Offroad Trailblazers and Envoys

Bobbyblaze sliders

by bobbyblaze » Tue Oct 20, 2009 7:21 pm

Ok, I think I have this whole thing sorted. Just did a test fit. These are 78" TrailGear sliders.

For me to mount the sliders where I want em' and keep the plastic rockers in place, i'm gonna take a heat gun to them and mold the plastic back on each side to accomodate the curved part of the bar. I want the slides as close to the body as possible at an angle of course while still giving room for deflection. Gonna be more of an upward angle than what's in the pic but don't want these things sticking out too far either. I don't have wheel spacers so my tires don't stick out as far as most of your trucks.

In the first pic, notice the missing 10mm bolt for the rocker end. I have that pushed up almost an inch from the stock position there. Gonna' drill a new hole to keep it there before heat-modding the rest of that area to accomodate the slide bar. I'm actually moving the entire slide foward an inch from where it is in the pic.

Bottom line is that I wanna get em' as close to Teebes sliders as possible with the plastic still intact.

More to come when I get more time. . . :mechanic:
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by Gordinho80 » Wed Oct 21, 2009 2:12 am

Looking good Bob... you'll have to help me out when I get mine... whenever that may be... LOL
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by bobbyblaze » Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:58 am

Gordinho80 wrote:Looking good Bob... you'll have to help me out when I get mine... whenever that may be... LOL


No prob. :mechanic:

Judging by the little space I have between my 247 75 16 tires and the 78" sliders, I would totally recommend getting a slightly shorter length slider with your larger tires if you intend on mounting the way mine is in the pic.
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by foosh » Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:09 am

Bob, that looks awesome... i may have to talk to you about some fab work when i bite the bullit and do mine.
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by Gordinho80 » Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:37 am

What about cutting off that inch or so at the ends of those sliders?
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by foosh » Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:55 am

It would probably be more time and cost efficient to just get the shorter ones, and how many rocks are we ever gonna see that would get between the sliders and the tires that are that tall and skinny... ? I would try to avoid it to begin with.
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by MrSmithsTB » Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:05 pm

foosh wrote:It would probably be more time and cost efficient to just get the shorter ones, and how many rocks are we ever gonna see that would get between the sliders and the tires that are that tall and skinny... ? I would try to avoid it to begin with.

I can agree with that. By that point, the tires should be taking over. If not, the clearance issues are probably going to leave us hung up anyway.
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by foosh » Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:09 pm

MrSmithsTB wrote:
foosh wrote:It would probably be more time and cost efficient to just get the shorter ones, and how many rocks are we ever gonna see that would get between the sliders and the tires that are that tall and skinny... ? I would try to avoid it to begin with.

I can agree with that. By that point, the tires should be taking over. If not, the clearance issues are probably going to leave us hung up anyway.



Exactly... Look at alot of jeeps with sliders, they start and end with a 6 inch gap from the tires, typically a bigger gap up front and smaller in the back.
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by Gordinho80 » Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:43 pm

You guys haven't seen the TECORE 2 video, have you? James bangs a rock RIGHT behind his front wheel.... His sliders are 77" long...

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by janesy86 » Wed Oct 21, 2009 2:56 pm

:Iagree: I haven't put mine thru a lot of abuse but the first time I wheeled with em I hit right behind the front wheel. I if they were shorter I would have hit the rocker. And the only scrapes I have so far are within the first 5" or so.

I personally think the 78" sliders are the perfect length. I'd say just cut about 3/4" off each end and you will be golden. Kinda wish I did it with mine but I haven't had any rubbing and I'm on 265/75/16.

Also mine do stick out further than most of these guys... I think mine look more like JD's. They pretty much are flush with the tires so without bigger tires/spacers they would loo funny, but I think they look good on mine and it does act as a step kinda.. atleast thats what the GF thinks.
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by bobbyblaze » Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:21 pm

I'm definetly cutting the ends as short as possible. If nothing more, to provide clearance for larger tires inthe future. I wouldn't feel comfortable with the length of my sliders with 32 or 33" tires. With the way i'm mounting the sliders, i'm not sure if 32-33" tires would fit safely. Here's where they end up with the tips still intact. . .That's ith my 30.5" tires. Add one or two inches to my tire. That's too close for me. JD's sliders are different in the way that the ends of his don't end up directly behind the tire tread do they ? His are a better Better design for our body style.
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by MrSmithsTB » Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:03 pm

bobbyblaze wrote:I'm definetly cutting the ends as short as possible. If nothing more, to provide clearance for larger tires inthe future. I wouldn't feel comfortable with the length of my sliders with 32 or 33" tires. With the way i'm mounting the sliders, i'm not sure if 32-33" tires would fit safely. Here's where they end up with the tips still intact. . .That's ith my 30.5" tires. Add one or two inches to my tire. That's too close for me. JD's sliders are different in the way that the ends of his don't end up directly behind the tire tread do they ? His are a better Better design for our body style.

I can see my tires getting into trouble with the extra inch on the front of those. But like I believe I said on the OS, hack that off and you should be fine. Just a thought, but why not cut off the parts of the rockers that will get in the way instead of heating them? I'm sure you would be able to use some slip on black door edge protectors to clean up the cut and you will be able to snug the sliders up more to keep as much clearance as possible.
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by Gordinho80 » Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:20 pm

From the looks of that pic, simply cutting that little section off and welding on flat cover piece, should be able to clear a 32-33" tire with little to no problems.

Bob, can you take a pic from the well, with the wheel cut to the right all the way? Kind of at this angle...

