Anyone install Rocky Road rock rails for Ranger Raptor?

[toschin.aquino]

Hi All,

Has anyone installed these rock rails, or any other rock rails? If so, I would appreciate any feedback.

https://rocky-road.com/shop/ranger-...kBqvgsgNBqQo0Seh0iYFGMhuhCl8Tjd8TpugcqsfU1mQy

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[Goldylox22]

Hi All,

Has anyone installed these rock rails, or any other rock rails? If so, I would appreciate any feedback.

https://rocky-road.com/shop/ranger-...kBqvgsgNBqQo0Seh0iYFGMhuhCl8Tjd8TpugcqsfU1mQy

So far they're the only ones on the market I can find that guarantee a true rock rail that can support the weight of the truck. You do have to get over the drilling the bolt holes into your truck.

Ordered a mine on November 13th and am still waiting. Followed up November 26th asking about progress and they said they'd just started on processing orders from the beginning of November. Reached out again at the beginning of January with a shipping question and havent heard back yet.

Prepare yourself for a very long lead time. I wish I could give more information about the product itself. I can follow up when I actually receive it.

 

[Garaged]

I did - ordered October mid, shipped November end around BF and installed December. Do you have specific questions?

I plan to use them in Moab later this year but not something insane like Hells Revenge. They are stable enough, even though they're body mounted. You can make it even more rock-solid by drilling the extra holes they suggest and using the included plates and nuts.

The install was a mixed bag. A second set of hands, a jack and thread chasers are needed. The factory holes (once you unbolt the OEM steps/boards) are full of crap that will make install hell - so use a chaser and clean them out first. The included bolts are not stainless steel - an upgrade you might want to make depending on how much water you expect to run through.

The passenger side rail aligned (bolt hole alignment is what I'm talking about) easily enough and I did it alone - an extremely painful experience since I tried to short circuit it and not use a jack, my knee and one arm served as a jack while trying to find those crud-filled bolt holes.

The drivers side was an even bigger pain with two people working together, a lot more hole-chasing and tugging and pulling. The holes were somewhat misaligned which made us use "Viking Arm" clamps (the kind that hold home doors up) against the frame to make them align while bolting them in. Even then, one hole was misaligned enough that we needed to use a grinder to cut it wider. A pain, but once it all went together, it was rock solid for offroad use. To be fair, the install instructions clearly call out that some bending and hole-enlargement may be necessary since every truck is a little different.

We still need to get out a right angle drill and make 6 holes through the extended tab of the body (not going through the main part of the body itself) and putting their extra plates on the outer side of the pinch seam and securing everything with the provided nuts and bolts.

I still don't see the need for a frame mounted rail based on the claims from multiple vendors (Rocky Road, Goat Fab etc.) and I think these are good with the added reinforcement of the drilled holes and bolts.

 

[toschin.aquino]

I did - ordered October mid, shipped November end around BF and installed December. Do you have specific questions?

I plan to use them in Moab later this year but not something insane like Hells Revenge. They are stable enough, even though they're body mounted. You can make it even more rock-solid by drilling the extra holes they suggest and using the included plates and nuts.

The install was a mixed bag. A second set of hands, a jack and thread chasers are needed. The factory holes (once you unbolt the OEM steps/boards) are full of crap that will make install hell - so use a chaser and clean them out first. The included bolts are not stainless steel - an upgrade you might want to make depending on how much water you expect to run through.

The passenger side rail aligned (bolt hole alignment is what I'm talking about) easily enough and I did it alone - an extremely painful experience since I tried to short circuit it and not use a jack, my knee and one arm served as a jack while trying to find those crud-filled bolt holes.

The drivers side was an even bigger pain with two people working together, a lot more hole-chasing and tugging and pulling. The holes were somewhat misaligned which made us use "Viking Arm" clamps (the kind that hold home doors up) against the frame to make them align while bolting them in. Even then, one hole was misaligned enough that we needed to use a grinder to cut it wider. A pain, but once it all went together, it was rock solid for offroad use. To be fair, the install instructions clearly call out that some bending and hole-enlargement may be necessary since every truck is a little different.

We still need to get out a right angle drill and make 6 holes through the extended tab of the body (not going through the main part of the body itself) and putting their extra plates on the outer side of the pinch seam and securing everything with the provided nuts and bolts.

I still don't see the need for a frame mounted rail based on the claims from multiple vendors (Rocky Road, Goat Fab etc.) and I think these are good with the added reinforcement of the drilled holes and bolts.

