Rock Rail Tubing Wall Thickness

[70_Steve]

So, after beating the crap out of my rockers earlier this year, I figured I'd be better off with some rock rails/sliders. Went to the local steel supplier to check on available tubing sizes and wall thicknesses. Seems like you can't get any wall thickness greater than 120 until you get to 2x5" tubing, which is probably why a lot of guys run that size tubing. But, it's available in both 188 and 250 thickness.

I've already got enough weight in the Bronco, especially when I'm in the drivers seat. So, if I can save a few pounds by going to the 3/16 wall I'd like to do that. I'm just not sure it'll hold up.

What's everyones experience been? Will 2 x 5 x 3/16" hold up?

 

[TN1776]

3/16" is pretty strong. I think its more a factor of how the slider is attached to the vehicle. My 3/16" quarter panel guards have taken some hard hits unscathed.

 

[SC74]

I have .120 wall - not trail tested yet but don't think it'll be a problem.

 

[ransil]

I used 2x6 little bit of a stick out to pivot off trees & rocks i think it was 3/16" not smashed up yet.

 

[70_Steve]

Did a little more searching on the web today, and it seems smaller tubing does come in .188 wall. I was trying to keep the slider to 1" thick, so I found 2x1 and 3x1 tubing in .188 wall. I can weld the two together and get a 5" width. Going to weld 1x3 on top of it to fit up into the actual door sill opening.

Just need to find a source for that size tubing here in Phoenix. Southwest Steel doesn't carry it.

 

[Sweathog]

Steve, Are you attaching it to the frame? I don't think it will matter how thick the steel is if it will still be bolted to .0418" thk sheet metal. Might think about bracing also the slider.
Slightly different, I used Wildhorses 1/4" thick rock slider and bent 2" round x .120" wall tubes into a nerf type slider. First good ledge pushed the whole rocker, slider/tube assembly inwards about 3" and the door wouldn't open. Had just added a new rocker panel.
Best of luck and whatever you decide let us know if it works.

 

[70_Steve]

Steve, Are you attaching it to the frame?

Well, I wasn't planning on it...?:? I've read probably 10 or 12 different writeups on installing rock sliders, but never to the detail that I'd like to see. They all pretty much say the same thing. Cut off the rockers, and just weld some tubing up in there! I know a couple guys here in AZ that have done pretty much just that. So far so good with these guys, as I haven't seen any of them with the sides pushed up from only having the slider attached to sheet metal.

As I was cutting my rockers, I got an understanding of what I was cutting through, and was putting together a "plan" for how I was going to attach my sliders, and what would make them the strongest, given that I only had sheet metal to attach them to. It seems as though the weight/force exerted on the bottom of the slider will have to be absorbed into the door and striker posts.

I do want to make them removeable, so I will be bolting them on. My plan (so far) is to mount 1x3 tubing on the top of the slider, to fit the door sill opening (from underneath). A couple bolts through the door sill to keep things in place there. I cut the back side of the inner rocker long enough so that I can get bolts through there and into the back side of the slider. Then I plan on making some angle-bracket-thing to weld to the front of the door post, and the back side of the striker post, and will bolt to the top of the slider. This, I assume, will take the majority of the force if/when I really need the slider.

I suppose I should take pictures, to document my success, or failure...

 

[Socal Tom]

Here is what I did, with some improvements I'd recommend.
1) Remove the rocker panel to the bottom of the door step seam. Slip in a 1/8th wall rect tube piece. Get a piece that will extend down about 2 inches below the door.
2) Drill and tap the bottom of that piece so that you can bolt another piece of flat stock 1/4 of an inch thick. Split a piece of .120 wall 2 inch tube and slide it over the edge of the 1/4 inch flat stock. If you can bend the tube so it goes back under the rig even better.

3) If you are really tricky, create mounts so that your roll cage bolts to the rect. tube. Then you have really stong supports and the "out rigger peices" are removeable.
Tom

 

[70_Steve]

Here is what I did, with some improvements I'd recommend.

Thanks Tom. Got any pics???

 

[GrillMaster]

i would like to see pics of that as well

 

[Silverhorse]

I used rectangular tubing worked great and super strong.

 

[Sweathog]

I think Tom is on to something with the cage tie-in.
If you remove your rockers to the sill you have a big advantage over what I have done. The sill is more rigid than the flexy rocker that I mounted. I assume you do not have an auxillary tank?

 

[Socal Tom]

Thanks Tom. Got any pics???

