Rock sliders -- side-impact crash protection?

Does anyone have experiences with how heavy-duty rock sliders perform in side-impact or side-swipe car accidents? My common-sense view is that if they are solidly struck (not over-ridden or under-ridden) by another vehicle they should spread out the impact load all along the side of the frame rail, most likely causing the truck to slide sideways on all 4 tires, reducing damage to the vehicle doors & body panels.

 

depends on the speed of the impact. id imagine youre correct with slower impacts. but if someone t-bones you going 50mph, the truck will fold like a banana with or without the slider...

 

The below link contains quite a few calculations and a decent explanation of them.

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/impact-force-d_1780.html

 

That's why I asked for "experiences with" actual side-impact incidents. I'm well aware of all the physics and engineering variables at play. Obviously "YMMV" depending on the exact configuration of vehicle relative heights, impact speeds, road surface conditions, etc. Just curious to hear from those who have had their slider-equipped trucks hit, or witnessed such a hit, and how it turned out in their particular situation.

 

I was in a front end accident where the bush guard stopped the air bag from deploying. The impact was so hard the rear seats folded and both of us in the front had bruises from the seatbelts.

Side impact would be similar, the sensors are lower and a large impact into the side might not deploy curtain or seat belts etc. You'd be relying on the accelerometer.

It reduce stop penetration from lower accidents though.

 

It's like the 'hit my hitch' or 'hit my front plate bumper' crowd.

It can help or it can hurt.

I know you are asking for experiences, but that only applies for that days variables.

Otherwise


If you're trying to rationalize purchase for the wife, just don't bother. Unless she needs a step. Then it would be full truth.

 

Aye, I'm aware that front bumpers can interfere w/ airbag deployment. I have an ARB bumper which they claim is designed, tested to not interfere w/ airbag deploy in a frontal. It stands to reason that heavy sliders on sides might similarly interfere w/ side curtain airbag deployment timing. I guess by throwing off the accelerometer profile from what the SRS system is expecting. Might be a net-negative depending on the exact crash situation.

 

Not really comparable but. I clipped a 9" pole i forgot was on the other side of my favorite fried chicken stand.. the slider somehow kinda pushed my truck around it. I was turning anyway. But the mass of the truck was completely smashed against the pole it turned me almost 45.. I thought the entire side of my truck would be destroyed. The out side of my slider was completely bare steel. And it got gouged from a bolt in the pole. But it successfully pushed my truck out and away from about a 10 to 15 mph pole turning collision..

 

There will be differences on how it’s going to go if the rock sliders are bolt on or welded.

 

Do not forget about vehicles tall enough that most of the side-impact would go into the body of your truck instead of any notable amount into the sliders.

 

If the rock sliders are not supported on the ends to the truck frame, they flex into the body and still cause damage. Not as bad, but it still occurs. I’ve seen photos.

Many brands are like this.

 

Built a set for a buddies 3rd gen 4runner a few years ago and not 4 days later an older lady tboned him doing 45 and scratches the paint.. he's a master Toyota tech, never noticed any issues sothe frame being affected or anything

 

Sold my 97 to a friend with a set of sliders. 2 years later he comes back and thank me for saving his life. Seems some jerk ran the light when coming off the freeway and T-boned my friend at something like 40-50 mph. Flipped the Taco upside down, ripped rear axle off but my friend climbed out with no more than bruised ribs. When police showed up, they walked up and asked my friend what happened to the driver because after seeing the carnage, they were expecting a body. Sliders did not save the truck but they probably allowed him to walk away from what should have been much worse.

 

Ive been hit on the side a handful of times by incompetent drivers that took a dual turn a lane too wide. The truck reacted as if i got t boned and did slide on the side. The last Hyundai sonata scratched my slider up a bit, very negligible damage but his whole front end ripped off. I'm running victory 4x4 bolt on DOM sliders.

Side impacts usually damage the cab. Sliders mitigate any damage substantially

 

That’s why SDHQ posted a pic of a 4runner with their sliders that got Tboned at 45 and was fine while the other car was totaled

there’s nothing to rationalize, used sliders are $300.
Less than common “step bars”, while just as steppable and more.

this isn’t 1980 sitting in a Caprice getting T boned by another metal caprice

It’s 2023. Cars have crumple zones. and sit lower than the truck.
they will hit the slider and crumple.
Probably going underneath at the same time.
Truck tire(s) will lose grip and the truck will slide.


Their car is designed to have a weak bumper, core support, condenser, radiator, unibody, hood, headlights, plastic, and engine mounts designed to shear and drop the drivetrain. Cool, let them use it.

side is probably the weakest point stock given there is no crumple room in a door like there is a long length of engine bay or trunk.

there’s also aluminum sliders out there now.
I would not rely on a stock tin can paper thin lightweight Toyota door, a brand not known for safety. It’s not an Audi or Volvo door.

anti-slider rhetoric is usually people who don’t have them because they’d rather spend more on “step bars” and don’t use the truck for what it was designed for (off road) requiring sliders

 

This makes a lot of sense to me. I T'd a car at highway speed (she was crossing the freeway and did not know how to drive in US traffic, had no paperwork, was fresh from another country, and found 100% at fault) and it was estimated I hit her going 50 mph. Her passenger door was smashed up close to the driver door from my front end (94 4wd Toyota pickup regular cab) traversing >95% the width of her car (through the passenger area) and there was no reason to hurry to remove her. Her car did not have airbags but I cannot imagine that airbags would have helped. Sliders on the other hand would have really helped her passenger door (which I hit) bounce instead of me essentially driving through her car.

My front skid bounced me upwards as it went over and through her door sill which broke my neck on my roof and my truck was totaled and the highway was shut down for a half day. But I am very glad to not have been in her shoes, which I found in the street along with her watch which had stopped and I gave to the CHP to establish the time of the accident. Sliders are probably the only thing that could have helped in that kind of situation.

 

there's a whole lot of words here supporting the idea, but no pictures. seems counterintuitive, doesn't it?

 

@boogie3478 .....any input on this?

 

my bad hold on let me run a red light for you real quick

 

We should just close out this thread with the recommendation of an exoskeleton if people are that worried about being in an accident and inflicting the most damage on the other party.