitting it.
I'm sure those mounts are very strong, but I'm not so sure if they are cost-effective, because I didn't see any of the "big dogs" doing anything like that.

 

[IBCRUSN]

Speaking of mounts. Has anyone considered a partial tube w/in a tube? Select the length of outrigger you want to run add 1/8" then cut in two pieces (4" and the balance) weld the 4" piece of square tube to the frame where you want them, select another piece of tube say 4-6" in length that is a snug fit into the ID of the main tube; drill 4 holes in the outrigger then insert the inner tubing 2-3", rosette weld the tubes; insert into frame mount and drill through both (fore/aft) install 3/8" bolt X" length and continue on with slider install. The bolt is only installed so the slider doesn't pull out of the frame mount, it is not meant to be structural. It sounds way more involved than it really is. I need to reinstall AutoCAD so I don't have any kind of dwg right now.

This is the road I'd like to take so I'll be able to remove the sliders if need be. I greatly dislike the large "U" bolts used by some shops. Not to mention the 1" of clearance lost to the lower bolt and flange. If it's off base let me know and I'll come up with something else.

Oh, long term/big picture is to add either 3/16" sheet stock or UHMW plastic sheet to the outriggers as a skid plate so the truck will slide more easily over rocks rather than getting hung up on the outriggers.

 

[eyezlee]

I'm with kris on not liking the big bolt and associated bracketry hanging down below the frame. here a pic of what I did on my last rig and plan to do something along these lines on my next set.

The plate is 3/8's inch with 4 - 1/4inch bolts through the frame. The tube running out is 1 1/2" .188 wall IIRC. With that being said, my next set would use a little heavier tubing w/ guseting as the section modulus of the tube is barely enough to handle the moment at the base.

 

[Craig C]

I might be nuts but what I like is the way my nerf bars are mounted on my superduty. The bracket are mounted to the underside of the body, not the frame, this eliminates any contact bumping be cause of frame twisting. Sheet material on bottom of slider creates a rust situation, I think that plastic would probably get torn off. We possibly might be able to remove body mounting bolts and put a mounting tab in and replace bolts or weld a tab on the side of the body mount brackets. Kris, I'd cut up your crusier if you'll paste it back together.

Every body needs to start collecting pictures!!!!
CC


P.S. When do we want to schedule a planning session.

 

[IBCRUSN]

Some how I think you'd enjoy it too much!

Craig,
Correct me if I'm not understanding your idea. It sounds as though you'd like to mount the sliders to the body and tie in with the frame, kind of like the better sliders available for Jeep TJ's. There was a discussion about that in the 80 forum that died last month.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=109064&highlight=sliders

I believe it could work but I have reservations about the potential side loads placed on the sliders and the shear load on the body mount bolts. If there was a tie-in as you mention to the frame it wouldn't be an issue.

I'm game for just about any weekend for planning.

 

[IBCRUSN]

I'm with kris on not liking the big bolt and associated bracketry hanging down below the frame. here a pic of what I did on my last rig and plan to do something along these lines on my next set.

The plate is 3/8's inch with 4 - 1/4inch bolts through the frame. The tube running out is 1 1/2" .188 wall IIRC. With that being said, my next set would use a little heavier tubing w/ guseting as the section modulus of the tube is barely enough to handle the moment at the base.

I can certainly live with a bolt-on mount like you have here. Did you add sleeves in the frame or is that the reasoning for having a plate the full height of the frame?

 

[eyezlee]

the frame is not sleaved on that install. the bolt holes are drilled so that the bolt is flush against the top or bottom wall of the box channel so I didn't feel that it would crush the frame. I also drilled those frame rails when the body was off (for other reasons), you my have a hard time drilling the top holes with the body on...

the frames on land cruisers seem to be made out of heavier wall tubing than the pickup's.

 

[Craig C]

There might be a need for tieing into the frame. The nerfs aren't made for side load.
CC

 

[IBCRUSN]

There might be a need for tieing into the frame. The nerfs aren't made for side load.
CC

Neither are the body mount bolts. That was the reason I haven't jumped on the idea of cutting up mu rockers and welding in sliders. I don't put much faith in the three grade 5 (8.8 for OEM) body mount bolts. Not to mention the holes in the mount tabs are drilled larger than the mount bolts which would allow for the body to move.

If I had the time and welding skills I would cut up my rockers and weld sliders to the body but I would also have some beefy frame tie-ins. Just think of the ground clearance.

 

[Craig C]

How much side impact do you expect at 0 miles per hr sliding sideways into a rock? If you slid sideways into the side of the body would you expect to shear the body mount bolts?
CC

 

[IBCRUSN]

It's not so much the sliding as much as the pivoting around a rock/tree. Worst case scenario, you're in Moab on the slickrock and trying to pivot the back of the truck around a rock. Even if you are running narrow tires and not aired down (like that would happen) there is a huge amount of traction on all four tires. Not being an engineer I wouldn't know where to start on that one.

 

[Craig C]

I think that you would find that the strength in the floor pan behind the rockers is more than capable to withstand the loads we put on the sliders
CC

 

[Craig C]

OK now kiddies,
Who wants to plan sliders and when do we want to do it?


CC

P.S. Chris/Eric, I had mentioned that the Ryan's in Raymore had a meeting room that would seat 46 people, and we would have to reserve it.(no cost) I'm sure we could cram a few more in for the meeting. It is a buffet and the food is good.

 

[trainrech]

I need to scrape together a few $$ after an expensive Christmas for the sliders - possibly late February?

Thanks for piping up on a location to have the meeting. I was talking to Erik this afternoon about that very thing - had it narrowed down to either you or Rob R. to talk to.

Would you reserve it for Saturday, February 10th? Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks.

 

[Craig C]

Chris,
The banquet room is taken, some guy by the name of chris at TAC.
Slider planning is a no cost event in wjich all takers get to haggle out how we are going to build the sliders, methods of construction, materials, method of attachment,Just one giant B.S. session in which we hope to accomplish a basic TAC slider design. Once we know what we are going to build, then we will get material costs and see when we can build them!
CC