[PiercedTiger]

There's also Demello (demello-offroad.com) and Wabfab (wabfab.org, same as 4xI). Keep in mind most of those require you to weld the standoffs to the sliders, braces and gussets to the standoffs, then the braces to the frame. Quite a bit of measuring and welding.

Demello sells ones that are fully assembled and ready to bolt on, but they run around $600 plus shipping.

 

[PiercedTiger]

according to their site and Adam @ 4xInnovations, the sliders for the 05+ DoubleCab Taco are all pre-welded...meaning the legs and gussets are all welded to the slider at their shop. All I'll have to do is take it to a local machine shop and have them weld the single units to the truck.

ok that's good! Last time I checked out their site the pics seemed to imply you had to assemble most of it yourself. I thought they said something about having to space the legs out yourself to get a proper fit. But if that's changed all the better! I hesitated on getting those myself as I thought it required more welding than I was comfortable doing since I'm still learning.

Good to know though as I'm planning on getting a set soon myself! If I don't have to get the $600 bolt on Demello's then I'll have more money for a bumper or coilovers! :clap:

 

[PiercedTiger]

I agree. It's not something you want to go cheap on if you plan on REALLY using them.

But then if I was going for the $600 HD ones because I felt I NEEDED that kind of protection then I'd be looking at a 4-point harness, roll cage, bead lock tires, winch, bumpers front and rear, front locker,.... and be building a rock crawler.

I personally only want something that'll protect against the occasional tree, a rock here or there, and break-overs that are mostly dirt. I have no intention of rock crawling, nor do I have the type of terrain for that around me. Honetly they will be used as steps and guards against shopping carts and car doors 90% of the time.

Considering my thin walled tube steps (only bolt on at the ends, btw) held up to the truck sitting on them and rocking back n forth on a break over I'd say just about any slider would be fine for what I need. Hell, the step bars would not have bent up and put small dents in the rocker panels if they had a brace in the middle. So some thicker steel bars with reinforcements and 3-4 stand offs welded to the frame should be more than enough for my needs, and probably the majority of people on here... I can't see many people rock crawling a new, nearly $30k truck without heavily modifing it anyway. Those people would probably be building their own roll cage and boxing the bed anyway! :lol:

 

[PiercedTiger]

I like the kick out as well... One of the reasons I'm leaning towards them regardless of price. I tend to forget how long the truck is around corners and clip trees and such with the rear fender. The kick out would prevent that.

Welds are stronger than the base material so I figure the frame would have to bend or tear for the sliders to move if they're welded on properly. (suppose this means a trip to my local repair shop and have them do it for me! :lol: )

My only concern is the gussets for wabfab and 4xI (more or less the same sliders) is quite a bit smaller than Demello's.... I don't know if that makes a difference or not. I would assume it would, but I'm no structural engineer.

And if I can save $300-$400, that's money for a bumper and winch! :clap: Well, I suppose I'll find out if I'm getting them after we visit the tax man tonight.

 

[PiercedTiger]

Yeah...cbi and demello both have L gussets which, either bolted or welded, provide a larger contact area to the frame. This, of course, should create a stronger bond. But, if 4xInnovations/wabfab or even Stubbs had people complaining of their sliders breaking off for lack of an L gusset, I'm sure they would address it, so hopefully it's a non-issue. But If I had the choice, I'd take the L gussets, but it's not a deal breaker for me.

Good luck w/ the tax man!

Kinda what I was thinking too...

As for the tax man..... We got this lady at H&R Block that could barely type (had to keep correcting her), and didn't know answers to half the questions we asked. I kept having turbo tax commercial flash backs! :lol: Kept wanting to grab the keyboard and be like "here.... let ME do it...." And then it turns out we make too much for earned income credit so the kids don't mean shit. We'll get back maybe 2grand which is better than owing 2 grand, but no where NEAR the figure I had in my head from our last return! (got back around 8grand last year and we made a LOT less money salary wise. go figure.) Needless to say we're disappointed, bills and truck mods are on hold yet again, AND we have to go back cuz we forgot to print out the property tax report for the house. Oh yeah, and the dumb broad wants a copy of last year's taxes/H&R Block to see how THEY wrote off my Road Runner bills cuz she didn't know how to do it.... :disappoin Talk about a wasted 2 hours.