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Slider functional design question (square vs. round)

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by elykTacos, Apr 11, 2012.

  1. Apr 11, 2012 at 12:16 PM
    #1
    elykTacos

    elykTacos [OP] "Its all ball bearings nowadays"

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    I am researching sliders before I get some.

    It seems most sliders use a round tube and angle up about 20 degrees:
    P1010613_2fa5c47ffdeb914df4e19642ac4a08d3b325ebc4.jpg

    I saw a custom slider that Green01 built that are square all the way:
    [​IMG]

    I like that the square ones act as a better (more stable) step and also that they are a little different than the crowd. They would take a hit a little better too becuase the corners bring stability (like a dimple dye). Tubes will crush easier.

    Functionally, the round ones won't get hung up on a rock as easily. The corners of the square "could" bind up a little on a rock edge.

    What are your thoughts? Any other reasons to go round vs. square?
     
  2. Apr 11, 2012 at 12:21 PM
    #2
    valon5150

    valon5150 Well-Known Member

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    I don't really think there is an advantage to either. it is whatever you like. I built square tube ones for my truck because i don't have a tube bender. mine angle up roughly 20 degrees to sit just below the door like the round ones you show. with square you can still have kick outs too.
     
  3. Apr 11, 2012 at 12:24 PM
    #3
    JLee

    JLee The Man! Vendor

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    Hybrid round outers and square runners. Full square sliders look cheap and home made IMO but that's me.

    My sliders are the Hybrid design I think it's the best of both worlds nice clean bent tube on the outer rail and strong square tube on the inner rail.
     
    THEPYRITETACO and Tibetan Nomad like this.
  4. Apr 11, 2012 at 12:31 PM
    #4
    valon5150

    valon5150 Well-Known Member

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    maybe but i get a chuckle out of seeing rigs drive by that paid over 300 for their sliders and I was able to go to a scrap yard for my steel and make mine for under 75 with wire and grinder pads.
     
  5. Apr 11, 2012 at 12:40 PM
    #5
    Crom

    Crom Super-Deluxe Member

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    I don't think it makes too much difference in the design as long as it's built tough and attached to the frame correctly. I am partial to the rounded tube design for actually sliding over rocks when and where necessary.

    That's fine if your truck is a beater, not so much on a nice new truck. ;)
     
  6. Apr 11, 2012 at 12:47 PM
    #6
    Pearl04

    Pearl04 Member

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    Home made is bad!? I would like to step back from my truck with pride and say "I BUILT that," much more than "I Bought that" IMO but that's me.

    The square sliders in the pic above might look cheap but he is probably just measuring it up to the truck. And he has enough saved for...whatever. A great paint job and they would look awesome. And welding that looks that good is not that easy. I give props to the guy.

    As far as functionality. Square would be a bit stronger, but really there is such a small difference that shouldn't sway you one way or another. Cylinders are better for compression along its rotating axis. Think crushing a pop can by stepping on it straight up and down. But denting the side of the can is much easier, think squeezing with your thumb. So, as you drag your truck along the sliders, you will dent the round ones more. But you can make up for the weakness with thicker bars, or just use square bars which have ridged corners due to larger cross sections on the corners. I would agree, I like the look of round better and that might sway my choice. But I would definitely still make it myself just for the satisfaction of my handiwork.
     
  7. Apr 11, 2012 at 12:48 PM
    #7
    JLee

    JLee The Man! Vendor

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    Yeah I see your point but companies don't use scrap or shouldn't. I buy my tube in bulk and it still cost me more then you payed for your sliders :(. You get what you pay for these days. I think $300.00 for a set of sliders is a good price considering the cost of steel and what go's into building them.
     
  8. Apr 11, 2012 at 12:54 PM
    #8
    JLee

    JLee The Man! Vendor

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    Not at all built with your own hands and great I think if you want to build something yourself buy the tools to do so IE a tube bender. Just about everyone on Pirate does there own builds but they have the tools to do it right well most of them :eek: . I also don't like doing but welds on the outside tube it creates a weak point in the sliders unless you sleeve it. I say if you want to build square tube sliders get a square bending die and do it right but that's me.
     
  9. Apr 11, 2012 at 1:52 PM
    #9
    Pearl04

    Pearl04 Member

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    Valon and Green01 put a lot of time into their sliders and I'm just giving them credit. They probably will work just as good if not better than factory made cookie cutter kits you can buy and bolt on.

    As far as scrap, when metal is identified as scrap it doesn't degrade the metal at all. It's probably just not the size they need so they get rid of it. It's still just as strong. And we are talking about sliders. I don't plan on hanging the full weight of my truck on just one weld of my sliders. They are meant to get dinged up and protect your doors and body. I think that Green01's and Valon's will do just that even with their illegitimate redheaded scrap metal. However, if you want to push your truck off a cliff with a cable tied to your sliders and have it hold, you might want to spend some money.

