bumpers and rails

[givegodachance]

i cant find any rock rails or bumpers that would allow me to keep my cladding. Do i have to build what i want or is there something out there that is already made that will protect the cladding when rock crawling???

[Joe Darlington]

be patient grasshopper, I am working on some low profile rock sliders that will provide protection and look like they belong on a VX as well as a brush guard/pushbar. The Winch Bumper is also in the works, just have to get caught up on so other things first...

[givegodachance]

i was thinking of buliding these myself but all i have is a welder, and a sawsall, and soon a chopsaw. I work in a machine shop but i dont have alot of time to cut there.

[VX KAT]

Rocky Road offroad makes rock rails/sliders for the VX, I think they're the only ones. IIRC everybody else made them/had theirs custom made.

Myself and vt_maverick currently are the only two I know who have them right now.
We both have the "Super Sliders" they offer. No trimming of cladding was required.
Can see I sure broke them in this year on Moab!
http://www.rocky-road.com/vehicross-rock-sliders.html
http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/MISC%20VX%20PICTURES/1012_4wd_111997_jeep_cherokee_XJ_builduprocky_road _super_sliders.jpg

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_4972.JPG


http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_4969.JPG


http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_3910.JPG

CAN SEE THE END OF THE SLIDER COMES RIGHT UP TO END OF CLADDING, SO NO CUTTING NEEDED.
http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/DSCN3022.jpg


http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/DSCN3019.jpg


http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/UNDERCARRIAGE%20PICS/DSCN2623.jpg


http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/UNDERCARRIAGE%20PICS/DSCN2792.jpg


http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/UNDERCARRIAGE%20PICS/DSCN2791.jpg

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/UNDERCARRIAGE%20PICS/DSCN2781.jpg

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/UNDERCARRIAGE%20PICS/DSCN2622.jpg
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edit...oh forgot to mention, all that orange stuff everywhere is good ole' AZ desert dust...not rust...

[Mile High VX]

The old Strick9 sliders were similar and that's what I have on mine:

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCN0411.JPG

[givegodachance]

thank you for the pictures. That is exactly what i needed. Now i have a very good idea on what to get started with.

[givegodachance]

Does anyone have the same type of bumper on their VX?

[Triathlete]

I also have the Stric9's but they are no longer being made. One thing to keep in mind...the frame material is fairly thin. You want to have a longish contact area for the mounting point. If you do not the frame can "coke can" when hard contact is made. I have seen it happen...the eaarly models of the Stric9's had a smaller mount area. It was corrected after the problem was detected.
HERE (http://vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=13665&highlight=stric9&page=4)are pics of my Stric9's and the mounts.

[Mile High VX]

Previous owner cut the square tubes, welded in some solid round tube in, put them back together and drilled holes for a 3/4" bolt and made them removable.

I really enjoy being able to take them off in the winter so they don't fill up with snow and ice and drip in my garage....

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCN0281.JPG

With some covers that I made from black PVC

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCN0283.JPG

[JoFotoz]

If you need more inspiration...

..check my gallery for pics of the Rock Rails I designed.

:smack:

When you say "same type of bumper"..what do you mean?
An Off road Rock Bumper?
There are a few of us working on that right now...if thats what youre talking about.

Jo

[givegodachance]

If you need more inspiration...

..check my gallery for pics of the Rock Rails I designed.

:smack:

When you say "same type of bumper"..what do you mean?
An Off road Rock Bumper?
There are a few of us working on that right now...if thats what youre talking about.

Jo

yes, exactly what i mean. I want something i dont have to cut the cladding to use.but will still protect it if a rock smacks it

[JoFotoz]

Ah well...


yes, exactly what i mean. I want something i dont have to cut the cladding to use.but will still protect it if a rock smacks it

...the front cladding will require cutting for what I ( and a few others) have in mind.

Something like this photoshop mock up is my goal....

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/VX_Rock_Bumper.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=21950)

jo

[vt_maverick]

Another member did this back in the day, not sure if he did it himself or hired someone else. Some of our older members may know...

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/2/36bl9.jpg

[pbkid]

Grandpa bob... I always heard he wheeled the crap outta his Vx.

Old guys/gals chime in on his bumper?

[VX KAT]

Another member did this back in the day, not sure if he did it himself or hired someone else. Some of our older members may know...

