My Texas Two-Step Sliders
I wanted a set of sliders for the Ranger to protect the rocker panels if I want to explore some trails or washed-out forest roads.
I really didn't want to pay $800+ for a set of sliders, so I decided to pick up some square tubing and make my own. I don't own a tubing bender anymore to bend round tubing. I will say that round tubing is always better because the strength is distributed evenly in all directions. When I built the bumpers on TRS-2, I built them from 1-3/4" x 1/8" DOM (round) tubing. I've beat them against rocks, and they've never dented.
I was going to use 1-3/4" square tubing, but nobody had it in .120 (1/8") wall tubing, so I had to go with 2-inch.
I welded (2) pieces of tubing side by side and angled them back as a kick out. These will help push the rear around large objects that I can't get a tire up on.
The sliders are 2-inch x 1/8-inch square tubing, and the mounts are made out of 2-inch x 3/16-inch angle.
When I cut the tubing sections that go to the frame, I underlapped and welded them under the slider as well as the sides. I had to notch them to clear the seam under the cab. I capped the notch off with 4-inch long strips of 3/16-inch flat stock that overlaps along the tube 1-inch on each side.
Then I added some angle to brace the mounts from a side force.
The pieces in the middle are angled back just like the stripes on the fender.
There wasn't room for (2) brackets at the front of the slider, so I added gussets on both sides of the bracket for added support. (sorry for the bad photos)
The slider is bolted to the frame using 1/2-inch grade 8 bolts.
I left a 1-inch gap between the slider and the body.
I added some
Skid Guard 2-inch black anti-slip tape to the top of the outer tube. I trimmed 1/4" off one edge so it would fit. (I don't want to slip off and bust my ass when I stand on them to wash the roof.)
The kickout comes out as far as the tread, but not the sidewall.
I'm really happy with the way they turned out. Most people are going to look at them and think they're running boards. Running boards and 'factory sliders' that some vehicle manufacturers offer bolt to the body, not the frame. So, the body is still absorbing the impact. Anyone that knows what a slider is and does should be able to look at these and realize that they're way more than a running board.
So, I built these in Texas, they look like a step, they're made out of two rows of 2-inch tubing, but they're actually a slider. Thinking about this, the name Texas Two-Step Slider popped in my head and just stuck.
I need to do more metal fab. The last thing I welded was the bumper I built a year ago.
I had some problems welding.
One problem was that from time to time I would get the tip of the welder to far from the surface which would result in a thick weld in those areas. I'd go back and weld through them again to make sure I was getting good penetration but would still end up with a thick weld. I probably should have ground them down before rewelding them (I actually did on some of them), but I'd probably still be welding on them.
The other problem was that my wire kept sticking in the torch and I'd have to stop and wait for it to pop loose. This kept me from having a smooth weld. I switched out the wire to Lincoln Electric 0.35 flux core wire and the problem stopped.
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