Randy Ellis Design Sliders

[thebwlife]

[MENTION=102026]Randy Ellis Design[/MENTION] - I wanted to ask a few questions about these but didn't want to continue in the SW GB thread.

Hey guys, nice to hear you discussing our sliders. I just wanted to make a couple comments.
No doubt Shrockworks makes some nice stuff, these are an alternative to that style of slider.
1. You will not need a trim kit, these take the place of that.
2. These Rockers or sliders have the same concept as body mounted Jeep sliders. Not a new concept just new for trucks and SUV's.
3. They are formed in a "box" shape like the frame of trucks and .130 thick. Most truck frames are less than .130 thick, its the "box" shape that gives them the strength.
4. They are bolted to some existing holes AND through the pinch weld. The rivets are used to help hold it in place but do not necessarily depend on the rivets for strength, same idea airplanes use, and the rivets supplied are high strength steel alloy.

Your pictures show a trail, but on an 2010-2013 SR5 or Limited there is a piece lower of the front fender flare. When you take it off there is a bolt area that's exposed. Do you guys make them longer in the front to cover that up?

Also how/could you use a high lift jack and not bend the body with these?

The red arrow is pointing to the area.

Photo from [MENTION=73151]brockeverly[/MENTION]

 

[mikemike_bc]

Good on you! I pulled the trigger on a set of RED sliders with tubes for my 2014 4Runner Trail. They are in production now and I have been really happy with the communication from RED so far. I will take picture of the sliders once I get them installed.

 

[thebwlife]

Good on you! I pulled the trigger on a set of RED sliders with tubes for my 2014 4Runner Trail. They are in production now and I have been really happy with the communication from RED so far. I will take picture of the sliders once I get them installed.

Do you see what I'm talking about on my question?

 

[mikemike_bc]

Do you see what I'm talking about on my question?

I see what you are saying, certainly, but I am hopelessly unqualified to comment. Perhaps someone from RED will show up and answer, but if not you can always call them; I have found they are very available during business hours.

602.803.1122

 

[Randy Ellis Design]

[MENTION=102026]Randy Ellis Design[/MENTION] - I wanted to ask a few questions about these but didn't want to continue in the SW GB thread.



Your pictures show a trail, but on an 2010-2013 SR5 or Limited there is a piece lower of the front fender flare. When you take it off there is a bolt area that's exposed. Do you guys make them longer in the front to cover that up?

Also how/could you use a high lift jack and not bend the body with these?

The red arrow is pointing to the area.

Photo from [MENTION=73151]brockeverly[/MENTION]

It will disappear out of sight if you paint that black before installing the rockers. It is not in the way.

 

[Randy Ellis Design]

[MENTION=102026]Randy Ellis Design[/MENTION] - I wanted to ask a few questions about these but didn't want to continue in the SW GB thread.



Your pictures show a trail, but on an 2010-2013 SR5 or Limited there is a piece lower of the front fender flare. When you take it off there is a bolt area that's exposed. Do you guys make them longer in the front to cover that up?

Also how/could you use a high lift jack and not bend the body with these?

The red arrow is pointing to the area.

Photo from [MENTION=73151]brockeverly[/MENTION]

Also..
About the Hi-Lift.
If it leans into your door, it will damage it. This applies with all types of sliders. The Sleekster Rockers have windows in the bottom that allow the finger of the lifting foot to rest in. This will help keep it from sliding when jacking.
I have used a 16" long or so wood block wrapped in my tarp between the door and hi-lift. Helps spread the load so you dont dent the door.

 

[Jeremy556]

Also..
About the Hi-Lift.
If it leans into your door, it will damage it. This applies with all types of sliders. The Sleekster Rockers have windows in the bottom that allow the finger of the lifting foot to rest in. This will help keep it from sliding when jacking.
I have used a 16" long or so wood block wrapped in my tarp between the door and hi-lift. Helps spread the load so you dont dent the door.

