Sliders on a daily driver

[I_bRAD]

The running boards are coming off in preparation for some body work.

I've left them there until this point because the wife and kids need a step to get into the truck, and I figure it's catching all the slop from the road that otherwise would end up on my rocker panels (the same stuff that rusted out my running boards!).

I'd rather have sliders, but how do the rockers hold up to daily driving? I realize I'll be more protected from large impacts like boulders and logs, but less protected from stone chips, salt spray, etc. Does anyone run mudflaps with sliders? chipguard paint? Am I overly concerned? I want THIS set of rockers to last the rest of the life of the truck.

Thanks for any advice,
bRAD

 

[JeepKiller]

Mine have faired pretty well for being off for nearly 10 years. They've got some decent Knicks and rock chips but nothing that can't be solved by bedliner. I'll eventually just spray the bottom quarter of my doors/rockers

 

[4yotaguy]

I ran mine without the running boards this past Winter, a brutal Winter too and see no additional wear because they were off. I think the running boards actually trapped a lot of corrosive salt and debris in the joints and now it is easier for me to clean them and prep them for the Winter months.

 

[criera]

I run mudflaps with sliders as do others. Mine hang pretty low, the rear rockers still get a lil spray but it's not too bad. I've seen others fill the void in the sliders with diamond plate too which looks good and functions well IMO. There's pics out there if you dig a lil.

 

[Unner]

Mudflaps up front and slider, specifically shrockworks with the treadplates. They're flat and with the treadplates it keeps stuff off the paint. Good daily protection and also very protective off road.

 

[I_bRAD]

Thanks guys. Has anyone tried the rally armour mudflaps? The look nice but they are also quite pricey. I was originally considering them for the wife's car but I think they'd work here too.

Also, Is anyone powdercoating their sliders or is everyone using paint?

 

[Aznwolf118]

Dang I wish thread plates were an option when I bought my shrockworks sliders

 

[I_bRAD]

Mudflaps up front and slider, specifically shrockworks with the treadplates. They're flat and with the treadplates it keeps stuff off the paint. Good daily protection and also very protective off road.

Those look good! I hadn't really looked at their stuff, thanks for blowing my budget!

The ones on yours seem to be less angled than the pics on their website. Is that just the angle or are yours a different model?

 

[yota_addict]

This is a good question. I wanted to remove the running boards but the kids need them to climb in. I have no need for sliders because I'm 99% on road. This truck is built for long haul adventures either solo or with the kids for camping. I wouldn't mind sliders but only for a step. Bolt on preferred otherwise running board will stay.

 

[specsnomin]

I'll eventually just spray the bottom quarter of my doors/rockers

 

[KidVermicious]

Thanks guys. Has anyone tried the rally armour mudflaps? The look nice but they are also quite pricey. I was originally considering them for the wife's car but I think they'd work here too.

Also, Is anyone powdercoating their sliders or is everyone using paint?

Powdercoat if you're crawling the mall, paint if you plan on using them like sliders. If you get bolt-ons you can pull them off every couple of years to clean them up and get clean paint on them.

 

[Ruff]

Mudflaps up front and slider, specifically shrockworks with the treadplates. They're flat and with the treadplates it keeps stuff off the paint. Good daily protection and also very protective off road.

How much do those sliders stick out?
I would like sliders but, need them wide enough for the son, wife, etc to be able to step on them to get into and out of the truck.

 

[white_n_slow]

get a cheap slider like Trail Gear (cheapest on the market and hold up to abuse with some additional gusseting). They are a weld-together design, so you can mount them at any angle or any distance from the frame. If you want them to stick out more, just cut the legs longer. Just mount them flat like a running board and fill in the void with 1/16" steel, or even cut the plastic top from your stock running boards to fit, drill holes and rivet or self-tapping-screw the toyota plastic on the top of your sliders. $200 investment and you're done!

 

[Unner]

Those look good! I hadn't really looked at their stuff, thanks for blowing my budget!

The ones on yours seem to be less angled than the pics on their website. Is that just the angle or are yours a different model?

