Damage from body mounted sliders?

[entropy]

Smittybuilt SRC, if you like the look, some folk don't. They're very strong and they have 3 mounting points, all frame. I find them perfect as a slider + step + extra belly protection since I am not adding extra skid plates. They sit a bit higher than the JL skid plates, but you will bash them more than others if you are doing some serious rock crawling.

I added some pics back when I installed them:
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...you-do-to-your-jeep-jl-today.3033/post-908372

They're holding up very well, and I have not seen any damage on my body panels. I personally like the classic look and the fact that they are simple and functional. I wouldn't mind bashing them.

Sponsored

 

[ThirtyOne]

See, I'm not convinced you're not going to have long term tub issues attaching to both. The frame and body have different flex characteristics isolated by the rubber body mounts. Tying them together seems like it would be a bad idea.

Otherwise, I'd likely go with my original plan since a formed sheet is MUCH cleaner.

I might have to contact Rocky Road about the issue and pick their brains. I don't like their design, but I'm interested how they arrived at mounting to both the body and the frame as a solution.

Also, unlike most of the Jeep accessory market, I"m not limited to bolt on. I have no issues cutting and welding...especially to get exactly what I want.

I think frame-welded is the way to go.

 

[nostatic]

Those are nice looking sliders. Once they get a 2-door version I may swap out (again). Third times a charm...

 

[4xFUN]

My sliders mount to the frame not the pinch seam. So a little different and you would think less likely to cause body damage. And yet...

Shortly after taking my JLR home I installed a similar set of frame-mounted rock-rails/steps but did not leave them on more than a few hours...First I could not get them perfectly level with the body seams and when laying on my back (after aligning and fully tightening all bolts) I could press up on the front corner and flex the rails enough to nearly touch the body.
I wound up installing the Mopar Performance Rails which are at least much heavier than the OEM Rubi rails...However, wanting ever more protection I am now looking at JCR Crusader 2-piece (3/16" steel lower rocker skin and 3/16" rails) rock rails. I know of no one on the forum that has them but from their website videos, they take crazy punishment with zero apparent body damage. Anyone here 'rocking' these? Picture from JCR website below:

 

[Gorilla57]

Just a little a FYI, my Motobilt sliders have taken a beating and no noticeable damage to the tub. There’s a few guys on the forums who’ve really beat the hell out of their Motobilt sliders and no issues. I have no doubts that the JL tubs are weaker than the JK, but they seem to be holding up ok so far. That may be a testament to Motobilt quality or the fact that the tubs will handle the abuse.

 

[Brad_H]

Is anybody running the Rockhard4x4.com sliders? I was considering these: https://www.rockhard4x4.com/product_p/rh-90100.htm

 

[Lapis]

Is anybody running the Rockhard4x4.com sliders? I was considering these: https://www.rockhard4x4.com/product_p/rh-90100.htm

I'm not running them. They mount to the body mounts and the body, my concern would be, looking at the mounts, they're frame mount seems to be under the body mount bushing (bolting to rubber bushing instead of solid to the frame), that would allow the step to flex independent in my opinion.

 

[Yellow Cake Kid]

The Rocky Road rails interest me, but the website doesn't illustrate many details.

Do these rails interface with the notorious it-got-stuck-and-broke body bolt?

The text offers some detailed explanation but it would be nice to see pictures of all the rock rail products. Is there a place on the web where you can see all 5 styles of rails that they offer for JLU, so you can more easily compare the features?

Thank you!

 

[tonygiotta]

I recently saw a set of poison spyder rails for the JL. I believe they were called rocker knockers, and are body mounted at the pinch seam.

I have the JL Rocker Knockers from Poison Spyder. Definitely NOT body mounted at the pinch seam. They run close enough to the bottom of the pinch seam that it may appear that way, but I can confirm they are not. Triangulated frame mounts at all thee mounting locations, each of which bolts on in multiple planes.