I think he means bending the pinchweld

 

[FrontRange4Runner]

Completely different than other slides I have seen for the Runner. I like them! Also, not sure if Randy will ever see this, but your site says they will fit a 6th gen 4Runner. Sadly those wont be out for another 4 or 5 years

 

[1000MPH]

ummm
:worthless

 

[KVA]

Those sliders look nice...would be good to see where they bolt into. The site doesn't provide any pictures.

On the rivets, I would use Jack nuts instead so you can always un-bolt when you need to - this is similar to what the Shockworks trim uses.

 

[Whiplash Willy]

I may just be weird, but I don't even like the idea of people stepping on Running Boards that are just bolted to the body, and not the frame. Can those sliders really support the weight of the 4Runner, only being attached to body sheet metal pinch welds (Which I am assuming isn't designed to be a jack point like unibodys are), just as well as sliders that are bolted to the frame? Since the 4runner is a BOF vehicle, are the body's pinch welds really that strong, or even comparable in strength to a Unibody's Pinch Welds, which need to have lift points...because where else are you going to jack.

Jeep guys don't have a choice but to bolt sliders to unibody sheetmetal (Wrangler excluded), but does that really mean we are missing out on this?

From REDs website:

Sleekster Rockers! For trucks. Jeep guys have been getting the benefits of body mounted rocker protection forever, now truck owners can too! Loose NO precious ground clearance, gives you a place to jack your truck, will not rattle bang or flex like frame mounted rock sliders, rocker guards and nerf bars. Rocks slide easily on the smooth surface and no tubes to get rocks stuck between. No welding or cutting! Available for most late model trucks, call or email for pricing and ordering.

 

[Whiplash Willy]

ummm
:worthless

Here is some copy and pasting from their website.

 

[Randy Ellis Design]

I may just be weird, but I don't even like the idea of people stepping on Running Boards that are just bolted to the body, and not the frame. Can those sliders really support the weight of the 4Runner, only being attached to body sheet metal pinch welds (Which I am assuming isn't designed to be a jack point like unibodys are), just as well as sliders that are bolted to the frame? Since the 4runner is a BOF vehicle, are the body's pinch welds really that strong, or even comparable in strength to a Unibody's Pinch Welds, which need to have lift points...because where else are you going to jack.

Jeep guys don't have a choice but to bolt sliders to unibody sheetmetal (Wrangler excluded), but does that really mean we are missing out on this?

From REDs website:

Yes, the bodies pinch weld really is that strong. Especially when the load is spread with a boxed slider such as the Sleekster Rockers.

When we say Jeep guys we are talking about body on frame rigs, the CJ's, YJ's, TJ's and now the newest Wrangler, the JK, all benifit from body mounted sliders. It increases ground clearance!

I have been running a set of these on my 4 door 01 Tacoma for years. It is not a rock racer that jumps ledges and lands on the rockers every weekend, but it gets used hard! They have no problem supporting the weight of the vehicle. They covered up my previously damaged sheet metal and now when I drive over a ledge or rock they just slide until my rear tire reaches the obstacle.

One more thing.. Even tubular frame mounted sliders flex until they hit the body pinch weld. Then the body pinch weld supports the the tube. That is why all the nicer frame mounted tube sliders have one of the tubes that run directly under the pinch weld.

 

[stoic]

Anyone else try these? They look great.

 

[mikemike_bc]

I had my set (with tubes) installed + the install was no hastle whatsoever.

RED delivered on time (less that one month) and at the quoted price.

I really love the sliders. They are very unique + they fit the Trail Edition like a glove. The front and rear are perfectly toucing the mudflaps. I could post pics, but they're basically the exact same as the pics posted above.

 

[stoic]

I had my set (with tubes) installed + the install was no hastle whatsoever.

RED delivered on time (less that one month) and at the quoted price.

I really love the sliders. They are very unique + they fit the Trail Edition like a glove. The front and rear are perfectly toucing the mudflaps. I could post pics, but they're basically the exact same as the pics posted above.

