03_4x4Runner
Senior Member
I read about these in the new 4WD Toyota owners magazine. They do not mount to the frame like most sliders. Toyota 4Runner Rockers
New slider design
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Doc_Fry
New member
There is another slider that extends up giving rocker protection as well. Though they kick out much more and still ount to the frame. I would be concerned about how much abuse these could actually take. The frame mounted ones you really dont loose any clearance from them, they allow a stronger mount, larger kick outs, and should support more weight. The clearance thing puzzles me as I want anything that is getting even close to my rocker to be on the slider hence the term rock slider. But it is different none the less.
: nice fit
BlackWorksInc
New member
Sounds nice.. a little put off by what appears to be a rivet installation.
But I worry about how well they hold up against serious abuse in terms of mounting against the body, vs. frame mounted ones. Their complaint is that the frame is thin, the sheetmetal on the body is even thinner.
But I worry about how well they hold up against serious abuse in terms of mounting against the body, vs. frame mounted ones. Their complaint is that the frame is thin, the sheetmetal on the body is even thinner.
JSparky
New member
While I have no direct experience with these, I know a lot of JK guys run this style on their jeeps with good results. I'm not positive but some may also benefit from bolting to the body mounts as well. Either way, it seems the surface area spreads out the forces enough to prevent any problems. My biggest concern is punching a bunch of holes in the body of my truck, seems like you're asking for rust problems down the road. This could be mitigated during install by applying some sort of rust inhibitor though. It'd probably be best to have a chat with the designer. The fact that Sonoran Steel has them up on their website leaves me prone to believe they've thought of all these things and hopefully wouldn't be selling them if they didn't perform.. they're a very well respected company that's been around for years. Just my two cents.
KidVermicious
New member
XJ guys run these because they have to, no frame. Wranglers run boatsides, but when they do they normally weld the entire slider to the body, much stronger than rivets or bolts.
I have some specific problems with the blurb on SS's page:
Huh? My sliders don't flex *. They definitely don't rattle or bang.
Bullshit. My sliders are mounted with just over 1/4 of clearance between the slider leg and the body (I clipped the pinch weld), and they've never contacted the body, not even with some fairly hard drops. Is this "OMG YOR SLIDERS WILL FLEX INTO YOR BODY" a bolt-on thing? Because a set of sliders welded solid with enough legs don't do that, and I have to think the guys at SS know this. This all looks like balderdash and scare tactic marketing.
Anyway, looking at the pics, I'm not buying it. These will work great as steps, or to repel pesky shopping carts, and they look strong enough to pivot or surf on, but I'll bet $20 that if you drop the weight of your truck on that outside tube that the entire thing will tear right off and destroy your rockers. Half the poprivets will fail, and the half that don't will rip out the sheet metal. I think if you want real sliders that fit tight, you have to nut up and tube out the rocker. Anything less is just mall crawler bling.
*Yes, I know they flex a little bit. Not as much as SS is claiming though.
I have some specific problems with the blurb on SS's page:
Huh? My sliders don't flex *. They definitely don't rattle or bang.
Bullshit. My sliders are mounted with just over 1/4 of clearance between the slider leg and the body (I clipped the pinch weld), and they've never contacted the body, not even with some fairly hard drops. Is this "OMG YOR SLIDERS WILL FLEX INTO YOR BODY" a bolt-on thing? Because a set of sliders welded solid with enough legs don't do that, and I have to think the guys at SS know this. This all looks like balderdash and scare tactic marketing.
Anyway, looking at the pics, I'm not buying it. These will work great as steps, or to repel pesky shopping carts, and they look strong enough to pivot or surf on, but I'll bet $20 that if you drop the weight of your truck on that outside tube that the entire thing will tear right off and destroy your rockers. Half the poprivets will fail, and the half that don't will rip out the sheet metal. I think if you want real sliders that fit tight, you have to nut up and tube out the rocker. Anything less is just mall crawler bling.
*Yes, I know they flex a little bit. Not as much as SS is claiming though.
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txbonds
Senior Member
I have them and was certainly put off by drilling the holes. If I lived anywhere that used winter salt I wouldn't do it. I Painted the holes before install and will probably go back and do it again down the road even though that means drilling and replacing the rivets.
Regarding the way these attach and strength, I haven't tested them by dropping the truck on them but here is the observation I can offer. They are designed so that the pinch weld and bottom of the truck are sitting in the channel of the slider. That spreads the weight of anything pushing up on the bottom of the slider.
With regards to the tube, you have to picture the slider as a lever. In other words, the bottom inside of the slider is bolted to the pinch weld, then the slider channel is cupping the pinch weld and bottom of the body, and then it runs up the side of the rocker and is held in place with the rivets. In other words, when you put a force on the outside of the tube pushing up, it is like a lever and the side of the rocker panel isn't holding the weight, it's the bottom of the body and pinch weld. Hopefully that makes sense.
Anyway, I'm not trying to sell them versus normal sliders but rather shed light on the design as I really didn't understand it until I installed mine and saw how they attached. I don't think the clearance thing makes a huge difference and I don't live in a heavy rock crawl area so my needs are different. I will be the first to admit the holes make me nervous and I'll stay that way and remain vigilant about repainting them every year or two.
Regarding their comment on sliders flexing into the body, I would suspect this comes more from their focus tending to be towards baja racing. I would imagine you would see flex and rattle if the truck were being run on long, high speed desert race courses but I could be wrong.
