GOAT Fabrication Rock Sliders installed on Ranger Raptor

[PatrickT]

I just installed the new RCI frame mounted rock sliders and I would offer some other thoughts on the subject based on my experience. Pros and cons. First, the RR version doesn’t fully wrap the box frame on the driver side due to the gas tank being so close to the frame. So the driver side rear connection is only bolted Through the side of the frame. Bottom line, I think the driver side is not as strong as the passenger side. Haven’t tested it yet to see how much deflection there is. Second and probably more important point is that I had to disconnect the wiring and brake line mounts from the frame to install the sliders and when I tried to reattach them I had some issues. There is not a lot of room for them with the frame mounted slider and the provided reattach meant points in the new slider didn’t line up with the points on the frame. I am still working on a permanent solution but I am using adhesive zip tie mounts for now because I ran afraid of drilling mounting points in my frame. Not sure what that would do to the integrity of the frame. The sliders look good and I think they will be pretty stout but but body mount sliders would have been a whole lot easier.

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[Scooter]

Thanks, for the insight on various frame slider designs.
This insight is very helpful when you go to install them.
I find working on vehicles something goes wrong or unforeseen. Once i have performed the task it goes a lot smoother next time.

This was an example of my confusion. I have to work on my truck outside my apartment.
Have to think about what tools i will use. I got hooked on Metric. My 3/8" ratchet is what I had. So not thinking correctly I did not bring my 1/2" ratchet down to fit into 74mm socket.
This would have created a shorter distance to socket. Meaning that you could take the oil filter off from the top our side. The 3/8" adapters made it more work then was needed.
Look at this silly setup with 3/8" ratchet.

 

[ALlex858]

Seems we are talking about frame slider manufactures. Not wishing to high jack thread.
I am going to receive my Rocky Road Sliders soon. Just came out of the Powder Coating Oven.

So, I posted the sliders and the pinch weld setup. There was mentioned that it should have gussets on both sides of mount. Like Goat Design. So this got me going. Rocky Road has a $100 add on for thicker outer tube and more bracing. Its been 2 months. There was X Mas though.
So, I phoned today to see if i could have the add on.

I had E mailed and phoned. Kinda fun to understand who will get things done in the establishment you are dealing with. Nothing worse then it falling on deaf ears. . I showed my dismay.
Just said just give me a good product. Stating that i am a machinist.

So, kinda thought they were coming up to being made. Tried to understand where my allocation was. Thought I could up grade to Beefier material and gussets/brackets.

The operation manager contacted me. Told me they would ship in a week. Great.

So, the rocky road Sliders. The Production Manager said, if it was going on an F150. Do the thicker pipe and gussets. Said it would be fine for Ranger.

Here's a few engineering thoughts. RR offers a wide pinch weld clamp. Just have to find a 90 degree drill. When you go to the RCI frame ones you have to consider the extra weight.
Myself, I am not going to do hopefully off road trails that I would slide into large boulders.
Ha ha, mines the Mall Crawler. So since i commute with the Ranger in a City and a few camping trips per year I consider more of what happens with a side impact. Is ridge better when attached to the frame. The floor of the Ranger seems very well engineered from many crash tests.

One of the things that was important for me is to have the kick out at the back of the cab.
Same with rear side step. I strap items to the roof. Run a T Bar on hitch. The roof on the 6G is to long. Purchased the shallow. Dometic bolt on roof rack.

Its too funny for me. I could wait again. In no rush. Have the more braced model made.
I have thought this through. This stuff torments me. I think i will be happy as long as they mount up perfectly. Going with the Elasticity Concept instead of Ridged.

I just ordered the Rocky Road Outfitters rock sliders. Well, I guess i'll be waiting longer than expected, they didn't display lead times on the website, so I guess i can expect march timeframe for delivery.

I ended up going with the "rock crusher" option, which i think you mentioned the thicker tubes and gussets. I live in the Phoenix Valley and have been holding off on some off-road trails until I receive my sliders. keep us updated on your install when you receive them. I'll be looking forward to that so I can hopefully get some lessons learned from you!

