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Demello Rock Crusher bolt-on sliders (1st Gen) Install/Advice

Discussion in 'Demello Offroad' started by RyanL, Oct 16, 2012.

  1. Oct 16, 2012 at 1:01 PM
    #1
    RyanL

    RyanL [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Got my Rock Crushers recently and (mostly) installed them last weekend. Here's some detailed install info in case it can help anyone. Let me know what you think.

    Product: Demello Bolt-On "Rock Crusher" sliders for 95.5-04 Toyota Tacoma
    Vehicle: 2001 Tacoma Double Cab

    Lesson learned: just weld the stupid things. Save $$ and skip the bolt-on option.
    As with most projects that seem like a 45-minute job, there were plenty of "cans of worms" that turned this into a few hours worth of work. Granted I'm a normal guy, not a fab shop. I'm still not done, but will post a follow-up. Details below.

    Before/after:
    0_zpsf5fc0e20_ad360980e9fc26fb3d6f1bca592a1b844d0bc971.jpg 01_zpsdcdda1b3_224f511d2d05678d8f42e1a4355393f8e6474aeb.jpg

    Here's what arrived (about a month later than they told me it would)
    1_zpsde8ade2b_14e2713c43cfe5ded961580fd5c49da12cbd3031.jpg 2_zpsfcbe7579_5c8cdf65a0f5b8aa8f4ce8e92d3e921e95816a5f.jpg

    My bro-in-law eventually gave me a hand, but it's possible to do solo with jack stands & a jack:
    3_zpsc7e9796d_655a55f840c7ba8c96792b453533cb7f3548eaed.jpg 31_zpsab41b8de_2eddc460ac44f43e7bbd6930befca7f2329ce822.jpg

    Now for the problems I ran into.

    1. Washers too big to fit flush (welds get in the way)
    4_zps7a396aa6_b5bdd773de354a620a2a8dc881699ca2dbe006b7.jpg

    Solution: Vice and grinder. No big deal.
    5_zpsc4fd73a1_11bff11951c93bc4ab283b315691384f5d790e97.jpg 6_zps54131639_9e77b44c4f7bb0e5d5c67530f5f446ce4e6ebf4f.jpg
    7_zpscccf6844_76a2e2d1786d1926c8b833dba0abc95fb480a8d8.jpg

    2. Clip is in the way. I just pulled it out and tucked it above the frame.
    8_zps61e3e9ab_1c8ebb62088b0fc8aabaafa3fe3228aea58ab022.jpg 9_zps934a2ac5_658432557a27df5ce914055cba0d38c311048766.jpg

    3. One of the holes on each side (2nd from rear, I think) is 1/4" low on the slider, so you'll have to either expand the top of the slider holes or the bottom of the frame holes:
    10_zps30f40eed_238ed913922e1ebbd1ff1c6c1ef76146a151a1f8.jpg

    4. No provision for the bracket bolt on the front driver side mount. I notched the slider to make room.
    11_zpsa44b85f9_c07a77ec332d3a4af863cb5c55696db13316ae8f.jpg

    5. Another clip on the driver side that has to be removed. I just left it out as pictured:
    12_zps0405ff91_4eadf40e3a8c53e0457e19dde7eeca1c9218d5f6.jpg

    6. Demello's install instructions said the kit comes with supplies to space the brake lines on the driver side so the sliders don't rub. It was missing, and when I called Demello they said it doesn't come with it, even though it's on the instructions. :confused: Ok, whatever, another trip to the hardware store for bolts and washers:
    13_zpsf3ad1994_245e3036759f8eb8acdb2d30bb210db6c05df3d1.jpg

    7. Rear driver side bolt is too long, runs into the gas tank. Again, the supplied instructions said 2 bolts are shorter, but all 8 I got are the same length, so I had to cut one down. Again, not a huge deal, but just one more PITA to add to the growing frustration of the project.
    14_zps5803af0e_18b2eff6236d83f56cd99e29bff1fc29966a86f4.jpg

    8. Drilling the holes for the front bracket mounts ... all I can say is good luck unless you have some equipment I don't. The Milwuakee drill I used has about as flat a top as you can get, but it's still impossible to drill through from the outside of the frame, because you hit on the rocker panel and it angles the bit up too far on the inside.

