big blue Big Blue's Step Bars Or Rock Sliders

[Gary Lewis]

You have probably seen that I mashed the driver's side step bar on our latest trip in Big Blue.  So now I'm trying to figure out what I want to replace them with.

One option is to go back with a bolt-in replacement like another set of Westin Platinum Series step bars.  But these didn't protect anything and bent quite easily.

So another option I'm thinking about is to make or buy true rock sliders that will not only work as steps but also provide some protection.  Given that I've been doing some reading
 

The Guide to Choosing Rock Sliders and Rocker Guards: This is a good article and it gives some ideas on how to make them and what material to use.  And it has this example that I like. 

And this Youtube on Building Your First Rock Sliders has some good ideas.  I particularly like the idea of using square tubing as it gives a more solid footing to use as a step.

Speaking of square tubing, this Youtube shows how to make a curve in that material.

So, what are your thoughts?  Does someone make sliders for our trucks?

 

[Nothing Special]

(the "building your first rock sliders" link doesn't seem to work, it takes me to a Google search)

I'm not aware of any that are available retail.  There are a lot of fabrication shops that could do it for you if you don't want to get into it yourself, but it's not rocket science, and there are resources available (you've found several already) if you want to do it yourself.

I like the design in that picture as well, except for one thing that I think a lot of rock sliders I see also lack.  There doesn't seem to be much gusseting keeping the slider from bending up if the truck drops on it.  It's not as uncommon as you might hope to have a tire fall off a rock or something and have something solid metal land first.  Usually that's a bumper (see the ends of Pluto's bumpers for examples!), but rockers and quarter panels aren't immune either.  That design has the 2" square tubing stand-offs, which are awfully tough.  But I'd angle something from the outer end of those stand-offs to the top of the frame rail.

The video of bending square tubing seems like it might be hard to do with the thicker wall tubing you'd want to use for a rock slider.  And it might be nice to do something other than a 90° bend.  But it's a neat trick to keep in mind, and it could work out well.  You can also cut multiple wedges out of the tube, bend it to close the gap and weld it up.  I don't know if you could make something that really looked like a smooth curve (it would be difficult at best).  But it does allow for nicer looking angles than just a miter cut and weld.

If you want to work with round tubing but have a flat step you could form it out of round tubing, but then cut the top off the tube and weld a flat cap on it.  That's a lot of welding that's going to show, so it might not be a great solution.

When I built my rock sliders I wanted tubing bent but didn't have a bender.  I found a 4x4 shop in town that did fabrication and had them bend the tubing for me (they even sourced the tubing).  So that's an option if you want to so some of the work yourself but don't want to buy the equipment to do all of it.  There's also a product imaginatively called Affordable Bender.  I've never seen one used, but I hear it mentioned a lot in magazines and by YouTubers as a good way to get started bending tubing if you can't commit to a full-on bender.

I guess there wasn't a lot of "flow" to what I wrote, but those are some random thoughts.

[Gary Lewis]

I think I fixed the link.

On the standoffs, I think I understand.  You are saying to make the connection to the frame capable of taking an impact load w/o bending.  Right?

But I'm not sure I care to work with round tubing.  So bending a curve in square tubing seems cool.  Might have to try it to see if I can.  But the bend wouldn't have to be 90 degrees.  It could be like is show in the little picture above, and the angled approach would push things away instead of just hitting them hard.

Hadn't seen that Affordable Bender, but if I can do the curve I won't need it.

As for having them made, I could see that after I get them designed.  

[salans7]

I wouldn't rely on just the tubing itself as a step unless you're putting small runs of tubing a few inches apart to prevent the risk of feet/toes from  going in between the slider's rails. I personally would run a piece of diamond plate or sheet steel with some form of texture on the top of the rock sliders and use that for a step. 

 

[BigBrother-84]

11 minutes ago, salans7 said:

 

I wouldn't rely on just the tubing itself as a step unless you're putting small runs of tubing a few inches apart to prevent the risk of feet/toes from  going in between the slider's rails.

I fully agree.

Big Brother is equipped with such simple tubes (welded to the frame), and they can be slippery and "dangerous".

And no, Big Bro's door isn't bent, just a curious shadow from the garage door...

[Gary Lewis]

That's a thought, Shaun.

The ones we have are flattened on top with a rubber piece inset into that at certain points.  But the set I got was used and set up for who-knows-what truck with insets at the right point for the passenger's door and the toolbox in the bed.  But the driver's side only has one inset, which is at the driver's door.  So the bit at the toolbox on the driver's side isn't padded and is round.  That is precarious.

I'd thought about adding a strip of the "sandpaper" that is used on things like boats on the top of the step.  I was debating doing it the whole length vs just at the doors and the toolbox.

And I was wondering about using square vs rectangular tubing.  Lots of people seem to use 2" square but I could use 2 x 3" to give more area on which to stand.

Lots to think about.  

[Gary Lewis]

1 minute ago, BigBrother-84 said:

I fully agree.

Big Brother is equipped with such simple tubes (welded to the frame), and they can be slippery and "dangerous".

Thanks, Jeff.  As said, Big Blue's have that inset, as shown below.  So with what y'all are saying about tubing itself being slick I need to have something that will provide grip.  Maybe rubber?  Maybe the "sandpaper" in a width to match the step bar's width?

