Rocky Road Rock Rails: Thoughts?

I came across these bolt on sliders http://www.rocky-road.com/tacomarockrail.html and I really like the look and tight-to-body fit, BUT upon further review it turns out that a significant part of their strength is accomplished by mounting the sliders to the rocker panel pinch weld! Now I'm not concerned with the strength of this mount but rather that it 'mounts' the body to the frame.

Essentially this would create a ridgid mount between the frame and the body (the bodies use rubber mounts to the frame as is). Under max articulation the body flexes somewhat independantly to the frame, hence the rubber mounts. The rubber mounts also help to diminish vibration from the chassis to the body.

... So why this design? It seems like nobody would put out a product that could be this bad for a truck but..... Is there no flex between body and frame under the rocker panels? Will this tranfer more vibration to the cab?

This design seems so flawed I almost thing it has to be good, or a huge oversight. Plus, they might even be too tight to the body to use a highlift..?

I searched the web and didn't find the info I was loking for, mostly speculations similar to mine.

What are your thoughts? Have any experience with these?

Thanks

 

those are more cosmetic than anything, put any weight on it and your gonna push it into the bottom of the cab...save your money unless you just want it for looks.

 

Yeah...That close to the pinch weld is no bueno imho.

All depends on what you want....For steps and looks- They'll work. For real rock gaurds-I'm not sure I want to trust them...

 

Oh I'm not buying them. I just wanted others thoughts on the design. The company is legit and makes some decent stuff, I just couldn't understand why they used this design; I though I must be overlooking something or not know some great benefit to using a pinchweld for mounts.

I do like the looks, but even used as a superficial step it seems like it's messing with too much of the whole flexation of the rig. It's almost like mounting a skid plate from your bumper to your axle.

Just seems too weird that it has to be good....? Probably not.

 

Furthur reading on the website claims, from the website:

"Some folks ask if they can handle a HiLift jack. HA! If a rock slider cannot handle a gentle upward push from a HiLift, how is it supposed to block an assault by a full body slam on a rock??? Our Rockrails can handle anything and everything you can throw at them and are guaranteed for life against denting or bending. "

I'm stumped.

 

They probably won't permanently deform (dent or bend) but the frames and sliders flex as they are worked out- Lean 4K lbs of truck on a metal rail and you are going to get movement. With the rail up near the pinch like that....Any flex at all is likely going to hit the pinch weld.

 

Oh yeah, it will hit the pinch weld... It bolts on to it! so weird.

 

Nice! IMO this is how a real rock rail should be made, bolting to both. Thats how all the real ones are made for jeeps that are really driven and rails are really used on rocks.

However, cherokees at least, are uni-frame and you do have a point about the body mount isolators. The biggest benefit, at least again with cherokees, is that you didnt have to worry at all about rocker damage. The ones that bolted to the frame rail only potentially can bend and hit it, rocker mount only is too week.

I have waited on buying any partially for this reason, nobody seems to make them incorporating both but I never thought about the isolators. I think it would be fine though.

Personally I had some super rails made by http://www.ajsoffroadarmor.com/ Very awesome and sturdy as hell. I wish someone made the ones in that link like the superrails. I dont see why all the rails are angled up, I would like them to be flat so they function like a running board, but look better and protect your rocker at the same time. It does say Toyota coming soon..so maybe eventually he will make them. Oh the best part, the prices arent all jacked up and too high like others for Taco's all seem to be IMO.

 

I agree with you. The body support SHOULD be added strength. Most all sliders are JUST mounted to the frame. Rocky road has been around for a while and they make great products so I have faith in that design. Now I just need some money to buy a set!

 

Here is the email response I received from Rocky Road about there frame/pincheld mount system:

"On Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 11:55 AM, Rocky Road Outfitters <gwbuild@rocky-road.com> wrote:

We've sold over 600 sets for the Tacoma alone so far. So they are definitely out there.

There is some minor flex between the frame and the body, but it is not enough for our rock slider to allow any binding. And there's never been any reports of frame vibrations traveling thru the body on any of our kits for any vehicles. If there is anything, its probably so insignificant it cannot be noticed by human detection.

Without the dual mounting system of the body and frame though, the only way to have a strong enough mounting system to actually provide true rocker protection is to have a kit welded to the frame. For alot of guys, this is just something they don't want to get into. Many cannot weld. And even welding presents its own problems as frames can and do fatigue as new stress points and tear open.

We feel that our system provides the necessary mounting strength, but also enough movement in the mounting system between the frame and body to not create any binding issues. The flex in that 3' span of the frame and body for the mounting really is nearly insignificant. If you take full flex front to rear on the frame... yet, it can be measured at that point. But the small distance of our mounting system really is not creating a problem.

You can always treat the holes drilled if you like, paint them with a clear topcoat. As it is mostly sealed in by the mount and nuts and washers though, it really has been a non-issue in the world of 4x4 to do this.

If you have any other questions, feel free to fire away.



(I hid the name)
www.rocky-road.com

Voted by Four Wheeler magazine readers....
Top Ten All Star Manufacturers "

I might just have to order a pair to test them out... I can always JB weld the holes in the pinchweld if I don't like them.

​

 

just wondering if you ever bought these or what did you end up with?

 

Nope. Ended up finding a good deal locally for some bolt-on Trail Gear sliders. I still like the look of the Rocky Roads...

Also, 90% of the use on my sliders has been to use my HiLift jack, I use it for everything, I was fearful that the Rocky's were too close to the body and the highlift would hit.

 

thats weird

something light like a jeep or samurai (which is rocky road's specialty) i could see it being fine but i think its a dumb idea for the tacoma. I have a hard time believing there are 600 sets out for the tacoma... my sliders are way beefier than that and still flex minimally.

 

I like these. Seems like a good idea for additional strength and support.

 

Resurrecting a thread from 2010. Does anyone have any experience with these? I love the tight to the body look and am interested.

 

So if it's ok to bolt the body directly to the frame, then why doesn't Toyota (and the other manufacturers) do it? I'm also not convinced that if you are going to attach the body to the frame that the pinch weld is a good place to do it.

 

This design sucks and is trash. Do not buy, do not consider. They are basically a more complicated version of predator steps that require you to drill into your frame.

Do not buy

 

The seller claimed 10 years ago that there were 600 sets out there for Tacos, SURELY someone on this forum must own a set. Let’s hear some real world experience with these.

I am leaning hard in another direction now..

 

You shouldn't lean in another direction, you should run

 

Well I did say I was leaning HARD..