    Right now, I still have to drill 1.5 of the 2 front bracket mounts, and I still have to widen the other hole for that middle bracket where the holes don't line up. Even then, the sliders aren't totally level (the driver side slopes about 1/2" down toward the back, and the passenger side does the opposite - not huge, but something I'll always notice).

    So, after all this, I've decided screw the bolts, I'm welding it. Should've done that in the first place. Even now (4 hours into it) it'll still be more of a pain to finish the bolt-on install than to weld them.

    Your thoughts? Would you find someone to drill the frame holes and bolt it, or just weld it?
     
  2. Oct 18, 2012 at 8:51 AM
    #2
    JDEMELLO

    JDEMELLO Well-Known Member Vendor

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    Sorry for the troubles. We haven't changed the Bolt on kit, bolt kit in years. It looks like we need to revise some of our bolt kits. The washers not fitting is due to the sliders being rock crushers. We rarely sell the RC in a bolt on config so this is something we will have to note for future orders of Bolt on RC sliders.

    Whether or not you drill the front hole they will be fine. The strength is from the design the bolts just hold them up on the frame.

    Thanks for the feed back we don't sell alot of the older style sliders anymore but it seems we need to go back and make some slight changes.

    Thank you.
     
  3. Oct 18, 2012 at 9:08 AM
    #3
    1stacoma

    1stacoma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    5100's front and rear, front 2.5" rear 2" AAL, 18% tint front and rear, color matched grill. SCS wheels 275/70/17 BFG AT KO's. DTRL toggle switch.
    Nice looking truck. I love the pre-2005 4 doors.
     
  4. Oct 18, 2012 at 9:49 AM
    #4
    RyanL

    RyanL [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for your reply. I'm happy to provide feedback...maybe it'll eventually help someone else out. I guess that's what I get for wanting to put an uncommon setup on my old daily driver :)
     
  5. Dec 26, 2012 at 10:26 AM
    #5
    RyanL

    RyanL [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    All right, here's the follow-up as promised. I finished the install on 11/3/12, just haven't had time to post.

    I decided to make the bolts work. I expanded the hole on the one side with a carbide grinding bit in my drill. It took awhile, but it eventually did the trick. I just left the 4th bolt out of the other side, as per JDEMELLO's suggestion.

    Here's the rest of how I made it work:

    1. The front driver side mount still wouldn't fit, so I had to get the cutoff wheel back out. Then I filed off the burs and painted it (same paint I used for my fender flares & side mirrors a couple years back)
    1_zps231fc41d_4aa5c383f6fff1b4600d6305041260a13b7b95fd.jpg

    2_zps70014e2d_6b02e031e761d326d90587f0b9b4c762d1eaa128.jpg

    2. Found another bolt that was too long - threads don't go deep enough to tighten fully:
    3_zps42657f3d_0a85f65a0cb859707fca21143e75c63cf0ecefb1.jpg

    3. The tolerances for some of the mounting brackets around the frame are pretty far out; you have to rely on the bolt hanging on the bottom of the hole instead of the slider cinching up to the frame, which is fine functionally, but makes it so you can't level it perfectly from front to back:
    4_zps32462181_baa7803de61d27dcb0bdd768edf66f466a796cbd.jpg

    6_zpseee2af94_766d2237e6a4d552c2d7a7495d61488e58e6bd7c.jpg


    And there you have it!
    I hope this helps someone else save some time & frustration in their own install - or better yet, convinces you to JUST WELD THE $%*! THINGS ON! :annoyed::frusty:

    On the positive side, they look great, and my wife loves the fact that they make a great step. I'll let you know how they work as sliders if I ever find out...Moab is just a couple hours away :D
     

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