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by bobbyblaze » Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:37 pm

MrSmithsTB wrote:
bobbyblaze wrote:I'm definetly cutting the ends as short as possible. If nothing more, to provide clearance for larger tires inthe future. I wouldn't feel comfortable with the length of my sliders with 32 or 33" tires. With the way i'm mounting the sliders, i'm not sure if 32-33" tires would fit safely. Here's where they end up with the tips still intact. . .That's ith my 30.5" tires. Add one or two inches to my tire. That's too close for me. JD's sliders are different in the way that the ends of his don't end up directly behind the tire tread do they ? His are a better Better design for our body style.

I can see my tires getting into trouble with the extra inch on the front of those. But like I believe I said on the OS, hack that off and you should be fine. Just a thought, but why not cut off the parts of the rockers that will get in the way instead of heating them? I'm sure you would be able to use some slip on black door edge protectors to clean up the cut and you will be able to snug the sliders up more to keep as much clearance as possible.


Just trying to keep the functionality of the rockers at the ends for water/wind resistance along with the lower door edge seal fo the same. If what i'm gonna do works, I will have kept the look and weather resistance of the OE rocker while also making the clearance to get the sliders up at an angle i'm happy with while at the same time making the job as simple as possible.

Do you think it would be easier, cleaner looking and less time consuming to heat and mold existing plastic ends to work with the shape of the sliders or to cut off the ends and fill in the gaps with some other material.

These sliders shouldn't end up too much further away from the body than Teebes.
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by bobbyblaze » Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:43 pm

Gordinho80 wrote:From the looks of that pic, simply cutting that little section off and welding on flat cover piece, should be able to clear a 32-33" tire with little to no problems.

Bob, can you take a pic from the well, with the wheel cut to the right all the way? Kind of at this angle...

Image


I will definetly take that pic next time I get the slider out from the basement and set up under there. Dark out there now. I think I see what your'e going with this, the front tire takes up more space in the wheel well when turned.
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by The Roadie » Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:08 pm

bobbyblaze wrote:the front tire takes up more space in the wheel well when turned.
And spacers make it sweep out an even LARGER radius than the OEM tucked in backspacing.
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by MrSmithsTB » Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:10 pm

bobbyblaze wrote:
MrSmithsTB wrote:
bobbyblaze wrote:I'm definetly cutting the ends as short as possible. If nothing more, to provide clearance for larger tires inthe future. I wouldn't feel comfortable with the length of my sliders with 32 or 33" tires. With the way i'm mounting the sliders, i'm not sure if 32-33" tires would fit safely. Here's where they end up with the tips still intact. . .That's ith my 30.5" tires. Add one or two inches to my tire. That's too close for me. JD's sliders are different in the way that the ends of his don't end up directly behind the tire tread do they ? His are a better Better design for our body style.

I can see my tires getting into trouble with the extra inch on the front of those. But like I believe I said on the OS, hack that off and you should be fine. Just a thought, but why not cut off the parts of the rockers that will get in the way instead of heating them? I'm sure you would be able to use some slip on black door edge protectors to clean up the cut and you will be able to snug the sliders up more to keep as much clearance as possible.


Just trying to keep the functionality of the rockers at the ends for water/wind resistance along with the lower door edge seal fo the same. If what i'm gonna do works, I will have kept the look and weather resistance of the OE rocker while also making the clearance to get the sliders up at an angle i'm happy with while at the same time making the job as simple as possible.


Do you think it would be easier, cleaner looking and less time consuming to heat and mold existing plastic ends to work with the shape of the sliders or to cut off the ends and fill in the gaps with some other material.

These sliders shouldn't end up too much further away from the body than Teebes.


I can see where you are going with that. Don't get me wrong. I don't think one way is any better than the other, just throwing out a suggestion as to how the solution first popped into my head.
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by bobbyblaze » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:17 pm

The Roadie wrote:
bobbyblaze wrote:the front tire takes up more space in the wheel well when turned.
And spacers make it sweep out an even LARGER radius than the OEM tucked in backspacing.


Keen insight Roadie !

Mario, Was the tire rubbing the fender liner ? If so, You will have a problem with 78" sliders . . .unless you mount them backwards like this pic with the straight edge out. No way they will tuck behind the fender edge even after trimming the steel back.
Don't forget, NielageInc has made us an offer we can't refuse (well you guys without sliders) on page 2 of the possible group buy thread. He said he'll make them any length you need em. I wish I knew that before I bought mine elsewhere. Would have saved me some time to cut and recap PLUS we can give our $$ our own members instead of some random internet co..


[/quote] I can see where you are going with that. Don't get me wrong. I don't think one way is any better than the other, just throwing out a suggestion as to how the solution first popped into my head.[/quote]
Believe me Bot, Your idea is PLAN "B" in case the plastic won't stretch as much as I hope it will. :cheers:
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by bobbyblaze » Tue Oct 27, 2009 7:31 pm

This mod is getting put on hold till I find out what is goin on with my transmission. It is giving the signs of a faulty trans pressure control solenoid valve but I won't be sure till I do more homework. I think I may have to shell out the $102.00 for the stealership to run a diagnostic. If it is that valve, and if it's in the valve body, I may attempt the surgery myself. Gotta change my trans fluid and filter anyway.
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by Trail X » Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:38 pm

What are the symptoms?

I had a major transmission problem over the summer and the fix was reverting back to the stock PCM tune from the one tuned by PCM4less.
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