 

[Lion77]

The OEM rock slider on my former '24 Wrangler bolted to the tub and there were six bolts/studs that went through the pinch weld.

Ford to Ranger 6G owners: "We designed the truck for cab mounted sliders!"

 

[Scooter]

I just ordered the Rocky Road Outfitters rock sliders. Well, I guess i'll be waiting longer than expected, they didn't display lead times on the website, so I guess i can expect march timeframe for delivery.

I ended up going with the "rock crusher" option, which i think you mentioned the thicker tubes and gussets. I live in the Phoenix Valley and have been holding off on some off-road trails until I receive my sliders. keep us updated on your install when you receive them. I'll be looking forward to that so I can hopefully get some lessons learned from you!

Names that are helpful to know there. Matt Frisby Operations Manager
I tried to deal with Jared. They will respond. They phoned me a couple of times.
Just be positive with them. I said near the end of the long wait. " Just give me a Quality Product."

You do not have to do the Pinch Weld Clamp. I will try to borrow that 90 degree drill.

Here's an instruction PDF.

 

[Ron Quixote]

FWIW, the Colorado ZR2 uses body mounted sliders. It’s pretty obvious that they’re not as strong as frame-mount, but they‘re also a lot easier to install and will definitively provide some protection. I think this thread does a good job of highlighting the pros and cons of each. Very informative all around.

 

[Scooter]

What is the size of the Metric Fasteners in the tub.
Wish to chase them before mounting.

M10 -1.5 pitch

 

[Scooter]

I found the PDF for RCI sliders.

24-Ford-Ranger-Rock-Slider-Installation-Guide.pdf

There's also Hot Metal Fab sliders only for Raptor.
hotmetalfab.com/collections/2019-ford-ranger-products/products/2024-ford-raptor-ranger-rock-sliders

 

[Scooter]

Hot Metal Fab Raptor Sliders. Frame mount

 

[ZombieDropper]

Something about that design screams poor quality. 1/8" wall square tubing and not a single gusset between the square tubes and frame brackets. And even if they did hold, there is so much distance between the brackets and the outside of the sliders your just asking for your frame to get twisted due to the amount of leverage exerted. But I guess you get what you pay for.

 

[Lion77]

That was one of the problems Adam at GOAT noted in one of this "tech talk" videos explaining why cab mounted and not frame mounted like the "old days". Simple, vehicle designs have changed and I pointed this out before that a lot of older vehicles with body on frame in the US used C channel frames.

Those frames actually worked like part of the vehicles suspension and would twist / flex (watch a video of a 1990's F-150 / Ram 1500 / Silverado 1500 or similar off-roading, the whole truck with twist with the terrain. But C-channel frames are also robust mounting points and could take the abuse.

Fully boxed hydroformed frames in all the modern trucks use a lot thinner steel and are more rigid as they rely on design rather than material strength by mass. This all plays a roll in how well the frame is actually suited as a load point.

The other caveat is that modern hydroformed frames are narrower because in modern trucks many of them are mounting the leaf springs and gas struts as far outboard as possible to maximize stability and ride quality via motion ratio, so the frame is set a bit narrower to allow for that, meaning your sliders also have long levers going to the frame unlike the older trucks.

Completely different designs and properties. I'd rather use the factory intended locations and if I had to damage something, I'd rather damage the body than the frame because you might end up with a 60k paper weight:

So, the argument that frame mount is always better is simply not true. There's a reason Chevy mounted to the cab, just like Jeep and Ford. The cab isn't just sheet metal to hold people, it's now structural and works as part of the frame's torsional rigidity and underside area is structural, designed to hand the impact of a vehicle in a side collision.

I'd also make the point that the gussets on the GOAT sliders are pretty heavy duty, there are six gussets per side (two for each of the three mounts) and they look to be more considerably thicker than the gussets on the some of the frame mounted sliders which are under far more leverage.

As noted, the hot metal fab one's aren't even gusseted at all!

