4th Gen Bolt on Sliders - Questions, opinions, and feedback

[Powder_Hound]

There is a lot of great information within the 4th gen Armor Sticky, but the first page hasn't been updated since 2013. It's also getting a little busy with conversations about all different types of Armor.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/125636-4th-gen-armor-thread.html

To keep things simple lets keep this thread about Bolt on Sliders only. Yes, many will want to chime in that weld on sliders are better and stronger, but many of us don't have access to a welder, however we do have access to hand tools and this thread will support many DIYers who want to add sliders to their rigs. Bolt on sliders can lift a T4R with a high lift jack so for the majority of us moderate offroaders, Overlanders, and mall crawlers bolt on sliders should do just fine.

I will work to keep the first page updated with new information as time goes along so please share your information and feedback as you deem appropriate.

What would you or what did you choose and why?

Things to concider:
1) Bump out or straight
2) Top Plate, partial top plate, or no top Plate
3) Powder Coat or bare steel
4) Location of mfg., for shipping
5) Burliness of slider - some offer thicker walled tubing vs. regular

Budbuilt - http://budbuilt-com.3dcartstores.com/03-09-4Runner-Sliders-Bump-Out-Regular_p_190.html

Straight or Bump Out
Base Price Regular steel - $546
Powder Coat - $152
Partial Tread Plate - $95
Full Tread Plate -$168
Location - Hudson, NC

C4Fabrications - 4th Gen (03-09) 4Runner Rock Sliders (non XREAS) | C4 Fabrication

Straight
Base Price - $525
Powder Coat - Not available
Top Treads - $100 w/ C4fab logo or $125 without
Location - Black Hawk, SD

RCI Metalworks - 03-09 Toyota 4-Runner Transfer Case Skid Plate - this link does take you to sliders vs. transfer case skid????

Bump Out
Base Price - $645
Powder Coat - $0.00
Bare Metal - $-150
Top Tread Plate - $100
Location - Fort Collins, Co.

Shrockworks - 2003-2009 4Runner Rock Sliders, Toyota Rock Sliders, ShrockWorks

Straight
Base Price - $519.00
Powder Coat - $0.00
Bare Steel - $-65.00
Top Tread Plates - $89.00
Location - Houston, TX

White Knuckle Off Road Products - http://white-knuckleoffroad.com/toyota4runner.htm

Base Price - $480
Powder Coat - $120
Bare Steel - $0.00
Rear Top Tread
-Bare Metal - $80
-Powder Coat - $+20
Full Top Tread
-Bare Metal - $120
-Powder Coat - $+40
Location - Apple Valley, CA

 

[Powder_Hound]

I'm personally looking to replace my running boards this spring if and when a group buy is available. I am looking to get sliders with top plates as I am almost always putting something on top of my T4R.

As the title of this thread indicates I am looking to add bolt on sliders to my 4th gen, however, I am confused by all the different manufactures and why one, or how one, is better than the other. I'm hoping those that are knowledgeable in the land of sliders will offer information to help us on the forum make a better choice when choosing bolt on sliders.

What should those of us looking to add bolt on sliders look for?

Is powder coating necessary?
If not, what is the best method of painting sliders

Any additional information is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance to all those that can share their expertise regarding bolt on sliders!

Cheers!!!

 

[TrueBlue]

I'm personally looking to replace my running boards this spring if and when a group buy is available. I am looking to get sliders with top plates as I am almost always putting something on top of my T4R.

As the title of this thread indicates I am looking to add bolt on sliders to my 4th gen, however, I am confused by all the different manufactures and why one, or how one, is better than the other. I'm hoping those that are knowledgeable in the land of sliders will offer information to help us on the forum make a better choice when choosing bolt on sliders.

What should those of us looking to add bolt on sliders look for?

Is powder coating necessary?
If not, what is the best method of painting sliders

Any additional information is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance to all those that can share their expertise regarding bolt on sliders!

Cheers!!!

Powder coating is definitely not necessary but a nice addition. Holds up stronger than most paints do. However if you do opt to not powder coat VHT Epoxy paint holds up really well to the elements and comes in satin or gloss black.




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[YetiX]

This thread is relevant to my interests. I'm also considering bolt on sliders. I won't be doing any hardcore rock crawling or other such nonsense, I just want a bit of protection for mellow off-roading and overlanding.

 

[Inv4drZm]

I will say in my opinion, the biggest benefit to weld-on is that they can be placed wherever you want. So guys with body lifts can weld them 1/8" lower than their rear doors to gain maximum clearance and protection. They also seem to be cheaper. Got mine for $360 shipped unpainted.

Biggest benefit to bolt-on is that they can be taken off to be touched up or repainted easier. It would just take a while to grind off weld-on but it is possible. I wouldn't really worry about bolt-on's strength.

I wouldn't personally powdercoat any armor on my truck. When the front bumper gets rock chips in it or when you use your sliders to slide across a rock, it looks like crap when you spray mismatched black paint over top to keep it from rusting and when powdercoat chips, it chips in flakes you can't fill in with spray paint so it will still look chipped.

C4 Fab's bolt on sliders look to be the strongest design I have seen of any bolt-on or weld-on.

 

[Krayziekid]

I've had RCI's bolt on sliders for about a year I think know. Really couldn't ask for better sliders.

Completely bolt on, nice powdercoating, awesome top plate, and all for a relatively fair price considering what you are getting. The install was a breeze and they are strong as hell. I haven't had to use a hi-lift on them yet, but I did come down on a few nasty rocks a couple of times and they sure as hell saved my rockers.

