Thoughts for a custom rock-slider

[Shdwdrgn]

Most of you know I'm not a hardcore off-roader, however I would like to hit something a little more interesting than "rocks in the road". The one time I hit a more serious trail, I had concerns coming back down in a couple areas where I had to drop over some large rock steps, so rock sliders have always been in the back of my mind. On the other hand, I don't like anything sticking out from the door frame because it tends to collect mud and snow.

I saw an idea the other that got me thinking... Taking some square pipe and rotating it to diamond-shaped. If I were to make partial sliders with the diamond pipe running under the door frame, but without the 45-degree step extension rising out around the body, could this be strong enough to be functional? I'm thinking something fairly small, like 1.5" square tubing (at least 1/8 walls, but 3/16 if I can find it), although I can't figure out if the diamond profile would be stronger or weaker than plain old round tubing. It seems like it could be a trade-off -- possibly stronger against flexing, but weaker against crushing?

I'm also curious about the mounting of the sliders to the frame. All of the pictures I've seen have the sliders tucked in straight back to the frame, but if you were to weld them to the bottom edge of the frame, creating a slight slope out to the edge of the body, would there be any advantages or disadvantages? Since I'm trying to avoid the outer step portion of the typical sliders, could I use both straight and angled frame mounts to create a triangular framework underneath that would increase the strength against flexing?

[The Roadie]

Since the bottom surface of your frame is another slider, anything you weld to it is a potential catching point. To halt your forward progress or get ripped off.

[Karo]

Since the bottom surface of your frame is another slider, anything you weld to it is a potential catching point. To halt your forward progress or get ripped off.

I agree with that, I had my personal experience when driving over a stump and falling down on the frame. It has stopped me on the gas-tank skid plate on a downhill.
Personally I would not weld the slider mounts under the frame although there are "more things" like screw heads that can sheer off.

[ErikSS]

There are two parts that haven't been mentioned yet but crossed my mind... I think 1.5" is to small. You could buy a 2x2 wood piece (actually 1.5") and hold it up to the truck for a visual, but I'm guessing that's pretty small. If you have tubing that small in diameter and only 1/8" wall, I cant see it being functional. You might be able to step on it, but you would not want to slide down rock on them under any circumstance.

[Shdwdrgn]

To clarify... I didn't mean I would weld the supports to the underside of the frame, but rather along the bottom edge of the side of the frame. Yeah there's enough stuff under there already that can be snagged, I wouldn't try to add anything else. I guess I should look underneath there and see if there is actually enough space to weld the supports like I said (creating a triangular support). I guess I was thinking that if I drop down onto something, the frame should be the lowest point under me, and if I allowed a slight slope on the rock-slider brackets, it could potentially help me to slide sideways off of an obstruction? Yeah I'm a complete newb to this kind of stuff, I'm just trying to think of possibilities.

I'm not sure about the wall thickness either... I remember reading about some folks using Toyota sliders which have a 1/8" wall, so I always used that as my standard, but it really seems too thin for the intended purpose? My local welding shop has some 2" round which I believe is 8 or 9 gauge, so I was also considering using that to build my sliders from.

[HARDTRAILZ]

I would have to double check, but the Yota/TrailGear some of us use are thicker than that I thought. 1.75 diameter. I thought part of the use of tube was it was a stronger shape for impacts, but might be a figment of my imagination.

I would have them kick out in front of the rear tires rather than come back in toward frame. Would help push you away from what you are sliding down or used to rotate on.

[Trail X]

To clarify... I didn't mean I would weld the supports to the underside of the frame, but rather along the bottom edge of the side of the frame. .... I guess I should look underneath there and see if there is actually enough space to weld the supports like I said (creating a triangular support). I guess I was thinking that if I drop down onto something, the frame should be the lowest point under me, and if I allowed a slight slope on the rock-slider brackets, it could potentially help me to slide sideways off of an obstruction?...

Mine were basically done like that. But I just have a large triangular sheet-steel gusset welded above where my tube meets frame.

Doubt it will push you off much sideways, but it does make it stronger vertically.