New FJ....and custom sliders (Bent up rock rails)

[Kansas Law Dog]

bigbill25 previously said:

Forum sponser Trail-Gear is now selling this for $299 shipped. Crazy deal! More info: http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forum...d.php?p=125007
--Bill

If you look closely at the picture, these are the early version of rock rails, where the extension tubes slope in toward the FJ frame. Note the bolt holes are above and below the extension tube connection to the flat plate. The later modification has the bolts offset to the side of the extension tube connection so the slope from slider to frame is negligent. This is still a good price for sliders, if you are looking for easy trails and good under body protection. However, if you are a serious off-roader, there may be a better design (more expensive) for your protection.

[bigbill25]

Kansas Law Dog previously said:

If you look closely at the picture, these are the early version of rock rails, where the extension tubes slope in toward the FJ frame. Note the bolt holes are above and below the extension tube connection to the flat plate. The later modification has the bolts offset to the side of the extension tube connection so the slope from slider to frame is negligent. This is still a good price for sliders, if you are looking for easy trails and good under body protection. However, if you are a serious off-roader, there may be a better design (more expensive) for your protection.

They do look a bit different than mine, especially the gussets:

However, the angles look about the same and my bolts are in-line with the extension tubes. Does BentUp have something newer? I haven't seen pictures...

--Bill

[Kansas Law Dog]

I'm not sure about Bentup (but I suspect they are), but others have constructed the sliders so the extension tubes are offset toward the bottom and side of the flat plate so the holes are on one side of the plate and the extension tube is near the bottom of the plate, hence bottom of the vehicle frame. This ensures minimal angle from slider to frame. I scratched out the attached sketch.

[bigbill25]

Kansas Law Dog previously said:

I'm not sure about Bentup (but I suspect they are), but others have constructed the sliders so the extension tubes are offset toward the bottom and side of the flat plate so the holes are on one side of the plate and the extension tube is near the bottom of the plate, hence bottom of the vehicle frame. This ensures minimal angle from slider to frame. I scratched out the attached sketch.

I can see the advantage of reducing the angle. This placement, however, would be more of a lever-arm with respect to the bolts...

--Bill

[Kansas Law Dog]

bigbill25 previously said:

I can see the advantage of reducing the angle. This placement, however, would be more of a lever-arm with respect to the bolts... --Bill

The real tension on the bolts is when the tire rolls off a rock and you land full force on the slider. Impact (dynamic load) force could be more than twice the normal vehicle jacking weight (static load would be jacking up the vehicle on the slider). The tensile stress on the bolts in this configuration would be approximately the same as the other arrangement. The tension cause by moving forward on your sliders isn't usually as violent a force.

IMO, it would have been better if Toyota had designed three threaded holes in each of the four positions to attach the sliders to the frame. I just work up the following sketch to show what I mean.