Rocky Road Outfitters Super Sliders

[gunkl]

So I deleted my original thread because the guys at Rocky Road eventually came around to more of a support role.

Initially, they deflected my complaint and blamed this issue as a toyota manufacturing defect; Despite the fact that they themselves had heard previous cases where this was a problem. I still have an issue here; they should be proactive at resolving the issues, not deflecting; and they should be notifying potential future customers this may be an issue.

They've offered to supply me with self-tapping bolts to resolve this; basically the middle arm has two mounting bolts, the lower one, on my truck (2014 TE Premium) Doesn't have threads on the frame side. I'm going to send them digital caliper measurements of the hole diameter. Interestingly, the kit came with two larger self-tapping bolts that I have no idea what they are for, perhaps if you goof a threaded hole? In any case, I found no use for them and they weren't large enough for the hole on the frame.

I'm probably going to try my best to get friction nuts on the inside of the frame to bolt to, when that fails, I'll go to the self-tapping bolts.

Second issue, which I'm going to resolve one way or another, is that the sliders are pressing my front wheel trim forward. This may take some dremel work and a BFH to resolve.

 

[STX4Runner]

That's weird. On my 2010 TE all the holes Rocky Road used were pre-threaded. The self tapping bolts supplied were for the spacers that move the KDSS lines off the frame and out of the way of the mounting plates. Those bolts didn't work anyway and I had to buy some others, but no big deal. I would just use the self tapping bolts on those un-threaded holes.

 

[RickC5]

I would just use the self tapping bolts on those un-threaded holes.

That's exactly what I did on my '14 TE and because the holes don't line up perfectly, those self-tapping bolts actually seemed to work OK. They tightened up fine. I'll know how well they hold once I smack a few rocks with the sliders.

 

[mace.]

On my 2011 SR5 I also had a non-threaded hole. Still don't have anything in there and I'm not too worried about it. I have come down hard on them several times and they haven't budged.

 

[gunkl]

That's weird. On my 2010 TE all the holes Rocky Road used were pre-threaded. The self tapping bolts supplied were for the spacers that move the KDSS lines off the frame and out of the way of the mounting plates. Those bolts didn't work anyway and I had to buy some others, but no big deal. I would just use the self tapping bolts on those un-threaded holes.

Yep, I'm sure there are models that it works. My guess is there are various models that do and do not have them-- Probably related to whatever frame parts they had available at the time. Makes me wonder what toyota uses those bolt holes for from the factory, perhaps for the auto-retracting steps on the Limited model? Otherwise, there's no reason for them to care if they are or are not there, depending on how they equip the truck.

On my 2011 SR5 I also had a non-threaded hole. Still don't have anything in there and I'm not too worried about it. I have come down hard on them several times and they haven't budged.

Good to know its not a huge deal. I spent a bunch more time today getting these things to fit better, I unbolted the front-most mounts and had to cut part of the washers off so that i could push the sliders as far back as possible. Now the passenger side doesnt rub against the wheel molding and the driver side barely touches. Good enough on that front. However, once I got them slid back, getting my wrench in between the fuel lines was a problem, I just couldn't turn that upper bolt all the way in (center arm, driver's side).. Finally I borrowed another wrench from a neighbor, which happened to have the teeth offset from my wrench, that worked.

If I can't get a nut behind for bolting stuff on, I'm going to do the self-tapper or pre-tap and probably find a friend with a welder to tack that middle arm in place, just in case. I just don't trust the narrow frame steel to hold threads. (theres a reason there are bolts behind there!)