Front mount (face and bottom of frame rail):

Center mount (side of body mount bracket and bottom of frame rail):

Rear mount (does share mounting bolts on either side of the body bushing (not sandwiched), but also bolts to the face of the frame rail):

Requires drilling, and uses some goofy nut plates (rather than just tapping the frame), but they are solid.

Full disclosure: I just ran the Rubicon with these sliders. Plenty of hard hits, lots of scratches in the powder coat, but no dents or anything. They did deflect (or the body tub shifted) just enough that I chipped a little paint on the bottom edge of the pinch seam in a couple spots (but no deformities). As I mentioned earlier, they come very close to the pinch seam in a couple spots, maybe 3/16" or so.

 

[tonygiotta]

And their reply:

It's a rock solid system. Other companies don't do it because it cost more to manufacture these mounting systems. The strength though is unmatchable.
Thanks.

Overall, I'm actually pretty excited by the prospect of getting to do what I wanted originally even though I already bought material to do frame mount only.

I'd do a little more research here Sean before diving in. My friend had some sliders on his JK that mounted in this fashion. He said they were pretty solid, but he eventually sold them and got something else because they squeaked incessantly as the body and the frame fought each other for position. I think you're right to question the idea of taking two large hunks of metal, designed to be isolated by rubber bushings, and rigidly bolting them together. Something has to give...

 

[tonygiotta]

Has anyone seen or experienced damage to the tub from sliders that mount to the stock positions of the pinch seam and just below the body tub? I know it is a concern that you could come down hard on something with your slider and it could possibly cause damage but has anyone actually had it happen?

Going back to the original question, the only sturdy body mounted sliders I'm familiar with, and have reliable info on, are the EVO JL Bomber Rockers w/ skins. I have secondhand feedback (in that they're on someone else's Jeep) that they have taken a lot of abuse, and have held up well, with only minor damage transferred to the body. BUT... what gives them their strength is that they tie into the body skins, which means that you have to drill a bunch of holes in your tub, which kinda disqualifies them from your original question regarding sliders "that mount to the stock positions of the pinch seam and just below the body tub".

 

[tonygiotta]

I'm not worried about vibration or squeaking. I only care if the tub's going to start ripping itself apart. My sliders on my 4Runner touch the pinch weld (well, the legs are notched up high into the pinch, which I re-welded). The noise and slight vibration's not that big of a deal to me personally....especially since you can gain 1 1/8" of clearance on the Jeep doing the same thing.

Like most things...it's a trade off.

And part of my "solution" will be the skins from Motobilt. I got no issues drilling the body or cutting shit off, lol.

Very true, you could make it work if you figure out a way to secure them tightly, probably at the expense of losing isolation / gaining vibration. You're probably more willing to accept the trade off than most. I'll be very interested to see how it works out long term.

 

[Yellow Cake Kid]

...My friend had some sliders on his JK that mounted in this fashion. He said they were pretty solid, but he eventually sold them and got something else because they squeaked incessantly as the body and the frame fought each other for position...

Is it possible that installing a fresh set of body mounts would have solved the squeaking problem?

 

[tonygiotta]

Is it possible that installing a fresh set of body mounts would have solved the squeaking problem?

Possible it may have lessened it as new mounts might be a bit stiffer, but since the whole point of the isolators is to allow for movement between body and frame, I don’t think it would “solve” the problem.

Bolting the body to the frame is essentially turning the vehicle into a unibody. I see one of two things happening: If done poorly, squeaking due to the connection points loosening, flexing, and rubbing against each other. If done well, a harsh ride that eventually causes the body to tear somewhere due to metal fatigue. Think of an old XJ that’s been wheeled hard. They sell all sorts of weld-on “frame” stiffeners to try to prevent that from happening. That’s why I’m curious to see the results of Sean’s project. He’ll do it well, he’s willing to deal with the harshness, and he wheels hard. I want to see if it tears...

Sponsored