this isnt looking good....

[pbkid]

so i've had a welder set up for like 2 weeks to put my sliders and diff gaurd on...

well i called him yesterday to ask when he was gonna get a chance to weld it on, and he's like...oh ya, sorry ive been super busy...promise we will get it done before you leave...your leaving memorial day right?

im like...uhhhhh no.....i leave monday....

he's like, oh man really? ok well let me shuffle some stuff around and see what i can do...

so, im thinking im gonna have to bolt them on for this year...had anyone tried bolting on rocky-road sliders?? how difficult was it?? what am i gonna need??

[Kenny]

HA! Jack, I feel for ya!
When I got my sliders the guy finished them 3 days before Moab, I had to scrounge to find a welder (I ended up using my muffler shop to do it on FRIDAY before I left!)

But, my standby was I had them bolted on Thursday. I had square plates welded to the posts that generally lined up with the frame contours - not easy. The plates had holes so I just jacked and propped the sliders into place and with a hammer drill I drilled into the frame with a 3/8" and then tapped the hole and bolted the skids on using lock washers. As an added security, on one hole at the front and back I went through and through and used a nylon nut on a 3" bolt.

The hard part is to prop them up in a position that won't end up shifting when you attach them, mine ended up a tad too close to the cladding at the front on the bolt up, we moved it 1/4" on the final welding.

So first off - do those square plates line up flush with your frame bolt on points?

If so, then pile up a 2x4 jig to hold the sliders square and steady as you drill the holes into the frame. Tap, bolt.
I recommend putting a long flat piece of narrow plywood between the slider and the lower cladding/frame just to make sure you have an even gap and you're not too close to the body for it to bend/vibrate into.

Once bolted on, I'm sure you can swing by somewhere in Moab to fully weld them on - if you're happy with the placement.

Good luck! I'm sure you can guilt the welder into doing it

[MSHardeman]

Jack, I think you covered this in another thread about the sliders, but I thought that we weren't supposed to weld to our frames. Something to do with the heat making the frame weaker?

[pbkid]

ya, they say that its a 'cold weld' frame...which i guess just means you have to use a certain type of welder...i might bolt them on anyhow and have the diff gaurd welded...should only take 30 mins. to do the diff gaurd

[Ldub]

To add to what Kenny said...

6" C-clamps can also be very useful in holding things together while mounting...

[pbkid]

im hoping that between my jack, and 2 jack stands i should have enough to hold it up there..

[Todd Adams]

ya, they say that its a 'cold weld' frame...which i guess just means you have to use a certain type of welder...i might bolt them on anyhow and have the diff gaurd welded...should only take 30 mins. to do the diff gaurd

Do not weld to the frame! ever. Your sliders need to be bolted. You can crawl under mine in Moab if you want but if you weld to the frame it will crack at some point. Frames are made to flex and are heat treated. Once you disturb this heat treatment and flex the frame it will start to develop cracks near the weld. Now on the other hand if you look at our jeep where the cage is welded to the frame the entire structure is now rigid so there is no flexing.
Todd

[pbkid]

todd-
good to know! thanks for the heads up...i will be bolting them in in that case...

im alright to weld the diff gaurd on right??? i dont see how else you would connect it?

[Todd Adams]

todd-
good to know! thanks for the heads up...i will be bolting them in in that case...

im alright to weld the diff gaurd on right??? i dont see how else you would connect it?

can't say since i don't know where it goes.

[ZEUS]

todd-
good to know! thanks for the heads up...i will be bolting them in in that case...

im alright to weld the diff gaurd on right??? i dont see how else you would connect it?

Rocky Road welded the prototype on mine 2.5 years ago and I saw no issues develop. Something you may want to research though is the possible need to remove the diff fluid before welding...

[Todd Adams]

Rocky Road welded the prototype on mine 2.5 years ago and I saw no issues develop. Something you may want to research though is the possible need to remove the diff fluid before welding...

I assume this is the rear differential. I have never seen a weld on shield. I can’t believe Glen would not build this as a bolt on.

[ZEUS]

I assume this is the rear differential. I have never seen a weld on shield. I can’t believe Glen would not build this as a bolt on.

Yeah, it's for the rear - at least mine is. He asked me if I would be interested in having one made and installed (welded) for free and I said "SURE!" The install looks great too! I think maybe fabbing bolt in place bracketry would overcomplicate things and render it over-priced.

[pbkid]

ya, i had it welded on today...the rear axle is welded anyhow so the welder said it wouldnt loose strength with the extra weld....

now im freaking out... i have NO access to a corded drill, only my cordless that is definately not strong enough to drill through our frame...

gonna have to get creative

[MSHardeman]

Talk to Gill. I remember him telling me how he had to have a shop with a right angle drill drill the holes in his frame for him because there's no room to get a regular drill into some of the spaces.

[Ldub]

ya, i had it welded on today...the rear axle is welded anyhow so the welder said it wouldnt loose strength with the extra weld....

now im freaking out... i have NO access to a corded drill, only my cordless that is definately not strong enough to drill through our frame...

gonna have to get creative

Hmmmmm...ya got a handgun around there?.........