Appreciate the great feedback. They kinda sound like a pain in the ass to install. How do they look on the truck? Do they give you better clearance than the factory ones?

 

[Garaged]

Appreciate the great feedback. They kinda sound like a pain in the ass to install. How do they look on the truck? Do they give you better clearance than the factory ones?

You might get one that fits very easily. The install shouldn't scare you away. Worst case, you cut a mounting hole slightly wider.

They certainly look nicer to me, offer more clearance, and are waaaaaay more solid than the weak steps that come with the truck. Pictures attached.

 

[toschin.aquino]

You might get one that fits very easily. The install shouldn't scare you away. Worst case, you cut a mounting hole slightly wider.

They certainly look nicer to me, offer more clearance, and are waaaaaay more solid than the weak steps that come with the truck. Pictures attached.

Awesome. Thanks again for the feedback and sharing the photos! Much appreciated!

 

[millertime496]

Support the truck....you should have searched on here. They bolt to the body, I sent those pos back.

 

[Garaged]

There are plenty of people in the "frame mounted or death" camp when it comes to rock rails/sliders.

However, that's not always true. There are counterpoints that the manufacturers make (you can see the lengthy explanation on Rocky Road's own listing - https://rocky-road.com/shop/ranger-raptor-rock-sliders/ ), from Goat Fab here - https://www.ranger6g.com/forum/thre...-improvement-over-running-boards.13770/page-2
and yet another manufacturer here - https://hotmetalfab.com/products/2019-ford-ranger-rock-sliders

This thread has further discussion - https://www.ranger6g.com/forum/threads/don’t-buy-rocky-road-sliders.12041/#post-187214

Adding to all of it, anecdotally, I know that a friend of mine has been running offroad on rocky trails and pivoted off the Rocky Road sliders on his F150 Raptor multiple times with them holding the weight and moving the truck right with no welding needed. Besides, some people have problems drilling through the pinch weld for added bolstering (because "Oh no, modification of my truck!") but are fine welding to the damn frame LOL

Short of the MOST extreme Level 7+ rocky trails (that you shouldn't be taking any truck on anyway, maybe a well modified Bronco Raptor or Jeep with better angles), these will do just fine.

 

[millertime496]

There is a company that makes some, now that bolt to the frame and they have a raptor welded into them.

 

[Warpath]

I need a frame mounted rock rails for when I go to Starbucks or the mall incase I hit a parking curb.

 

[Ag3ntC00p3r]

There is a company that makes some, now that bolt to the frame and they have a raptor welded into them.

https://hotmetalfab.com/products/2024-ford-raptor-ranger-rock-sliders

 

[millertime496]

There are plenty of people in the "frame mounted or death" camp when it comes to rock rails/sliders.

However, that's not always true. There are counterpoints that the manufacturers make (you can see the lengthy explanation on Rocky Road's own listing - https://rocky-road.com/shop/ranger-raptor-rock-sliders/ ), from Goat Fab here - https://www.ranger6g.com/forum/thre...-improvement-over-running-boards.13770/page-2
and yet another manufacturer here - https://hotmetalfab.com/products/2019-ford-ranger-rock-sliders

This thread has further discussion - https://www.ranger6g.com/forum/threads/don’t-buy-rocky-road-sliders.12041/#post-187214

Adding to all of it, anecdotally, I know that a friend of mine has been running offroad on rocky trails and pivoted off the Rocky Road sliders on his F150 Raptor multiple times with them holding the weight and moving the truck right with no welding needed. Besides, some people have problems drilling through the pinch weld for added bolstering (because "Oh no, modification of my truck!") but are fine welding to the damn frame LOL

Short of the MOST extreme Level 7+ rocky trails (that you shouldn't be taking any truck on anyway, maybe a well modified Bronco Raptor or Jeep with better angles), these will do just fine.

No one sells or buys body mounted "sliders" in Australia. That should be the end of the debate.

 

[millertime496]

https://hotmetalfab.com/products/2024-ford-raptor-ranger-rock-sliders

Ordered!!!

 

[Garaged]

No one sells or buys body mounted "sliders" in Australia. That should be the end of the debate.

You do you

https://media.tenor.com/C0_pO0H6cqUAAAAM/ok-yeah.gif

 

[CrustyNoodle]

No one sells or buys body mounted "sliders" in Australia. That should be the end of the debate.

... But maybe they should ...

I think I'll look into these body mounted options as over here frame mounted are the only option. I'm not 100% convinced so let the research begin.

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