Cheers.
Regarding the way these attach and strength, I haven't tested them by dropping the truck on them but here is the observation I can offer. They are designed so that the pinch weld and bottom of the truck are sitting in the channel of the slider. That spreads the weight of anything pushing up on the bottom of the slider.
With regards to the tube, you have to picture the slider as a lever. In other words, the bottom inside of the slider is bolted to the pinch weld, then the slider channel is cupping the pinch weld and bottom of the body, and then it runs up the side of the rocker and is held in place with the rivets. In other words, when you put a force on the outside of the tube pushing up, it is like a lever and the side of the rocker panel isn't holding the weight, it's the bottom of the body and pinch weld. Hopefully that makes sense.
Anyway, I'm not trying to sell them versus normal sliders but rather shed light on the design as I really didn't understand it until I installed mine and saw how they attached. I don't think the clearance thing makes a huge difference and I don't live in a heavy rock crawl area so my needs are different. I will be the first to admit the holes make me nervous and I'll stay that way and remain vigilant about repainting them every year or two.
Regarding their comment on sliders flexing into the body, I would suspect this comes more from their focus tending to be towards baja racing. I would imagine you would see flex and rattle if the truck were being run on long, high speed desert race courses but I could be wrong.
Cheers.
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gm350reratliff
New member
Same here. I don't like the rivet install. I even thought about swell-nuts but really, I don't want any extra holes in the body. They do look good though.
I have no issues with my frame mounted Bud-Builts though.
Jetboy
New member
I think the idea has merit. I don't think it's necessary on a 5th gen because the frame rails so readily accept frame mount sliders. My sliders are frame mount with the primary bar directly under the body seam. They are custom built - by me. I fully intend them to flex into the seam if dropped on. The frame rails they bolt to are only 1/8" or less wall thickness. No matter how strong the slider is, the frame material is pretty thin. With just a jack, they don't move.
If I were putting something like this on - I would consider gluing them. Modern epoxies are exceptionally strong. Much stronger than a few rivits and you won't end up with rust underneath. Of course you're relying on the adhesion of the paint, which may be a problem. I'd sand down the paint then epoxy them on bare metal to bare metal.
If I were putting something like this on - I would consider gluing them. Modern epoxies are exceptionally strong. Much stronger than a few rivits and you won't end up with rust underneath. Of course you're relying on the adhesion of the paint, which may be a problem. I'd sand down the paint then epoxy them on bare metal to bare metal.
Jetboy
New member
I think the idea has merit. I don't think it's necessary on a 5th gen because the frame rails so readily accept frame mount sliders. My sliders are frame mount with the primary bar directly under the body seam. They are custom built - by me. I fully intend them to flex into the seam if dropped on. The frame rails they bolt to are only 1/8" or less wall thickness. No matter how strong the slider is, the frame material is pretty thin. With just a jack, they don't move.
If I were putting something like this on - I would consider gluing them. Modern epoxies are exceptionally strong. Much stronger than a few rivits and you won't end up with rust underneath. Of course you're relying on the adhesion of the paint, which may be a problem. I'd sand down the paint then epoxy them on bare metal to bare metal.
If I were putting something like this on - I would consider gluing them. Modern epoxies are exceptionally strong. Much stronger than a few rivits and you won't end up with rust underneath. Of course you're relying on the adhesion of the paint, which may be a problem. I'd sand down the paint then epoxy them on bare metal to bare metal.
Maybe they work, maybe they don't. However, if they work, why not show us how they work via pics or video? What causes me concern is that many of the statements made in the ad are ludicrous. I run sliders on my FJ and have definitely used them hard. To claim they flex up to two inches or can touch the body etc is insane. I have had the complete weight of my FJ on my sliders. They do not bang or make noise. I do not lose ground clearance. I agree with KidV.
Hence, due to their ridiculous marketing statements, I am highly skeptical of their product.
Cheers, Steve
Hence, due to their ridiculous marketing statements, I am highly skeptical of their product.
Cheers, Steve
Re: not losing ground clearance; sure you are, specifically the diameter of the tubing used in whatever slider you have on your FJ. The question of whether or not the reduction in clearance at the rocker matters in the situations you wheel in remains though.
As for a body mounted slider, I've had them function excellently for years on a rig that's been beat on much harder than any 5th gen I've seen.
As noted, the potential for corrosion is the reason I wouldn't install a set of these on my Runner.
BlackWorksInc
New member
My CBI's are bolt on and are just as strong as weld on units. I get minimal to no flex of the actual slider. Now the body flexing on the frame is a completely different ball game.
Marcocopuffs
New member
I'm confused. The lowest point in my 4runner is my rear diff and/ gas tank... I don't think sliders hang lower than that.
Pkniland
Member
It would come into plan on any obstacle that you put your tires over. If there is a larger rock your not going to straddle it, your going to put a tire on it to gain the clearance. At that point you put rocker/slider as the closest point of contact.
Taco04
Member
If you lifted the 4runner up with just these sliders the entire frame and drive train would be hanging from only the body mounts. This seems like a lot of undue stress on the body mounts and body to me but then again I am not a Toyota engineer. Any one else care to chime in on this?
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KidVermicious
New member
It's a consideration. If you're running a huge body lift or your mounts are shot it might be a factor, but I bet stock mounts in good repair wouldn't have a problem suspending the entire weight of the truck. Those are some beefy threads on those mothers.
