big blue Big Blue's Step Bars Or Rock Sliders

[ArdWrknTrk]

The Westin product is a step made to look like a nerf bar. There's no way it will or was meant to protect the truck.

You say "sandpaper" but 3M makes all kinds of grip tape in multiple widths.

The black sandpaper is REALLY tough to clean and if you slip or rub against it...

I use the grey textured rubber tape to good effect. They all seem to have acrylic adhesive (like the foil duct tape) that is tenacious and long lasting.

[Gary Lewis]

Right, the Westin bar didn't even move the truck over.  We weren't really aware that we were touching the log.  It just folded.

As for the "grey textured rubber tape", do you mean something like this?  I didn't find anything 3" wide, which I think would be ideal if I'm using 3" wide tubing.  But maybe 2" tape would be good enough?

[salans7]

I use these on the top of my Ranger's aftermarket front winch bumper so I can step on them to work in the engine bay. I bought them locally at Rural King back in 2018, and they're still holding on and haven't flown off. But they are on a flat surface, and I can't imagine them working well on a curved surface. But they would be good on your rock sliders if you make them out of square tube and weld some sheet steel on top. 

 

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, Shaun.  I plan to use 2x3" square tubing with the 3" side providing the step.  So those might work well.  We don't have Rural King but we have Tractor Supply so maybe they'll have them?

[salans7]

3 minutes ago, Gary Lewis said:

Thanks, Shaun.  I plan to use 2x3" square tubing with the 3" side providing the step.  So those might work well.  We don't have Rural King but we have Tractor Supply so maybe they'll have them?

It's possible. Not sure where they would be at in the store though. 

[Gary Lewis]

Rubber step covers.  But these are 4" wide.  Would be nice to find some 3" wide.  Or maybe 2 1/2" wide so the edge wouldn't be on the rolled edge of the tubing.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Interesting. I see the 300 series tape is only available in 1,2 & 4" widths. I'm not sure where I got mine (or maybe I cut it down?)

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, that's what I'm finding.  I really don't think I want 3" as the tubing will have a radius on the edges.  I'm reading that the standard says "the radius of any outside corner of the section shall not exceed three times the specified wall thickness".  If we assume a wall thickness of 3/16" then the radius could be as much as 9/16".  But the 3" tubing I have measures 2 1/2" on the flat, so that's only a 1/4" radius.

Given that a 2 1/2" tape would be ideal, but I'm doubting I'll find that.

[salans7]

Tractor Supply shows "Online Only", so not worth checking in-store unless they have a rogue box laying around. 

They are a bit wide (albeit rubber so they can be trimmed down), so if your tubing won't be that wide, it's probably best to look for something else. 

[Nothing Special]

As I said, "I can't tell on the front mount..." and "unless there's something going on there that I don't understand...."  I certainly wasn't assuming I had the entire picture, just working with what I had, knowing that it wasn't necessarily the whole story.

I'm not sure I understand your question "is there any reason for (the rocker protection) to be close to the rocker?"  Is that because the step is lower than the rocker and therefore the extra bar you'd add would be lower as well?  Because the obvious reason to have it close is to not lose ground clearance.  But if you've already taken that ground clearance with the step, then go ahead and put the extra bar at the same height.  That will give you a smoother surface to better slide over rocks.