wjwerdna

So, throwing out this idea now, sliders im working on are 2x2x.1875 58" long with 1.375 OD .1875 wall DOM step outs, and 1.5x1.5x1/4 legs (2 each side) to attach to frame, on the end of each leg will be a 1/4 inch plate with 4 holes

Now here is where it gets interesting, the plan is two weld on the frame two (each side) 4x5x1/2 inch thick plates with a set of four threaded 5/16" holes, allowing the sliders to bolt up. Additionally, the plates will have a second set of holes spaced 1" higher to allow the sliders to be positioned higher if i make up my mind on a body lift.

what do you guys (and gals) think? Do you think that two mounting points are enough? I dont plan on routinely dropping the 4runners weight on them, they are there mostly to keep big stuff from flying up, and for the occasional bump (the running boards served well as sliders once, but they dent very easily), not to mention the fact that i have my first door ding in it now since i pulled the running boards

I should be getting around to getting the CNC set up to cut the 8 plates this weekend, or next week if everythings tied up, and should be able to get the pipes bent and everything welded up and sandblasted in the next few weeks

Good Times

More mounts you have the more distributed the load will be. I would think 3-4 would be more than ideal and 2 would be less than ideal.

Good luck

wjwerdna

yeah thats what im worried about... the only situation i can see where it would really be an issue would be in a side collision, but then, either way, im screwed ... i ran a simulation of a side impact at 25, 35, and 45 with a mid-size sedan, and with the sliders having two mounts or three it would still end up with similar damage, except that with the sliders, the 4runner would stay more level and crush, versus being "flipped" up as a car lifts up on the body and frame... with the sliders, approach of collision into the passenger area was minimized, but the side forces to the passengers were stronger

... I have too much time on my hands this stuff really doesnt matter a whole lot in my decision to put on sliders, either way im stil doing it, and being computer simulated, there are too many variables to be sufficiently accurate

RustBucket

iTrader: (1)

While an anecdote is not near as valuable as computer generated data, I had a story related to me by a friend from work. His pal drives a Jeep and has either sliders or beefy step bars, and got t-bones by another car. It caused him to slide some but his Jeep escaped unharmed.

Granted, I don't know the angle of approach, velocity, or if it really did warp his frame

wjwerdna

rustbucket, yeah they will most definately protect in many cases, if i was real concerned, i could tie the frame together (side-to-side) where the sliders mount

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

You are making something simple REDUNDANTLY complicated!

Diamond scab plates on three legs minimum.

Decide on the body lift and WELD the dang things on!

Save yourself from wanting to kick yourself in the ass later for wasting a bunch of time and money on a poor design.

I don't just pretend to be a fabrication engineer online, I pretend to be one at work too!

seaflea

maybe you should rethink hte 1/2" thick plates and just buy some nerf bars. If you are mainly doing it to keep small rocks from chipping youre paint and the occasional bump.

Mine are welded on with plates and gussets in 4 places. I have droped the rig on them and used them to pivot arounnd rocks. I'm not sure bolt on ones would have stood up to the challenge.

wjwerdna

okay, wabbit... you're making sense, thats kinda what I'm looking at, and I know that you know yer 'stuff,' so thank you for the input... im debating on just getting the inch lift and getting it over with before the sliders, but I have the material for the sliders allready, and dont really wanna spend more on BL yet

seaflea, or I could just put my stocks back on... wait no, they're banged up pretty badly, nerf bars would perform even worse than the stock boards, its not that they are 'only' there to stop little rocks, as those pass right through, it'd be more for sticks/glancing trees away from side, and medium rocks, just not the entire vehicle directly