Hi Mike,

Do you have any pics of the install process?

 

[mikemike_bc]

No but lol, I got it done by some pros and they said the riveting was straight forward. But commented that the second was easier than the first because of the learning curve.

One of the installers was all a glee because he said his favourite thing in life is drilling holes in brand new vehicles. He was wanting me to put in a snorkel so he could take a the 5" drill to the hood.

 

[natepolean]

Looks great! I've been looking for a slider solution to my 13 LTD because I hate the low ground clearance look mostly. I've looked into cutting the rocker panel+ frame sliders or trail trim+ frame sliders or complete trail body conversion. This seems like the most simple solution for me.

Hey Mike, I'm in BC too. Can you recommend the shop that installed it for you since they have some experience with it now? and I assume the RED sliders will fit the LTD model too?

 

[Chsbrgr]

Any one have an update? I sure like the idea of these without the tubes. Not losing any ground clearance but gaining protection sounds right. Seems like the boxed slider without tubes would be similar to the Jeep Rubicon factory boxed sliders.

 

[Randy Ellis Design]

Yes they are like what the JK Rubicons come with.

We have had a few guys asking questions so I took some time and put together this response to a customers email.

"Sleekster Rockers are something new and different for trucks, you are not alone so I will take some time here to possibly help you understand. Trucks are evolving and the parts and accessories need to as well. Sleekster Rockers are an alternative to welding tube sliders to your frame. They will give you more ground clearance and do not have large voids to hang up on rocks and things. They also will not flex and bang your body when running high speed off-road. The Sleekster Rockers are a formed structural member that distributes the weight over the strongest part of the body, they hug the basic shape of your existing sheet metal rocker panel and do not hang below it.

Think of this, your frame on your truck is made of roughly .125 material (and newer trucks are even thinner) and most guys think this is very strong, and it is when in a formed shape of a rectangle or what people like to call "boxed". Most guys like to think if they weld something to the frame it is then strong as well? The frame of your truck is not magic or made of an exotic material impervious to damage, it is just mild steel. If you weld tube sliders to your frame then the slider has leverage to flex the frame. The slider basically has to flex up until it hits the body when you jack or land on a rock. The body is supporting the wight OR the tube slider will continue to flex up 1-2 inches or more if the body is not there to stop it. This means the tube slider needs to be mounted over an inch below the lowest part of the body to keep from hitting the body. It is fine if the slider has a tube that matches the pinch weld and it is supported the entire length of the body, then it will support the weight of the vehicle. If your tube sliders come out from the frame and cross the body in a few spots, the slider will flex up and dent the body where the tubes cross it. Either way you will loose at least 3" of ground clearance, you will loose less than 1/4" with our Rockers.

Our Sleekster Rockers are made from certified USA made A1011 .130 thickness material (thicker than most trucks on the road and the same material or better). It is like adding a frame rail to the rocker portion of the truck, the Sleekster Rockers are a formed structural member that when attached to the body become one and very strong. Also think of it as if you cut your rocker out and welded a 4x4 .120 square tube in its place as long as it is attached to the body and supporting the entire distance it would be very hard to dent that tube or damage the body. A lot of "hard core" guys will actually cut out their rocker and replace it with tube and some will even raise this area and replace it with steel plate commonly known as "boat siding". Another way to think of it is like early Jeep guys bolting angle iron to the side of their Jeep. Now the newest Jeep Wranglers have multiple designs available to bolt to the side of their Jeeps, at the "pinch weld". The pinch weld is just where the upper portion and lower portion and sometimes a 3rd floor portion all come together and are pinched together and welded usually with dozens of spot welds, this is by far the strongest part of the body."

If you guys have any questions feel free to give me a call on these.

AND, we will have a factory Toyota corner for the SR5 guys that makes the lower flare the same as the Trail Edition. So the Rockers will look the same on both. These will be available from Toyota 4/2014 (or us).