[jfrussell]

I bought a pair of 78" Trail-Gear sliders from a guy on Craigslist. Now this may be a mute point if I need to have the cut the legs to get these to fit on my truck as they came of a Ranger. But his welds kind of look like crap. Assuming I don't need to move the legs, are these welds just ugly, but still strong?

Thanks in advance.

 

[penski61]

look like crap and will not hold , they arent even fully welded and he didnt even bother cleaning the extra flux wire off lol

 

[TheOregonFront]

thats nasty looking lol no redo it.

 

[davidapplewhite]

I am a certified stick mig and tig welder on multiple types of steel and that is crap. I shouldn't be much to get someone to clean them up for you.

 

[Avplayer]

even i who can't weld can tell u that thats a garbage weld!

 

[airbag]

I'm an ametuer welder and i've laid some sketchy welds in my time but that looks like the welder was drunk and not using a mask.

I have the same TG slides. Here's one of my mounts. If you don't know already, Please use gussets for more strength if you think that they may come into contact with rocks.

A little spatter but nothing a grinder can't clean up :thumbsup:.

 

[jfrussell]

Thanks guys. When I actually get around to getting my buddy (who has experience welding) to help me with this, I'll make it sure gets done right.

 

[Zedbra]

my old boss that taught me to weld would have called those 'birdsh1t'. :laugh:

 

[nissanmadness]

WOW!, gouge that chicken shyt out and start over. Funny, the weld on the opposing side looks good. Couldn't have been the same welder.

 

[airbag]

WOW!, gouge that chicken shyt out and start over. Funny, the weld on the opposing side looks good. Couldn't have been the same welder.

Not the same welder. I have the same brand sliders as jfrussell. Bought a set from TrailGear. They list them for a tacoma but fits great on first gen CC and KC with the 116" wheelbase. The long section of the sliders come pre-fabbed from the maufacturer. You cut the legs to the angle and length you want and weld them together then on your frame with gussets for added strength. IMO the strongest way to do them.

If done properly, one should be able to jack up the entire side of the truck with no more than 1/4" flex. •http://www.trail-gear.com/rock-sliders

 

[mustard23]

not only do your welds suck but you created a shear point. I know your sliders are not going to take a force tat way but it's a bad habit.

you want all tube come together at one point

the force will go from one tube in to the other to brace it

when you make tubes like this.

the tube will shear because of the force of the tube.


also the best material to make sliding surface is square tube. If you use sliders as slider instead of bash plates it will keep your truck on the rock better then round tube.

 

[devious1]

You pretty much have the question answered but I say it's hard to tell how strong it is when the metal is painted. I am an amateur welder and the looks of the metal is what tells me how strong it is going to be. It looks like crap...Redo it

 

[airbag]

not only do your welds suck but you created a shear point. I know your sliders are not going to take a force tat way but it's a bad habit.

you want all tube come together at one point

the force will go from one tube in to the other to brace it

when you make tubes like this.

the tube will shear because of the force of the tube.


also the best material to make sliding surface is square tube. If you use sliders as slider instead of bash plates it will keep your truck on the rock better then round tube.

I understand where you are coming from with the shear points but IMO, comparing roll cages to sliders is like apples to oranges. Every brand of silder manufacturer that I have come across in my search for a set, did not mate up tube to tube like your pic. Some even have much smaller tubes, spaced wider apart for the top side unlike the pictured one. Like you said, forces applied on a slide are not the same as a roll cage. The placement of the legs for my slides are common practice for this type of offroad protection and tried and true. Placement in relation to the frame and slider is more important for taking hits.

 

[mustard23]

I understand where you are coming from with the shear points but IMO, comparing roll cages to sliders is like apples to oranges. Every brand of silder manufacturer that I have come across in my search for a set, did not mate up tube to tube like your pic. Some even have much smaller tubes, spaced wider apart for the top side unlike the pictured one. Like you said, forces applied on a slide are not the same as a roll cage. The placement of the legs for my slides are common practice for this type of offroad protection and tried and true. Placement in relation to the frame and slider is more important for taking hits.

I agree that is why I said "I know your sliders are not going to take a force tat way but it's a bad habit. " and were the tubes are right next to each other the force is spread across a very small amount of the tubing and will shear easer then having them spaced out. If you space them out it has room to bend before it shears.

this is better because the edge of one tube is not right next to the other. It has more room to give if ever gets used as a nerf bar.

 

[airbag]

I agree that is why I said "I know your sliders are not going to take a force tat way but it's a bad habit. " and were the tubes are right next to each other the force is spread across a very small amount of the tubing and will shear easer then having them spaced out. If you space them out it has room to bend before it shears.
this is better because the edge of one tube is not right next to the other. It has more room to give if ever gets used as a nerf bar.

I see where you are coming from. The OP bought his set from a guy that had them mounted on a different pickup. If they were mine, I would cut off the current legs completely, make or buy a set of new ones and start from scratch to locate the new legs where necessary on the frontier frame. More than likely, the legs aren't gonna' hit good spots to weld onto the OPs truck anyway. Might not be long enough either. Here's a link to get a set of gussets. I'm sure if you call, they will sell a set of pre-notched legs Toyota, Suzuki Samurai, and Jeep Off Road Parts

Also, speaking from experience, try to get the first leg as close to the front end of the slider as possible. IMO 90% of all slider hits happen within 12-14" from the front tire.

 

[jfrussell]

If they were mine, I would cut off the current legs completely, make or buy a set of new ones and start from scratch to locate the new legs where necessary on the frontier frame.

Also, speaking from experience, try to get the first leg as close to the front end of the slider as possible. IMO 90% of all slider hits happen within 12-14" from the front tire.

Pretty much exactly what I'm gonna being doing. I'm going to cut the legs off and grind/smooth out the set so they look good. Then I will locate them where needed on my frame. I'm not sure if I am going to do a weld-on or a bolt-on yet.

 

[rorybellows]

them dont even classify as "booger" welds

 

[jmo1]

russell that is crap better fix that earlier.