Offroad Trailblazers and Envoys

My Sliders

by bartonmd » Wed Oct 07, 2009 10:07 am

HARDTRAILZ wrote:
bartonmd wrote:
HARDTRAILZ wrote:I dont weld but a member near me does, so maybe he can help or I have a buddy back by the parents that might be able to help. I am really hoping to get them on this weekend. Will mock them up this week and see if i want to add a bit to the ends.


I can probably do it Sunday... Let me ask the shop manager and make sure...

I don't claim to be a professional welder, but I"ve done a couple roll cages; one of which was flipped (end over end) twice at 80mph, and though the tubes were bent, and you could see the outline of the roll cage on the outside of the car, none of the welds broke...

Mike


Sounds strong enough for me. I hope to not be using them at 80 mph. Let me know what works. I am off fairly early 345 this week and next week if that works better or am off monday for the holiday. Keep me informed and Thanks :excited:


We will have to do it evenings next week (Monday and maybe Tuesday evenings?)

The shop manager is going to be here on Saturday, but I've got a wedding to go too, and he won't be here Sunday, and you aren't an employee, so you don't qualify as the "second person" that insurance says has to be in the shop when anybody is working...

I will need dimensions of the plates (height, width, and bend length) so I can get them made, as well as the gussets, before we're wasting time trying to do that when we could be weldin' the stuff on...

Mike
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by MrSmithsTB » Wed Oct 07, 2009 10:23 am

Hmmm...... At any rate, cool. :woot:
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by HARDTRAILZ » Wed Oct 07, 2009 11:37 am

We will have to do it evenings next week (Monday and maybe Tuesday evenings?)

The shop manager is going to be here on Saturday, but I've got a wedding to go too, and he won't be here Sunday, and you aren't an employee, so you don't qualify as the "second person" that insurance says has to be in the shop when anybody is working...

I will need dimensions of the plates (height, width, and bend length) so I can get them made, as well as the gussets, before we're wasting time trying to do that when we could be weldin' the stuff on...

Mike[/quote]

I got some gussets from an old project but not sure they will be strong enough but I got a bunck. May only be 1/8 in steel. I will try to mock them up tonight and see where the plates will go and where the bends will need to be. I will hopefully be able to give you good enough measurements. Thanks
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by HARDTRAILZ » Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:58 pm

I sort of have them in place on some jackstands, but where to I want the solid straight bar? Under the doors is about 4 inches wide, do I want them out to the exterior edge or inside along the interior edge or centered. I like the idea of more step and keeping obstacles further away in off chamber situations with having the rails along ext edge, but that leaves the interior kind of vulnerable if going flat over rocks.

Where are your mounted?
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by The Roadie » Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:06 pm

I have mine as high and tight as possible.
1.jpg
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by HARDTRAILZ » Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:46 pm

I will do that, but are they on the inner edge of body or outer?
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by The Roadie » Wed Oct 07, 2009 7:04 pm

Not certain what part of the slider you mean in relation to what part of the body. Here are pics before the body lift from a better angle. Since then they are 1/2" closer to the frame because Neil had to cut them off and grind off the mounting plates and reweld them. It's not that critical, and you're (if you're using them properly) going to bash the bejeezus out of 'em anyway. :excited:

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by HARDTRAILZ » Wed Oct 07, 2009 7:06 pm

Urs would be outside edge it appears for what i mean, Thanks. I emailed you as well
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by The Roadie » Wed Oct 07, 2009 7:18 pm

This is the typical kid of rock obstacle / pivot point I use them for.

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by HARDTRAILZ » Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:00 pm

Some mock-ups

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by Gordinho80 » Thu Oct 08, 2009 2:13 pm

OK.. after review and discussion... moved back to Fab Work...

:poke:
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by HARDTRAILZ » Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:16 pm

A HUGE THANKS TO BARTONMD. He did an awesome job getting these welded up for me. Bout 4 hours install time I would guess, but took a bit longer since we had to figure where they would go and how they should fit up. Got about 1/8 in flex in them with the truck jacked up by the rail. Should be plenty strong enough. 4x4 plates on frame with bend over top of frame except where fuel lines were, just plates there. Bottom gusseted on each leg. Super strong and should work well.

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Next two are of the same rail, just different angle...
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by bartonmd » Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:50 am

Not a problem at all man! I love doing that sort of stuff!

Mike
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by Trail X » Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:56 am

Why not paint it before putting it on the truck? I've always wondered that... almost every slider I see is bare when first installed.

Oh, and to protect the welds at the frame, I used a rattle can duplicolor bedliner... which has held up surprisingly well so far (just an idea for ya).

And they look good! What length did you get again?
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by Gordinho80 » Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:40 am

Looking good!

James, he got the 67" sliders, since he cut a bit of his fender to clear the larger tires.
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by bartonmd » Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:50 am

JamesDowning wrote:Why not paint it before putting it on the truck? I've always wondered that... almost every slider I see is bare when first installed.

Oh, and to protect the welds at the frame, I used a rattle can duplicolor bedliner... which has held up surprisingly well so far (just an idea for ya).

And they look good! What length did you get again?


No time to paint them, as we worked on these from 4PM until a little after 9PM last evening, to get them done all in one sitting... No time for paint to dry between welding on the "legs" and welding them to the truck.

Yes... make sure you put on the bedline REALLY thick, to cover up the welds!! They're really not THAT BAD, and are PLENTY strong, but they use argon/Oxygen here (with .035 wire), instead of Argon/CO2, so the welds are hotter, and it's harder to go vertical without it pooling and dripping... Also, in order to get as much surface area as I could tied in, I welded once around, down in the corner, then welded around again, but wider, for a larger fillet... It's definately not "Jim-Bob's second day off the farm" welding, but I've done nicer LOOKING work... It is, however, all full-penetration double welded, so it'll definately work...

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