Need opinions on sliders with a step

Robb

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Jun 30, 2016
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CO
My daughter has a birthday coming up, and she would like to lose the factory steps and go with a Slider Bar. She is a shortie tho and does need a step.
She has a 97 TJ .
She likes the look of the Barricade slider with step but I wanted to get some thoughts from you folks. Whats a good brand that's solid, can take occasional abuse and is not just for appearances? Made in the USA is always a plus for me too.

Thanks for your opinions.
 
Being in the same boat as your daughter, vertically challenged :rolleyes: , I have looked at sliders with steps for quite a while and always seem to come back to the Barricade design. It just works and looks good to boot. I just wonder how well the finish wears.
 
I like the one that Jerry posted but if you want one that is US Made it will most likely cost you a couple more bucks. I really like these, and I would have purchased for myself but already have sliders. I do have his bumpers though.

http://www.kdfabworks.com/97-06-Wrangler-TJ-Rock-Slider--With-Tube_p_139.html
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Just make sure the step is only a slider on the rock rail and that it doesn't have the hanging down "rock hook" steps attached that seem so popular with the pavement crowd.
 
Super, a few there I never heard of. Thanks for sharing those.
Yes, We will not be buying the sturrip type step things. can't imagine those last long on a trail.
 
You can do a combo like I did for the wife. I added steps to my rock sliders that a very easily removed for trial use. I welded the brackets to a piece of flat plate, then drilled and tapped the underside of m sliders. They are held in place with two 3/8" bolts and when removed nothing hangs down below the sliders.

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Have you looked into a grab handle? I'm not short but IMO the step isn't really that useful beside to stand on while washing the roof.
 
Something tub mounted for sure. Avoid tying into body mounts.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/rock-sliders-rocker-guards-guide.8704/

I would like to preface my upcoming question with this is just mere curiosity and I am not challenging anyone's opinion in any way.

You say to avoid tying into the body mounts, but a couple manufacturer's like Arb has their sliders tie into the body mounts, and we can safely assume that Arb knows what they are doing. Have you reached out to them for their opinions on why they do this and asked them why since it appears more logical to not tie into the body mounts?
 
I would like to preface my upcoming question with this is just mere curiosity and I am not challenging anyone's opinion in any way.

You say to avoid tying into the body mounts, but a couple manufacturer's like Arb has their sliders tie into the body mounts, and we can safely assume that Arb knows what they are doing. Have you reached out to them for their opinions on why they do this and asked them why since it appears more logical to not tie into the body mounts?
No, I have not reached out to ask why. I’m sure @mrblaine knows why.

I would guess poor engineering or meeting demands of consumers.

Just because they are a reputable company doesn’t make them immune to consumer demands. One feature on the ARB/OME steering damper is listed as a “rock guard.” Is that really necessary (perhaps in a given environment), or is that a simple marketing gimmick to convince consumers their product is better at $89 than RE at $36?

I would say that the reason you wouldn’t want to is because you want the slider mounted against the face of the tub in order to relieve stresses. They should be surface to surface.
 
No, I have not reached out to ask why. I’m sure @mrblaine knows why.

I would guess poor engineering or meeting demands of consumers.

Just because they are a reputable company doesn’t make them immune to consumer demands. One feature on the ARB/OME steering damper is listed as a “rock guard.” Is that really necessary (perhaps in a given environment), or is that a simple marketing gimmick to convince consumers their product is better at $89 than RE at $36?

I would say that the reason you wouldn’t want to is because you want the slider mounted against the face of the tub in order to relieve stresses. They should be surface to surface.

I would be more curious to know Arb's thought process behind it as there are multiple ways to think about things, for anything. There must be a reason they chose that design, and I was just curious if you researched it. I like to hear things from the horses mouth if you know what I mean, unfortunately for me I over-analyze anything and everything.
 
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I would be more curious to know Arb's thought process behind it as there are multiple ways to think about things, for anything. There must be a reason they chose that design, and I was just curious if you researched it. I like to hear things from the horses mouth if you know what I mean, unfortunately for me I over-analyze anything and everything.
Here’s a link to a post by @mrblaine that is all-encompassing, including a remark about using the body mounts.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/rock-sliders-rocker-guards-guide.8704/post-131434
 
I would like to preface my upcoming question with this is just mere curiosity and I am not challenging anyone's opinion in any way.

You say to avoid tying into the body mounts, but a couple manufacturer's like Arb has their sliders tie into the body mounts, and we can safely assume that Arb knows what they are doing. Have you reached out to them for their opinions on why they do this and asked them why since it appears more logical to not tie into the body mounts?
Any designer that ties into the body mount using a mount with a hole in it that sits on top of the OEM body mount does not in fact know what they are doing.
 
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