ssbogger

What if one was to use a 1/8 or 1/4 inch plate on the back side of the frame to help prevent crushing it with the bolt going all the way through. Would this be better than the self tapping method? I know it wouldnt be better than the sleeve method but i dont want to go through all that trouble and im not going to be bashing them that hard. Oh and i am going to use the pinch weld too. Do i even need to worry about anything more than the self tappers and maybe an L-shaped bracket?

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Yes, adding large washers or plates to the inner face of the frame is another option. If the bolt is near the bottom or top of the frame rail, you have the added strength of the bottom or top of the frame rail to help with crushing as well. You could use 1 or 2 bottom bolts through the frame this way and leave any other bolts self-tapping.

LarsDennert

I was pulling my gas tank on the weekend to do the Fuel TSB and had to remove a slider to do it. When putting the slider back on, I stripped one of the self tappers Fortunately I had a backup plan. So much for the self tappers being infalable.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

For sure, its easy to damage the threads if you are not real careful. That is one reason I drill 6 holes on my mounting brackets for the 4 mounting bolts. If a one hole becomes stripped or otherwise unuseable, another is nearby to use. Or you can tap all 6 holes and use some regular 3/8-16 bolts in the additional ones, or drill through the frame in one or more places.

One of the reasons I'm running sleeved lower bolts on my sliders is that I wore out the tapped holes (I used a regular threading tap when I did mine, cut threads nowhere near as good as the formed threads made by a self-tapping bolt) and ended up wearing out the threads since I had my first set of slider on and off so many times as I was working on the design. The upper holes were still fine, but the lowers wore out. I just drilled through the frame then installed a steel sleeve and welded it in place and used a 2" square washer on the inside.

I also do a non-welded sleeve option on my sliders:

by threading pipe into the bracket and and then you only need to make one large hole in the frame for the pipe to pass through, it get cut to just the inside dimension of the frame rail and when bolted together, the sleeve keeps the frame from crushing.

Swede

Hey Roger,

I was talking with a guy who has worked in the automotive industry for many years about using self-tapping screws to mount my sliders and he suggested "dimpling" in the pre-drilled holes before putting the screws in. Basically flaring inward the lip of the hole slightly so that when the screw gets tightened it pulls it back to almost the original position. It made sense to me that this extra little procedure would help prevent any "pull-through" of the screw. What do you think? Also, no one has mentioned anything about pre-tapping the frame itself and then using a normal bolt, is this not a good idea because of the frames wall being too thin?

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Never tried dimpling, would take a fair bit of force on the frame rail. The self-tapping bolt form the threads, unlike a tap that cuts them, so they end up forcing the exta steel out inside the frame rail, resulting in a few extra threads than you would get with cut threads.

X-AWDriver

Are there people that put sliders on their trucks and don't off road?

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Sure, I suspect a lot of the Xterra and Pathfinder silders I do are more for on-road or very mild off-road use. Many of the customers are more concerned about their functionality as a step than how they work off-road:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/...derZ.shtml#NXT

LarsDennert

Lately I've been welding them on for people (this is not an offer, just info) who have older trucks and never intend to take them off. That seems to work the best unless you're going to BL which in all cases you have to mod the sliders again. I've found that I probably should have welded mine to begin with as I never take them off.

fleur_perverted

Buy Auveco body hardware and fasteners, including tapping bolts.

______________________
Auveco Body Hardware and Fasteners - Auveco Body Hardware and Speciality Fasteners

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

I also have a threaded insert for installing sliders now as well. Drill a hole, place the insert into the hole and use a simple tool to compress the insert into place.

Insert to theleft, self tapping bolt to the right:



Self-tapped hole front and insert hole to the back:



Holes pre-drilled, self tap above, inserts below:



Crushing the insert:



All done:

00Runner

Roger,

Do you sell these threaded inserts? If not where can you get them? Several of the bottom tapped holes on my sliders have stripped.

Thanks.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Yes, the inserts run $3/ea. or 8 for $20 (enough for the bottom bolts on all 4 brackets) and the installation tool runs $30.00 (can be returned for a $20.00 refund).