 

[Sulimo]

Something about that design screams poor quality. 1/8" wall square tubing and not a single gusset between the square tubes and frame brackets. And even if they did hold, there is so much distance between the brackets and the outside of the sliders your just asking for your frame to get twisted due to the amount of leverage exerted. But I guess you get what you pay for.

That's what I was thinking. The difference between that and the RCI brand is significant.

 

[Hurricane_Whisperer]

So people thing frame mounted sliders won't flex with a pivot point 18 or so inches from the point of impact? That's cute. The extensions from the frame to the slider will hit the sill.
I'll say it again, people are putting to much emphasis on frame mounted sliders. Actually get under your truck and look at the mounting points. The sill is tougher then you think.
I guess if you really want no movement you would mount the sliders to the frame and the body.
What would we complain about then?

I agree.

Really, the frame is so hell and gone far away from the rocker panels, I think a frame mounted design would probably be weaker due to the cantilevered moment arms from the rocker panels at the doors to the frame.

I even think such a design would be more likely to cause damage than prevent it by making rock hits more likely and by transferring bending loads into the frame that it isn’t designed for.

The video just used the perfect height rock. If it were just a 1/2 inch or so taller, I think it show the slider bending more.

The sliders bending is not the problem most think it is unless the slider bends so much that the body is damaged or the attachment points to the body or frame is damaged.

It’s simply not possible for any structural tubing of a reasonable diameter to not deflect with the full weight of one side of the truck teetering on a rock at the midpoint between the front and rear wheels.

I think the material properties of strength and modulus of elasticity are either not understood or conflated based upon some comments.

In order to make the slider have less deflection you would need larger diameter tubing and or more attachment points. The attachment points must be suitable for the purpose. There are diminishing returns on larger diameter tubing because the bigger the tubing the less ground clearance you have.

The sliders should be designed like a sacrificial piece of armor. Its main job is to prevent gouging and bending of the rocker panels.

I suspect a design that uses the OEM attachment points is probably the best, but it should omit the delicate OEM running board like feature that also eats up clearance and makes impacts more likely due to the extra width.

 

[Hurricane_Whisperer]

That was one of the problems Adam at GOAT noted in one of this "tech talk" videos explaining why cab mounted and not frame mounted like the "old days". Simple, vehicle designs have changed and I pointed this out before that a lot of older vehicles with body on frame in the US used C channel frames.

Those frames actually worked like part of the vehicles suspension and would twist / flex (watch a video of a 1990's F-150 / Ram 1500 / Silverado 1500 or similar off-roading, the whole truck with twist with the terrain. But C-channel frames are also robust mounting points and could take the abuse.

Fully boxed hydroformed frames in all the modern trucks use a lot thinner steel and are more rigid as they rely on design rather than material strength by mass. This all plays a roll in how well the frame is actually suited as a load point.

The other caveat is that modern hydroformed frames are narrower because in modern trucks many of them are mounting the leaf springs and gas struts as far outboard as possible to maximize stability and ride quality via motion ratio, so the frame is set a bit narrower to allow for that, meaning your sliders also have long levers going to the frame unlike the older trucks.

Completely different designs and properties. I'd rather use the factory intended locations and if I had to damage something, I'd rather damage the body than the frame because you might end up with a 60k paper weight:

So, the argument that frame mount is always better is simply not true. There's a reason Chevy mounted to the cab, just like Jeep and Ford. The cab isn't just sheet metal to hold people, it's now structural and works as part of the frame's torsional rigidity and underside area is structural, designed to hand the impact of a vehicle in a side collision.

I'd also make the point that the gussets on the GOAT sliders are pretty heavy duty, there are six gussets per side (two for each of the three mounts) and they look to be more considerably thicker than the gussets on the some of the frame mounted sliders which are under far more leverage.

As noted, the hot metal fab one's aren't even gusseted at all!

Many good points. Especially the point about frame mount always being better is no longer true.

 

[Lion77]

Btw anyone know how much weight the GOAT sliders add over stock running boards?

My build is a light weight rally build, but one of the few things Im willing to add some weight for is rock sliders since they offer a lot of bang for buck in offroading on stock tires and ride height.

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