Frame Mounted vs. Body Mounted Sliders?

[05 Blue Unlimited]

Any opinions on frame vs body mounted sliders?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IS93CGE/?tag=wranglerorg-20

vs

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ISA3GDW/?tag=wranglerorg-20

This subject comes up every so often and I suspect leaves most with the opinion they started with. What I find questionable though is throwing around subjective terms in an objective fashion. Terms such as best, stronger, much weaker, serious off-roader, etc. while appearing objective they nonetheless rely on anecdotal evidences or matters of opinion in support of the claim made. With the exception of adding points that could potentially get hung up on an obstacle, frame mounted sliders have not been shown to be inferior when comparing quality design and materials.

Every design has its limitations and/or trade-offs most often centering around form, function, workability, and cost. For instance Graphene, I believe, is the hardest man made substance known at ~ 200x that of steel. However, at ~ 1K per gram, for high purity material, makes the cost of a 30lb slider over 13M. Plus Graphene is not easily workable at present into structural components except in methods used today as in the layering of graphite.

However, quality (a subjective term) frame mounted sliders can withstand a lot of punishment see this vid from 4x Innovations and should not be considered inferior to tub mount versions in terms of strength in my opinion. I have yet to see a like test of tub mounted sliders.

So my advice is to begin with your intended use and work from there. Why expend $600.00 when the need is met with a $200.00 product?

 

[dbbd1]

You make a great point.

Also relevant is how you plan to use them (if not previously mentioned).

 

[Rob5589]

One major reason to use tub vs frame mounted is clearance. You will lose a significant amount of clearance with a frame/torque box mounted slider.

 

[jjvw]

If I wanted a step, it would likely be frame mounted. If I wanted a functional rock slider, it will be tub mounted and out of the way and likely won't have anything pretending to be a step.

 

[whitrzac]

Time to add my opinion after a weekend of wheeling...
I bought smitybilt frame mounted sliders/steps before starting this thread... The body mounted ones seemed more of a 'damage preventive' rather than a slider from looking at most of them. By the time whatever rock/tree was up that far, you're not going to be able to drive over it with 31s/no lift.

I'm pleased with out they performed. There were multiple sections where I was able to get the front tires up and over, use the sliders to creep along until the back tires grabbed and went over. I slid sideways into a few trees and they were wide enough to keep the top from hitting the trunk and doing any damage too.

 

[whitrzac]

Next step is doing something about that overly low transfer case skid... The only things I couldn't clear were because of the transfer case skid hanging up...

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Frame mounted steps/sliders are positioned lower than body mounted sliders/rock rails are and they're far more likely to hang up on something or prevent you from getting over something with small tires like 31's.

 

[jjvw]

Time to add my opinion after a weekend of wheeling...
I bought smitybilt frame mounted sliders/steps before starting this thread... The body mounted ones seemed more of a 'damage preventive' rather than a slider from looking at most of them. By the time whatever rock/tree was up that far, you're not going to be able to drive over it with 31s/no lift.

I'm pleased with out they performed. There were multiple sections where I was able to get the front tires up and over, use the sliders to creep along until the back tires grabbed and went over. I slid sideways into a few trees and they were wide enough to keep the top from hitting the trunk and doing any damage too.

Imagine if your lower frame mounted "slider/step" wasn't where it was. You wouldn't have needed to use it as a riding edge. A tub mounted slider is used the same way, just higher. It's the very same concept as you wanting to raise the center skid for more clearance. You still have a skid, it's just higher.

 

[mrblaine]

The body mounted ones seemed more of a 'damage preventive' rather than a slider from looking at most of them.

Only someone with minimal offroad experience would make that statement.

I'm pleased with out they performed. There were multiple sections where I was able to get the front tires up and over, use the sliders to creep along until the back tires grabbed and went over. I slid sideways into a few trees and they were wide enough to keep the top from hitting the trunk and doing any damage too.

That is the exact function of something like the Savvy slider except with more clearance.

 

[OldButStillJeeping]

The OP asked about opinions on sliders. Little did they know they opened the social media jeepers - can of worms. The knowledge wolves came out and here were are.
Secondly, the OP posted two options. Both on Amazon, both under $200.
So, it's very possible that all they can afford is $200. With that in mind; Maybe they want it for looks. Or function. (?)
So, even if he wanted the best rails available, opinions are still all over. But he/she won't find them for $200.

He could get replies that say. "Well, your first problem is a TJ. You must build a purpose built tubular crawler, or stay home."
Conversly, he might get a reply that said build within your budget. Baby needs new shoes, or your college books take priority.
For example: a few years ago my son got a stock Jeep Cherokee. He was going to college and asked me: "So Pops, I want to be able to crawl with you and mom and your built Wranglers".
I told him, son you can't afford it. But a 2" lift, and maybe some cutting and you can run 31's easy peasy. Cheap. And it will look nice and be more capable.

