Rock slider MINIMUM thickness

[gearwhine]

I've only ever had 1/8" rails. I had bolt on before, and just replaced my rocker panels with 1/8" a month ago. I NEVER had a problem with 1/8", and don't plan to.

Everyone is so stuck on these totally overkill bumpers that are being made, beginning to think that if it's not weighing 500 lbs, it's not strong enough. And that's making everyone think that if it's not that big, it's not good enough for anything on your jeep.

I also have 1/8" bumpers, and have actually been told that I don't wheel, just because they are made of 1/8" and I'm happy with them. What the hell are you hitting with a bumper that it needs to be 1/4" thick anyway? funny stuff. I think everyone that is bashing 1/8" needs to have experience. Using 1/8" definitely calls for more thought in supporting them than a thicker material, but can be just as strong.

So it's up to you, but I made a conscious decision based on my experiences to replace a vulnerable part of my jeep with 1/8" steel and I am not be worried about them one bit.

_nicko_

 

[red91]

didn't we just have this exact thread about 2 weeks ago?

aren't we supposed to have this discussion once every week ?

 

[TrailHunter]

Regarding the sliders bent above, if those were 3/16 or I'd wager to say 1/4" thick with the same design and in the same situation, they'd bend too. I've never run more than 1/8s for boxed rockers or regular sliders and I slam them all the time. They get scratched, but no dents. I think 3/16 is very heavy duty. I think 50 extra pounds between .188 and .250 wall is alot if you ask me.

You can't use incrementalism when considering weight. You can say, well it's just a little weight here and just a little weight there. Before you know it, you could have saved several hundred lbs across your whole vehicle, which is very significant.

 

[Dookie]

fifty pounds, especially THAT low, aint $hit.

 

[jpnjim]

I built my 2x2 rails out of 1/8", and they've been a good balance between weight & strength.

I'm not afraid of weight when needed.
The T-case skid is full width 3/16, and the (auto) tranny skid is full width 1/4".

I fugured I'd try the rails in 1/8", and if they got bashed, I'd plate them.

That was 2 years ago, and I haven't had to plate them.

 

[BRIANHO13]

I designed mine out of 2x2x1/4". Landed so hard on one side once it actually pushed my rocker up a smidge, and put a gash in the rock rail (1/2" wide 5 long about 0.020-0.050 deep). Now had it been thiner my rocker would probably suffered a heck of a lot more and...... I would have had to rebuild the rock rail. Now I just get to point and smile.

 

[orvpark]

So what do you all think was my design flaw? 3 main supports and full weld to the pinch seam not enough? It's way more than most bolt ons on the market.
1/8" is fine for dragging on a few rock but get 4000lbs of momentum behind it and it's gonna give

 

[IntrepidXJ]

So what do you all think was my design flaw? 3 main supports and full weld to the pinch seam not enough? It's way more than most bolt ons on the market.
1/8" is fine for dragging on a few rock but get 4000lbs of momentum behind it and it's gonna give

my floor above the pinch seam gave.....mine are 3/16", but i can't see 1/8" giving before the floor

just my experiences

 

[xj trenton]

Hey man sell it all for scrap and go with 4x6 1/2" structural tubing cover the bottom in 1/4" plate steel put in a 1500 hp supercharged hemi and hit it hard oh and why not lower it

;0;0

jk go with what you have its better than nothing and if it don't work go bigger at least thats what my wife said when she left

 

[goodburbon]

Increasing weight that low is a +! you will actually lower the cg by a hair. I actually thought about using xxh 3" pipe along my "frame" because it would weigh over 200 lbs, actually lower my center gravity AND keep my body straight. but I didnt cause its my DD.

I just saw some nasty pics of bent 1/8 inch that made opening someones passenger door a PITA.......why risk it...thinking that your better design with lesser materials is the shiznit, will only end you up thinking "damn that sucks" when it bites a big rock, then bites your rocker.

Go big, or spend lots of time wishing you had! In the case of rocker protection heavy is a plus.

Damn I love a good run-on sentence.

 

[gearwhine]

So what do you all think was my design flaw? 3 main supports and full weld to the pinch seam not enough? It's way more than most bolt ons on the market.
1/8" is fine for dragging on a few rock but get 4000lbs of momentum behind it and it's gonna give

how were the supports attached?

I believe rockers should be welded to plates large plates, that are then welded to the frame (Bolting to thin metal...I think we all agree that's not very sturdy). Otherwise, your rockers/pinch seam is still taking most of the force, rather than having the frame rail soak some of it up. So in most cases, those supports do nothing, and will indeed cause thinner material to bend and cause rocker damage much easier than thicker material will. Again, design over material. _nicko_