Haha, pricey yes, but they're a great product. The ones with the treadplates aren't angled at all. They stick straight out, only the non treadplate ones are angled. As far as I know I'm the only 3rd gen with the treadplates.

Powdercoat if you're crawling the mall, paint if you plan on using them like sliders. If you get bolt-ons you can pull them off every couple of years to clean them up and get clean paint on them.

Try and find an industrial powdercoater in your area. I've got a guy now and he just throws my stuff in with his next load of black. $40 for both sliders was well worth it to not have to deal with painting them.

This is a good question. I wanted to remove the running boards but the kids need them to climb in. I have no need for sliders because I'm 99% on road. This truck is built for long haul adventures either solo or with the kids for camping. I wouldn't mind sliders but only for a step. Bolt on preferred otherwise running board will stay.

Mine are bolt on and are useful as a step for the vertically challenged.

How much do those sliders stick out?
I would like sliders but, need them wide enough for the son, wife, etc to be able to step on them to get into and out of the truck.

You can see how much they stick out in the pictures with the doors open from the top. They're about even with the sport flares on mine. Like I said above they make good steps for people that need them too.

 

[papabeach]

This isn't everyones style but bed-liner worked well for me...had it done before sliders went on by Line-X but other folks just use the rattle can bed liner too.

 

[7echo]

get a cheap slider like Trail Gear (cheapest on the market and hold up to abuse with some additional gusseting). They are a weld-together design, so you can mount them at any angle or any distance from the frame. If you want them to stick out more, just cut the legs longer. Just mount them flat like a running board and fill in the void with 1/16" steel, or even cut the plastic top from your stock running boards to fit, drill holes and rivet or self-tapping-screw the toyota plastic on the top of your sliders. $200 investment and you're done!

They do not list them for 3rd gens, at least I can't find them. But, it looks like they could be attached to most any truck as they mounting tubes are not welded to the slider. They also have a mounting plate set available.

 

[Gadgetguy]

They do not list them for 3rd gens, at least I can't find them. But, it looks like they could be attached to most any truck as they mounting tubes are not welded to the slider. They also have a mounting plate set available.

You would want the 58" or 67" sliders for a 3rd gen. BTW they are .120 wall DOM vs. the .188 wall most manufacturers use so you might get some dents in them under heavy abuse but I still think it's better than killing your rockers and the price is juuuuust RIGHT!

I measured for the square tube sliders I'm going to be making soon and 67" seemed like the right number, they won't dig into the tires and everything will be more than covered in rocky situations.

 

[AZ4Running]

I am rocking Trail Gear sliders on my rig and i have the black sport flares and the front mud flaps. My sliders get a little sand spray but its not bad thats about it. They work great as a replacement step after pulling off the stock running boards.

 

[white_n_slow]

the 67" ones fit just perfect. They also hold up pretty good--I was in a rollover and my passenger side slider took the entire weight of the vehicle at speed and was basically just scraped up. Additional gusseting would have prevented the rocker panel damage you see in the second picture. I just welded the slider legs straight onto the frame rail. No fishplates, no gussets. That's a 45mph impact, BTW.

 

[I_bRAD]

Haha, pricey yes, but they're a great product. The ones with the treadplates aren't angled at all. They stick straight out, only the non treadplate ones are angled. As far as I know I'm the only 3rd gen with the treadplates.



Try and find an industrial powdercoater in your area. I've got a guy now and he just throws my stuff in with his next load of black. $40 for both sliders was well worth it to not have to deal with painting them.



Mine are bolt on and are useful as a step for the vertically challenged.



You can see how much they stick out in the pictures with the doors open from the top. They're about even with the sport flares on mine. Like I said above they make good steps for people that need them too.

You might have some company with the treadplate sliders. I think it's likely between those and Savage at this point.

The guy that lives across the street from me does good powder coating, although the shrockworks already come powder coated according to their website!

How do they bolt on? Do you have to drill holes through the frame? Any reason you went bolt on instead of weld on?