It was recommended to me that I drill some holes along the edge of the tube and put some rosette welds in them to keep the tube from twisting on the flat plate. Mine is 1/4 by 6 inch. You can also see that I haven't done the cage tie in.
Tom

 

[bigbri69]

im building them as we speek.i cut my rockers down to 1" below my door.paid 63 dollars for 10' of 6x2x3/16.i mittered my fronts on a angle to match my wheelwell line.i capped bolth ends.then i drilled a hole on the inside of the slider and welded a extra heavy 1/4 nipple and did a pressurs test on them.i got 100 psi into each slider.so i have a lil over 200 psi as a air tank on board.i havent plumbed it into the truck yet.but when i do ill have a gadge set up with a fill valve and npt fitting with a 15' airline.just made them over the weekend and plan on weldind all the way down the outer rocker and stitch welding the inerrocker.sorry no pic yet but one day ill have a bunch.i hear this is one of the strongest ways to do a slider setup!

 

[berdeman]

im building them as we speek.i cut my rockers down to 1" below my door.paid 63 dollars for 10' of 6x2x3/16.i mittered my fronts on a angle to match my wheelwell line.i capped bolth ends.then i drilled a hole on the inside of the slider and welded a extra heavy 1/4 nipple and did a pressurs test on them.i got 100 psi into each slider.so i have a lil over 200 psi as a air tank on board.i havent plumbed it into the truck yet.but when i do ill have a gadge set up with a fill valve and npt fitting with a 15' airline.just made them over the weekend and plan on weldind all the way down the outer rocker and stitch welding the inerrocker.sorry no pic yet but one day ill have a bunch.i hear this is one of the strongest ways to do a slider setup!

Just curious, how are you figuring you will have 200psi. 2 100psi tanks=one big 100psi tank

 

[nhopman]

I wanted to have as much room as possible after cutting the rckers which is the whole point of cutting them in the first place, so I went with 1x3 3/16 rec tube and welded 2 pieces together to make them 1x6. At 6" in width and butted against the inner rocker, it will stick out 1.5" to protect the door. I cut the rocker approx. 1/2" from where the door sil is and folded it under to double up the sheet metal. I drilled and tapped holes in the tubing and attached them using 1/4x20 bolts so I can remove them when needed. I used stainless philips head bolts that were wide and flat to keep from interferring with the door closing, plus they look pretty good and just use regualr hex bolts everywhere else. They are very strong, I have hit them hard a couple of times and have used them as pivots several times and they have worked great. I think when you weld the two together the center becomes very strong. You might even be able to get away with 1/8 wall tube but after bending up the 1/8 BC rocker guards, I figured the 3/16 was the way to go.

Nick

 

[70_Steve]

I wanted to have as much room as possible after cutting the rckers which is the whole point of cutting them in the first place, so I went with 1x3 3/16 rec tube and welded 2 pieces together to make them 1x6. At 6" in width and butted against the inner rocker, it will stick out 1.5" to protect the door. I cut the rocker approx. 1/2" from where the door sil is and folded it under to double up the sheet metal. I drilled and tapped holes in the tubing and attached them using 1/4x20 bolts so I can remove them when needed. I used stainless philips head bolts that were wide and flat to keep from interferring with the door closing, plus they look pretty good and just use regualr hex bolts everywhere else. They are very strong, I have hit them hard a couple of times and have used them as pivots several times and they have worked great. I think when you weld the two together the center becomes very strong. You might even be able to get away with 1/8 wall tube but after bending up the 1/8 BC rocker guards, I figured the 3/16 was the way to go.

Nick

Nick, Thanks for posting that up. Your implementation is exactly my plan, even down to cutting the rocker about 1/2" down from the door sill. I did find my 1x2 and 1x3 3/16" tubing, and it's in the garage now waiting for me to finish (start?) my EFI conversion...

How did you manage to fold the rocker sheet metal below the door sill? I had thought about using a 1/4" flat bar, clamped to the sill, and working it with a hammer.

Also, did you do anything special to tie the sliders into the front door and striker posts?

 

[nhopman]

Nick, Thanks for posting that up. Your implementation is exactly my plan, even down to cutting the rocker about 1/2" down from the door sill. I did find my 1x2 and 1x3 3/16" tubing, and it's in the garage now waiting for me to finish (start?) my EFI conversion...

How did you manage to fold the rocker sheet metal below the door sill? I had thought about using a 1/4" flat bar, clamped to the sill, and working it with a hammer.

Also, did you do anything special to tie the sliders into the front door and striker posts?

That would work fine to fold the metal. I Just used a body hammer and dolley and worked my way back and forth to fold the sheetmetal. It was fairly easy to do and looks pretty good. Just don't try to fold it over in one hammer hit or it will get wavy, fold it over a little at a time and it will lay flatter and look better

No, I didn't do anything to tie in the posts, I just flush cut them and they just sit on top of the slider. I've thought about attaching a 90 degree bent piece of sheetmetal to tie them together and to keep some of the mud and dirt from getting between the door sill and slider, just haven't done it yet.

good luck, Nick