[TucsonTRD]

not to make this a big debate as it became in my group buy thread, but cheaper isn't necesarily better. just keep in mind that if you will actually be using the sliders (on rocks, trees, etc) you don't want to risk damage to your truck because you saved $200. i don't want to say one brand is better than another, but if you take the time to research and look at pics, you'll see some small differences that can make a lot of difference in the quality of the slider

 

[TucsonTRD]

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:

very true, terrain will have a large role in determining how much you need them. but i disagree with the point of needing a 4-point harness, roll cage, etc if you need the sliders. i would guess most rocker panel damage costs about $500-$600 to fix, so landing on a rock once pays for the sliders. and if the sliders fail, your rocker panel suffers the consequences.

i will say though, that the options are broader if you go with a weld on style slider. there are still differences in manufacturers, but there are 2 or 3 brands that i would buy if i wanted weld on sliders. but i want bolt on sliders, and as far as i'm concerned, nobody makes better ones than demello. that's why i bought them. but to each their own.