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/2/36bl9.jpg


This is BBVX (Brian Burr)...looks very similar to Grampa Bob's (Green Dragon) , wonder if they worked together on it?
BB was in Boston, Grampa Bob Nevada. In his sig line GB he says: Custom Boulder Bars- Custom Skid plates

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/MISC%20VX%20PICTURES/BRIANBURRSPROTONFRONTEXOWINCH.jpg

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/MISC%20VX%20PICTURES/BBVX-BrianBurr.jpg

[givegodachance]

This is BBVX (Brian Burr)...looks very similar to Grampa Bob's (Green Dragon) , wonder if they worked together on it?
BB was in Boston, Grampa Bob Nevada. In his sig line GB he says: Custom Boulder Bars- Custom Skid plates

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/BBVX-BrianBurr.jpg

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/BRIANBURRSPROTONFRONTEXOWINCH.jpg

this is exactly what i want for the front, thats perfect thanks. I will try to find them

[Triathlete]

Grandpa bob... I always heard he wheeled the crap outta his Vx.

Old guys/gals chime in on his bumper?

GB wheeled his VX very hard. He was awesome to wheel with. He mentored me well my first year in Moab...taught me a lot. To my knowledge he is still the only VX to do the 'con. His VX paid the price though...nearly every piece of cladding had been ripped off of it (he had big bolts holding it together afterwards). He said it took 2 days to cover 12 miles and afterwards his body felt like he had been beat on by a football team the whole time.

[Triathlete]

As far as GB's bumper...it was custom fabbed. BBVX also fabbed his...I believe he replicated GB's with the addition of the winch.
Personally I think designing a bumper that incudes cutting the cladding is better as it will gain you more clearance up front and a better approach angle.

[evillecutter]

kat did you have to drill any holes to put the super sliders on?

[VX KAT]

kat did you have to drill any holes to put the super sliders on?

I can't recall for sure, but I'm almost positive it did , check the pics in post #4.

[evillecutter]

im not worried about drilling but it looks like they are threaded holes do you remember if you had to thread them?

[evillecutter]

sliders supposed to come in today - any tips for install from anyone who has put them on before?

[ND92]

sliders supposed to come in today - any tips for install from anyone who has put them on before?

If the hardware to mount them is the same, you will have to drill holes into your frame and into the body seam (i think thats what its called). the bolts that came with mine (that secure it to the frame) were self threading and are probably what your going to get and the bolts for the body seam are just regular bolt-washer/lock washer-nut assemblies.
I suggest lifting the sliders into place and securing them somehow to the vx as to be able to mark the holes for drilling. Then take them off and make sure you can positively see the marks and then lift the sliders back up and secure them. Then the fun part... I drilled the holes on the body seam first cause that can move a little back to allow the frame mounts to snug up tight. Then once you have bolted it to the body seam then drill the holes on the side of the frame first, loosen up the bolts on the body seam just a turn or two and then thread the frame bolts in (be careful not to over tighten because they will strip out the metal on the frame and youd be SOL) these will be a little hard to start but once started they get easy. once those are tight (but not HEMAN tight) drill the hole on the bottom of the frame mount (only one per side) and thread the bolt and tighten, then tighten up the seam bolts and make sure all bolts and nuts all around are tight.
If you have any further questions let me know through PM and I can help out as best I can.

[ABDragonVX]

be patient grasshopper, I am working on some low profile rock sliders that will provide protection and look like they belong on a VX as well as a brush guard/pushbar. The Winch Bumper is also in the works, just have to get caught up on so other things first...

Any news on this?

Goodluck with the install evil.

Matt

[Triathlete]

If you don't plan on removing them....weld.

[fotoxelovani]

hiiii

[HeckaTrebeka]

If you don't plan on removing them....weld.

There was somewhere I read that I don't remember exactly, but bolts can be better than welds as the bolts that are included with the rock rails are super strong. Welds can crack because of their rigidity and the bolts will allow partial flexibility, keeping from breaking easily. Plus, you don't need to worry about having to cut them if you or anybody else wants to remove the rockers in the near or far future.

[MSHardeman]

I also seem to remember hearing that we weren't supposed to weld to our frames. Can't remember why (maybe the heat compromised the integrity of the metal:_confused), and maybe it's an old wives tale, but there are quite a few who have welded the rails on with no problems.

[JoFotoz]

I have....


I also seem to remember hearing that we weren't supposed to weld to our frames. Can't remember why (maybe the heat compromised the integrity of the metal:_confused), and maybe it's an old wives tale, but there are quite a few who have welded the rails on with no problems.

Both my rock rails/sliders and the mounting brackets for my Rock Bumper
are welded to the frame.

It was done with appropriate caution..so as not to warp/blast through!

No adverse issues to report!

Jo

[evillecutter]

only 2 of the 20 bolts included with my super sliders lined up (and even then they did not have the correct threading or size as the holes) and the rest would have to be drilled - i just welded them