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Mounting custom Rock sliders to the frame, bolts top to bottom or clean through the side?

John_parkeriv

Jr. Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2020
Messages
192
Loc.
Arcadia, FL
I'm knee deep in my first fabrication project, I'm building a set of rock sliders that double as a step bar for my 66. They're pretty good in shaped up, now I've just got to figure out how to mount them. I really don't want to weld it to the frame in case I ever change my mind in the future. I moved the support as far outboard as I can to even out the load, it's flush against the radius arm bracket.

The problem is if I run a bolt through the side of the frame, I'll be drilling into the trans mount bracket which is less than ideal. My idea is to weld a bracket to the top of the bar, and run a bolt through the frame from top to bottom. However, a friend of mine told me that it puts more strain on your frame when off-roading to bolt it in this way.

TLDR, is it better to bolt a step bar to the side or top of the frame?
 

BGBronco

Contributor
N A S H V I L L E
Joined
Jun 23, 2017
Messages
1,543
Loc.
Tennessee
I have the Tom's rock sliders. There are a few videos out there that may be helpful. Here is one of them.

 
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OP
John_parkeriv

John_parkeriv

Jr. Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2020
Messages
192
Loc.
Arcadia, FL
I have the Tom's rock sliders. There are a few videos out there that may be helpful. Here is one of them.

The problem with those is they mount to the bottom of the rocker panel. I'm making my own set and tying them into the frame so they can be used as a step. A buddy of mine tried to tie a step into the rocker of his early Bronco and ended up bending the panel over the years.
 

Rustytruck

Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 24, 2002
Messages
10,875
on the back i tapped into the bottom of the frame and then tabbed up to the leaf spring bolt. in the front tied into the bottom of the frame and then tied into the angled body gusset under the floor by the foot well. I have gas tanks on both sides of the truck so no welding into the frame for me.
 

67sport

Contributor
Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
338
Loc.
Vancouver Island, Canada
I used to have duff traction bars on my rear. They attached to the frame out of 1/4" steel plate C, that covered the top, outside, and bottom of the frame tightly. They were held in place with a couple of bolts thru the side of the frame with nylock nuts so they would be snug without collapsing the frame. I think the 'C' shape took most of the load, the nuts just located it.
Maybe something like that would work?
 
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