Aluminum “Sliders”

Aluminum doesn't "slide" over rocks. It gouges and sticks. Steel is real......

 

I got the Greenlane’s installed now. (AC no kick) Very light. However, I got mine in 0degree angle and with how smooth the top surface is my foot shoots off easily. I wish I had got 5-10* of angle on them and no top sheet. They look good but I think angled would have given it a better look and more clearance. Also without a top sheet my foot wouldn’t skeet off because I could press into the tube. Anyways I’ll probably keep them unless greenlane would make them customized.

 

Thanks for the feedback! I guess you had them powdercoated w/o a texture to it?
I've heard lots of people slapping on some skateboard grip tape on the main tubing or atleast by the kick out so their feet don't slide off as easy! Maybe a quick fix for you?

 

So this theory applies to skid plates as well?

 

Yes.

 

I got them factory powder texture coated. With the addition of the top plate theres just nothing to bite your foot or toes into. They might get full grip tape to cover the entire top. Such a waste though...

 

How would you get Greenlane to customize them? I'll be ordering a angled set when they have their Black Friday sale. I want them unpainted and without the step plates. I'll coat them with some type of bed liner.

 

Interesting. My aluminum skid plates work perfect. My sliders are steel and they’ve got gouges in them as well.

 

Aluminum is much softer than steel. It will deform and gouge much easier and in affect create a higher friction coefficient. I'm sure your skids and sliders will work fine....and weigh much less.

 

Definitely could do it in a pinch, wouldn’t want to make a habit of it though

 

I would get the angled option on my straight sliders with no kick out. Probably 6* and no top plate. 12.5* might look good too. Just wish I could have seen them before installing.

 

Hey OP, I'm looking into these and was wondering what your take is after having them for a bit? Also is the powder coat worth it? $150 seems steep for something that people are saying is slippery, so I'm wondering if I'm better off just going bare and then bedliner.

 

i think the best alternative to these would be SDHQ chromemoly sliders... strong AF and 50lbs lighter than other steel options. i have them, total 100lbs with hardware. they're expensive though.

 

I went with steel sliders, glad I did too. Didn't see a big rock as I was cresting a hill, went over it and dropped full weight down on it. Steel sliders had a big dent in it but it saved my driver door and fender. Aluminum would have probably not survived it and possibly done more damage.

Steel is easy to touch up as well, just buff out the scratches and loose paint with a steel wheel and then sprayed it with black paint.

Imo steel for sliders and aluminum for bumpers are the way i'd go

 

Honestly, I was surprised that the Tacoma was about the same if not slightly lighter than some mid-size SUVs. The G. Cherokee can get up to 5k+ but I think that's the V8 versions. I guess an empty bed basically means no weight in the rear so less weight overall?

 

@TS4x4 I've had mine for about a year now and opted for the factory powder coat option which looks great but yes, it can get slippery but it doesn't bother me enough to add grip tape to the top surface. I chose alum. sliders over steel for the weight savings & marginal protection.. not much rock crawling here in Hawaii for me to really be concerned.

 

Appreciate the feedback! Mine should arrive this week, I'm stoked. I live in the Northeast so my steel step bars didn't make it more than 3 years before disintegrating due to rust from road salt. I simply can't do steel up here.

 

Aluminum is light and soft but not the strongest. Steel with a good powdercoat is the way to go if you really want that type of protection. unfortunately salt kills everything and you'll have to pull them off and have them recoated every couple of years. That's the same for anything you put on your truck in states that use salt. NJ changed to a brine that doesn't seem to do as much damage. Time will tell.....