 

[Gary Lewis]

I've done some measuring and it looks like this will be fairly easy - if my plans seem reasonable.

Basically the plan is to replace the round tubing with square or rectangular tubing that is bent to match the round stuff.  I'm not even sure that there needs to be a piece of tubing under the rockers as the outer tube will be able to carry the vehicle, although it would be easy to add one.

The current supports are quite solid as they are made from 3" square tubing, and I've used them to jack up the truck.  However, it would be a good idea to put triangular bracing on them, especially that rear one, as outlined in red.  And I plan to add one support in the middle.  But, I do need to point out that on the front mount there's a large, probably 3/4", bolt coming into the plate you can see about in the center of the tube where I put the red line.

So here are some questions:

1. Does this seem reasonable?
    
2. Is there a need for a piece of tubing below the rocker in addition to the one that serves as a step?
    
3. If there is a need for a piece below the rockers, is there any reason for it not to be at the same level as the steps?
    
4. How critical is the height of the steps?  The top of the 3" tubes are at about 25" off the ground, so the bottoms are at only 22".  But any higher means it is a harder step for Janey.

 

[Nothing Special]

I can't tell on the existing front mount, is there anything keeping the ~1/4" mounting plate from bending at the top of the 2" square tube?  A gusset will help there, but if there isn't already a bolt much lower on the frame I would suggest adding that.

And on the rear mount, is that just bolted with the one long bolt?  Maybe with a standoff sandwiched between the plate and the frame?  Unless there's something going on there that I don't see I wouldn't put an awful lot of confidence in that mount.  Yes you've jacked up the truck, but that's a static load that limited to the weight of the truck.  If you hit something with some inertia behind it things move a lot easier.  (The front bumper on Pluto seemed really stout until I watched it bend like plastic when it hit a rock as Pluto was crawling forward.)

But to answer your questions, yes that seems reasonable.  But I might add two mounts in the middle rather than just one more, especially if there's not more to that back mount than I'm seeing.

Is there a need for another tube?  I don't think I'd say it's a need, but there could be some advantages.  The design you showed at the top of this thread has one tube directly below the rockers and one a little higher and directly outboard of the rockers.  That's probably the best protection for the sheetmetal.  If you want the "outer" tube lower than that to use as a step you need to realize that it's not as close to what it's protecting so it doesn't protect it quite as well.  Does that matter?  For your use probably not as much as having the step at the right height matters.

But your one tube still isn't directly below the rockers, so if you come down on a rock it the rock could come up inside of the step and still bite the rocker.  Adding another tube (or using a wider rectangular tube that goes under the rocker) will protect there better.  It comes down to how much protection you want, how much you want it to weigh, and what you think it looks like.  And no, you don't need to have all the protection you possibly can.  Pluto still doesn't have any skid plates (except the gas tanks), and I'm thinking I might never add any more.

I think I answered around your third question already.

And for height, the higher they are the less you'll catch them on things.  And as I said above, getting the outer tube up as high as possible (without interfering with the door) will give the best side protection.  But that doesn't mean any of that is critical.  The important thing is that you are able to enjoy using Big Blue.  If making him more capable will let you enjoy him more, then that's where the importance is.  But if making him easier to get into will let you enjoy him more, then that is where the importance is.  I'm thinking the 25" top height you said is where you want to be.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, Bob.  But I see that I have done a poor job of explaining.  

And while I'm thinking about it, the 3" square tubing has 3/16" walls.

On the front mount there's a large, probably 3/4" bolt through the frame and through the 1/4" plate with a nut welded to the inside of the plate, right where that red line is in the picture above.  So that plate isn't going to bend up very easily.  However, the triangular pieces shown on the top will add a lot of stiffness, although they will have to miss the support for the seat that hangs down from the bottom of the cab.

Similarly on the rear support the bolt through the front spring eye goes through the plate and into a nut in the middle of that plate.  The pic below might help you visualize that.  But any upward force on the step puts the bolt through the spring eye in tension and puts the upper all-thread in compression.  Still, triangular reinforcements on the top of the plate will help a lot.  And I will probably put a spacer over the all-thread so there's no chance of bending it.

One thing I just noticed is that top of the 3" round tube appears to be at the same height as the bottom of the front mount.  So I could put the step bar under that mount to make things simple.  And in the rear it looks like the top of the round tube is a bit above the bottom of the mount, but I could probably remake the mount to raise it so its bottom aligns with the top of the step.  That would make the mounting easier.

As for something under the rockers, is there any reason for it to be close to the rocker?  It would be easy to put a piece of rectangular tubing between the inward-facing arms of the steps.  Think of it this way - each step would be like a large E with the horizontal parts going in and connecting to the mounts and with a piece going between the arms, as shown below in red.  If the steps themselves are 2 x 3" with the 2" being the vertical part then I could use 2 x 2" as the rock sliders.

But I can't really put two more mounts in on each side and use them properly.  The issue is that on the right the compressed air tank is where you'd put a 4th mount.  So having 3 mounts looks like the best way to go - but I need to make the middle one strong.  I think the existing ones will be quite strong, and think I can make the middle ones strong as well.

Thoughts?  Upgrades?  Disagreements?  Please lay it on me!