One rock I slammed on because my wheel slipped off the rock it was hugging. Hit the slider HARD and I freaked out because I thought it was going to be bent or chipped up on the paint. Neither were the case and since that point I've been a massive fan of RCI stuff (Their A-Arm skids look pretty badass too )

 

[oldmansimek]

I am going with the white knuckle and will be welding them on. I like the c4 also but my buddy has the white knuckle sliders and I really like the way they look and they are very high quality. I will buy them bare and take them to the line-x guy, I am not a huge fan of powder coat.

 

[chaz]

i have shrockworks sliders, no drilling at all since bracket wraps around frame.

 

[blakem5]

i'm just going to buy trail gear sliders and weld them on because i plan on a 1 inch body lift, and for 270$ i can hack them up and make them how i want without damaging a set of 800$ sliders (canaidains get screwed with shipping)

 

[Wile.E.Coyote]

Rocky Road Outfitters also has some interesting bolt on sliders which I have and I love them. Check them out. One of these days I'll write up an install thread and review.

 

[USMCEngineer]

RCI Sliders

I have the RCI sliders and have been happy with them. Install was mostly easy. A couple of the through bolts are a bit a PITA to get tightened. This last weekend I used the Lotus slider adapter with my Hilift to change a tire and it worked well. My only gripe is when exiting the vehicle it can be hard not to get your pants dirty. I'm ok with it because of the extra body protection it provides.

 

[4rcybr]

There's also BudBuilt for bolt on, which is what I'm running. They have with or without kickout.

03-09 4Runner Sliders, Bump Out, Regular

 

[edwardvmassey]

I've got the Shrocks and I will say, when its wet, the things made a lot of noise with just tiny little movements, contortions in the frame etc. I ended up welding them on and now theyre perfect.

 

[BackOff]

I just added the White Knuckle's to my T4R.
I liked the looks of the kick out with the rear tread.
Very well made...HEAVY duty.
Of all the sliders these seem to be the only ones that use a U-bolt type connection?
I don't have a body lift...that would be beneficial.

The area between the top edge of the slider mount and the bottom of the 4runner body have only maybe 1/4" at best.
When I have a passenger I get a 'Clunk' on speed bumps as I think slider and body are connecting. Front passenger side.
The fuel lines get in the way of the U-bolts and have to be shifted slightly.
The stock fuel tank skid needs to be bent slightly to clear the U-bolt with out rubbing.
The U-bolts have about 1/8"+ larger gap than the frame rails allowing some movement. I had them at their lowest possible mounting to get 1/4" clearance for the rear doors to open. I used a flood jack after mounting to 'test' them and one shifted enough to rub on the door...maybe didn't get it tight enough?
The U-bolts threads are way too long and need to be trimmed...at least not to short.
Snow kicks up on the rear step and hinders rear door opening.
Grama hates em...

I like, but I think I will at some point get these welded on.

 

[blackoutt]

I've been eying the white knuckle sliders for a while now. Bolt on, DOM, +1" for body lift, bare and paint them myself for easy touch ups.

Another point to consider is shipping charges. They seem to run around $100 from any of those places to me in Indiana but I assume you being closer to some and further from others might help.

 

[Powder_Hound]

FWIW I think I have made a decision.

1) To Bump Out or not to Bump Out????
2) I'm getting a top tread plate (I'm always putting sheite up top)
3) I'm leaning toward powder coat (I'm not rock crawling)
4) I live in Denver, Co (I can pick up in Fort Collins-no shipping $$'s)
5) Not worried about burliness of sliders.

It's RCI or C4fab FTW when the spring group buy comes around.

Thanks for the feedback and opinions. I hope this thread will help others.
Cheers!:cheers:

 

[AKmoney]

I have White Knuckle sliders. Went for the powder coating option - I know they were going to get scuffed up at some point but fuggit... they're purdy.

Original post I made to the White Knuckle thread right after I installed:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/119995-white-knuckle-sliders-3.html#post1651097

I had some issues with them rubbing against the bottom of the body/floorboard. I was able to persuade the body with a hammer to create just a little bit more clearance in one spot and they haven't rubbed since. No noise/creaking.

Installation was pretty straightforward except for the driver's side slider U-bolt near the fuel tank. That was tricky. I found it made things much easier to remove the skid plate under the fuel tank. It's not that hard. I did the entire installation by myself in my garage with nothing more than hand tools and a floor jack. It took a couple hours without rushing anything.

The sliders have been field tested. I crashed down pretty hard on one up in Big Bear on one of the SoCal group trail runs last summer. No issues.

Since I live in SoCal I arranged to pick them up directly from White Knuckle (aka John) at his place in Apple Valley, saving on shipping.

 

[blackoutt]

Ready to buy now, looking at white knuckle still. Now the question comes up, top plate or not? I like the step and think it might keep the 4runner cleaner but lets face it with negative offset wheels and no mudflaps that's a losing battle. And will more junk just accumulate under the plates? Is it worth the extra $160 to me? decisions decisions.

 

[4rcybr]

Ready to buy now, looking at white knuckle still. Now the question comes up, top plate or not? I like the step and think it might keep the 4runner cleaner but lets face it with negative offset wheels and no mudflaps that's a losing battle. And will more junk just accumulate under the plates? Is it worth the extra $160 to me? decisions decisions.

I'd say that top plate is quite valuable. Makes it much easier for people to get in and out, or for you to work on the roofrack.

 

[Inv4drZm]

Looks cooler without top plate covering the tubes IMO. Not sure why they can't still be used as steps without the top plate.