    To the OP with the original question: don't sweat it. As you can tell its all just personal taste anyway. Get what your pocketbook can afford and what looks best to you. As far as the FUNCTIONALITY of round vs. square, square will be better, but you will probably never be in a situation where you will look at a rock sticking through your door saying, "s***, I should have gone with the square ones." You can always make the round ones a thicker gauge metal anyway until you get into solid bars of metal, and I doubt we need to get that serious with the sliders anyway. But everyday as you get into your truck you should say, "Dang, I like these sliders." So get what YOU want cause it's your truck wether you built it or not.
     
  10. Apr 11, 2012 at 1:54 PM
    #10
    Fairbanks AK

    Fairbanks AK Well-Known Member

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    Did you enjoy making them? If so, then that's great and we agree.

    I can't weld my way out of a paper bag.
    I'm OK with that. The size of my dick isn't based on the strength of my welds.

    My skillsets are wide and varied, but don't include welding. Therefore, I don't enjoy it, and I don't have the time, inclination, or tools to learn how to do it properly. That prevents me from doing it myself.
    However, my professional skillsets allow me to spend $300+ on sliders that somebody else built and still eat something other than Ramen and cheezits.

    Unless, of course, you'd like to debate the pros and cons of running BTRFS versus XFS, or even if it's worth the trouble of running ZFS in userland or if running it in the kernel is worth it for the dedup. It always makes me chuckle when I see people running FAT or NTFS volumes.

    (short version: Everybody has different skillsets. Just because you can do something doesn't mean everybody can. Don't be cocky.)
     
  11. Apr 11, 2012 at 3:48 PM
    #11
    elykTacos

    elykTacos [OP] "Its all ball bearings nowadays"

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    I have been looking at your sliders and really like the hybrid much more then the all rounded. Nice stuff.

    The "I built that" factor is pretty strong for me. I have a brother in law who builds desert racers and sand rails. We are considering doing it together.

    I could afford to buy them too, but would rather spend my $$ on stuff I cant do myself (with help).

    Thanks for all the feedback. This is my daily driver. I am not planning to build a bullet proof rig that I could "hang from a cliff by a weld" so point taken on the strength question.

    Hmmm... back to what looks sexy then.
     
  12. Apr 11, 2012 at 7:02 PM
    #12
    valon5150

    valon5150 Well-Known Member

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    Okay...i got butt hurt seeing someone call square sliders cheap and homemade cause i have cheap(material wise) home made ones. Not saying my dick is big because I can weld...it is actually quite average...I shoulda gotten a duramax with 10 inch lift, would have bumped the size up. :rolleyes:


    Anyways you have a valid point about a butt welds weakening the metal. But this is on a 3,500# truck, not for any sort of industrial purpose. You are the professional welder so you know much more about it then me. But i would think that using square tube and constructing them properly is building them right. does the fact that the outer rail is square tube and butt welded to the inner rail take that much away from the strength?

    I would really like to have a tube bender but I don't think i actually need it for anything I want to do to my truck yet. so I don't see it as a necessary tool. I like the look of square tube and plate more then tube bumpers and that's just my preference
     
  13. Apr 11, 2012 at 7:04 PM
    #13
    chris4x4

    chris4x4 With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. Moderator

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    Round sliders allow the vehicle to slide off an object more than the square ones do. Square sliders tend to "hold on" to an object.
     
  14. Apr 11, 2012 at 7:07 PM
    #14
    DrewH

    DrewH Well-Known Member

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    I buy metal for my company all the time and I think you guys charging $300 is a great deal.
     
  15. Apr 11, 2012 at 7:14 PM
    #15
    jandrews

    jandrews Hootin' and Hollerin'

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    Hybrid. Round tube sliders don't have enough rigidity for truly hard use. I've seen too many dented sets. Square legs mounting to the frame also give you greater rigidity and less deflection when the slider is under load.
     
  16. Nov 3, 2019 at 6:53 AM
    #16
    Tibetan Nomad

    Tibetan Nomad Well-Known Member

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    Hi,
    Does having Square tube on the inner rail provide better strength than have round tube?

    And yes, i’m asking on 2012 thread!
     
  17. Nov 3, 2019 at 7:00 AM
    #17
    JLee

    JLee The Man! Vendor

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    Yes it does.
     
    Tibetan Nomad[QUOTED] likes this.
  18. Nov 3, 2019 at 7:17 AM
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    Dalegribble02

    Dalegribble02 Well-Known Member

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    When I get sliders I'm going with the caliraised 0 degree ones
     
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