To the OP; It's all about priorities.
Jeeps will suck your wallet dry like a drug if you let it happen. If you wanted the finest crawler, you'd sell the TJ and buy or build a crawler.
Respectfully; If you want the finest TJ rock sliders, rails, or whatever you call them. Do some more online research. You probably won't find them on Amazon, and it all comes with a serious price.
And remember, this isn't buying houses, your Jeep add ons are nearly worthless to almost everyone else but you.
Buy what you like, can afford, and reason to. Go from there. Experience, budget, and reason will take you from there.

 

[jjvw]

The OP asked about opinions on sliders. Little did they know they opened the social media jeepers - can of worms. The knowledge wolves came out and here were are.
Secondly, the OP posted two options. Both on Amazon, both under $200.
So, it's very possible that all they can afford is $200. With that in mind; Maybe they want it for looks. Or function. (?)
So, even if he wanted the best rails available, opinions are still all over. But he/she won't find them for $200.

He could get replies that say. "Well, your first problem is a TJ. You must build a purpose built tubular crawler, or stay home."
Conversly, he might get a reply that said build within your budget. Baby needs new shoes, or your college books take priority.
For example: a few years ago my son got a stock Jeep Cherokee. He was going to college and asked me: "So Pops, I want to be able to crawl with you and mom and your built Wranglers".
I told him, son you can't afford it. But a 2" lift, and maybe some cutting and you can run 31's easy peasy. Cheap. And it will look nice and be more capable.

To the OP; It's all about priorities.
Jeeps will suck your wallet dry like a drug if you let it happen. If you wanted the finest crawler, you'd sell the TJ and buy or build a crawler.
Respectfully; If you want the finest TJ rock sliders, rails, or whatever you call them. Do some more online research. You probably won't find them on Amazon, and it all comes with a serious price.
And remember, this isn't buying houses, your Jeep add ons are nearly worthless to almost everyone else but you.
Buy what you like, can afford, and reason to. Go from there. Experience, budget, and reason will take you from there.

Did the OP get poor advice as to the differences between frame and tub mounted sliders? Were we wrong to correct his conclusion about tub mounted sliders?

As far as the social media Jeepers comment, you are here too. Unless you are somehow communicating through the campfire in your garage, you are a social media Jeeper.

 

[whitrzac]

Or maybe someone more versed in Toyotas than jeeps.
Of the 8 or so people that make sliders for my fj80, all are frame mounted. I think someone made a small pipe style that could be bolted along the pinch weld to save the rocker panel from some damage, nobody buys those.

I spent the weekend wheeling with trailered vehicles on 35-38s and lockers. The sliders never prevented me from clearing something. Of the obstacles I couldn't clear, the skid plate hung up the most. Lockers and larger tires needed in some areas, and others were not going to happen in any vehicle I had to drive 350 miles home.

They did exactly what I wanted them to do. Protected the body, doors, mirrors, etc from being beat to crap, and not get hung up.

Some of you forget that there are multiple ways of doing things.

 

[ZEN357]

I have always done Frame Mounted for stability and structual stability. I always tried to stay away from body lifts as well.

 

[Sundowner]

I spent the weekend wheeling with trailered vehicles on 35-38s and lockers. The sliders never prevented me from clearing something. Of the obstacles I couldn't clear, the skid plate hung up the most.

In your case, a frame-mounted slider will give you the rocker clearance of a rig with no sliders and 29" tires...so either you weren't driving the same trails as the 35" and 38"-tired rigs, or you were driving the same trails, and those trails did not need 35"-38" tires. Either way, you were on terrain that could be cleared by a rig with stock-ish clearance under the rockers, so I'm not surprised that you had issues with the stock transmission skid; if anything, it offers more clearance problems than the rockers.

Some of you forget that there are multiple ways of doing things.

No, we generally don't...we just know which ways are correct and which are incorrect for the given purpose. That's why you were given a very specific set of answers to the opinion question that you posed, along with photo evidence, diagrams, and helpful descriptions of the benefits and problems associated with one method versus the other. However, there was a problem with the question that you asked: you weren't actually asking for a knowledgeable opinion in order to help you make a decision. As seen here...

I bought smitybilt frame mounted sliders/steps before starting this thread...

...you were asking for a permission slip to tell you that what you had already bought was acceptable, adequate, or even preferable to other options.

 

[mrblaine]

Some of you forget that there are multiple ways of doing things.

No, we don't. We fully understand there are many ways of doing things. You just don't like our answers.

 

[Sundowner]

I have always done Frame Mounted for stability and structual stability.

I'm not sure what you mean, here; can you explain further?