Bolt on rock slider help!!!

Trying to figure out how to bolt these rock sliders on. I have the trail gear rock sliders. I'm a first gen so it's a boxed frame. The 4 "L" brackets on each leg have 5 holes (4 on side, 1 on bottom). I've read instructions for other bolt on sliders (mine didnt come w/ instructions) and drilling the 2 top holes for each L bracket seems to be enough support, plus the bottom hole. My main question is how do I tighten the bottom bolt if its a boxed frame? If I drill the bottom hole there's no way to get a washer and bolt in there to secure the screw?

I've researched 1st gen bolt on sliders but nothing has helped. So if someone has already done this can you help me out?

Thanks!

 

Sorry I can't answer your specific question but I will say that if you do go with bolt on, I highly suggest using all the wholes. The amount of pressure, abuse, wight, and impact these take will need every bit of support.

Can you weld them on. I ad mine welded and it is very secure and dependable. Good luck.

 

Thanks for the advice, I've thought about getting them welded but my only reason for not welding is if I ever need to remove them. It would be easier to unbolt than to cut the welds. I hope someone has the answer to these bolt on, I hoping to get it done today. If not ill just call Trail Gear tomorrow and find time during the week or next weekend.

 

What do the bolts look like?

I ask because I bought bolt-on sliders from Rocky-Road. I don't have the instructions anymore but if I recall correctly, they came will self-tapping bolts. The idea was to drill a smaller hole than the bolt dia. then carefully screw in the bolt to the torque spec, attempting to avoid stripping out the frame.

No idea if TG is the same way but the pictures of the bolts would help determine if TG used the same idea.

After I had a couple unrelated issues come up early on I just had a shop weld them to the frame. Figure they get too damaged, I'll just hack them off and start again.

 

Well sorry to say the TG sliders are not bolt on sliders sure they have holes in the frame plates but it would be a pain to bolt them to a 1st Gen. The best thing to do would be to make new plates that wrap the frame so you and bolt it that way.

 

Man that would never hold up to a hard hit our frames are way too thin for tapping a slider bolt into. Good thing you welded them on

 

The other part of the mounting scheme in the Rocky Road sliders was the mount to the body pinch weld. I think they did this to prevent the frame bolts from popping out on the first hit but didn't make sense to me since it circumvents the float of the body mounts.

When I got them in, the pinch weld mount wouldn't line up to the pinch weld so I just decided to weld them on.

If I had to do it over again, I'd probably just get some TG or similar weld-ons and not even mess around with bolt-on schemes. Like JLee says, they take a good hit here and there.

 

I'm making bolt-on sliders that clamp against the boxed frame and bolt at the top without even drilling the frame. Probably similar to what JLee mentioned up there. Most people underestimate the strength of a bolt-on setup, and a ton of bolts through a paper-thin frame isn't always the answer to strength.

 

Thanks for the help! I'm thinking it prob be easier if I just take it to a muffler shop and have the weld on. My only concern is them not knowing what to do. I don't like other people installing anything because they don't care for it like I do. I'm gonna try to stand and oversee the work they do but is there anything special they need to know or that I should tell them before welding on. I've never welded so I have no idea what's going on or what to look for.

From what I can tell they just mount the slider brackets to the frame and weld it on all 4 edges on all 4 brackets? Do they have to weld the entire edge or can they weld just a portion of each edge

I don't have any pics of the hardware because it didn't come with any. I asked if it would come with everything necessary to bolt them on, the guy said yes, but when I got them there wasn't any hardware or instructions. No biggie, I figured I would just go to Home Depot and pick up the necessary hardware. But after rethinking it seems like a big hassle to bolt-on.

 

Hey Moe do they look anything like this (bracket wise).....

 

no, the TG ones dont have the plate on the other side. so you just go through the front.

the problem with doing the bolt on ones is you have to drill a perfect hole through both ends of the frame for the bolts. massive PITA. better to just weld them man

 

I wish Doug! no my TG sliders only have the "L" shaped plates. Ive been researching how much it would be to buy these "U" type brackets and have them welded on. This would have been so much easier if I had the bolt brackets on the pic above. CBI sells these type of brackets on their bolt on sliders. If I go with the "L" brackets that are on my sliders now then Ill prob just have them welded on. If you have any ideas on what my best options would be? Im all ears...

 

Here's a pic of my sliders all painted up.


I was thinking... Is it possible to weld another "L" bracket to the other side of the current bracket so that both brackets together would form the "U" bracket I'm looking for? Just thinking out loud here... It may just be easier to weld what I have or buy new bolt-on brackets like the ones from CBI and have them welded on my TG sliders.

 

Mine are from Famous Fabrications (DWRECK) & was actually pretty pleased with Derek's layout for the "U" brackets your talking about, no drilling & very strong, if ya want I'll take a couple pics where they mount on frame & give you dimentions, let me know...

 

Doug, that would be awesome if you could get me a couple pics and dimensions. That way I know what exactly I'm looking for. When ever you have time, no rush. Much appreciated!

I'll check out Famous Fab and see if they can sell just the bracket? If not ill check the hardware stores.

Thanks

 

I have the cbi bolt-on's and the brackets are the u-shape with the bolts on top of the frame. I have abused mine and they have held up. They even have a few good sized dents in them from some really hard hits.

 

I wouldn't definitely have them welded to the frame. The frame brackets on the TG sliders just aren't designed to be *real* bolt on sliders.

 

Only reason I didn't already have them welded on, is fear of difficulty getting them off if/ when needed. How difficult will that be if I ever do need them off? I'm sure it'll be years from now but welding may be the best option at this point. Although if getting the CGI slider brackets (or similar) is an option that would be ideal.

 

The brackets on these are 7"x3.5"x3.5"..

 

I use a hi-lift on them all the time. Like I said I have abused these on the rocks and have easily put the entire weight of the truck on them and they have held up great. I'm willing to bet that the one's with the u-shaped brackets are as strong as weld-on's.