Rock sliders

Tazzieman · Jan 26, 2023

I'm sure you could clamp something like this on if your other 1/2 has ingress/egress issues
Any 1/2 decent steel fabricator could make them in a jiffy

klarie · Jan 26, 2023

Wayneos said:
I'm on the look out for a full bonnet/windscreen bar...

Pretty hefty.. - was this one of the red or grey ones that can jump quite high..

In 2001 I was returning from Luxembourg on way to region Fulda visiting my parents. - I passed a rather uninhabited region in the Vogelsberg area on the way .. there I saw a small Roo (somewhat 1m ) standing near the road. (Wah am I daydreaming and illusioning) .. at that time gadgets like dash cams were not available.
Never told anybody .. I was confused at all. - Later I read in the news that a bit south of the area a few roos from a private zoo escaped.
So I wasn't daydreaming.
In Germany as of now live around 200-300 roos freely - but all the smaller ones. Mostly Bennett Wallaby.
As of now this is not listed as a huntable species.. however if they spread .. and create considerable damage this may change.. It was so with racoon. First cute.. then f****
I am glad boars cant jump.. but they do significant damage when colliding with a car.. last Saturday Motorway A45 close to here was blocked 4 hours because of a pack of boars. (bull bars / metal fences mounted on cars are prohibited since 20 years or so. Only vehicles that are older and had an old permission to have it - may keep it. but these are quite rare now. ) but I understand why these are needed in AUS. However considering the larger ones - a steel cage might be required ..

Tazzieman · Jan 26, 2023

klarie said:
I am glad boars cant jump.. but they do significant damage when colliding with a car.. ... but I understand why these are needed in AUS. ..

On a recent trip into the Northern territory , we saw 4 dead boars along a 100m stretch of highway - 2 on either side.
Quite likely hit by a road train, but maybe not.
You only travel at night if you have to.
And the big roos can jump at you from mid afternoon until after breakfast.

klarie · Jan 26, 2023

Tazzieman said:
On a recent trip into the Northern territory , we saw 4 dead boars along a 100m stretch of highway - 2 on either side.
Quite likely hit by a road train, but maybe not.
You only travel at night if you have to.
And the big roos can jump at you from mid afternoon until after breakfast.

This is what I like on this forum, - practical experience shared.
This brings me to a really needed gadget.. a thermal vision system... when travelling at night.. and it need a rather high frequency 50hz
Problem - the thermal sensor must be located on the outside of the vehicle.. and somehow dirt & dust protected.
A bolometer inside a vehicle will help you nothing as the temperature signature cannot pass glass.
The one I use for hunting can detect heat signatures from 3000m and identify from 800m and distinguish temperatures of a difference of 0.3C.
So a warm blooded animal (and heated up croc or so.. ) should be detected quite early in an open range.. Of course a bolometer cannot see through a bush or rock.. only heat radiation that gets unhindered to sensor.
Nasty part.. these items are quite hefty in impact to wallet..

Tazzieman · Jan 26, 2023

klarie said:
This brings me to a really needed gadget.. a thermal vision system.

The problem with kangaroos is that even if you slow/stop they may jump at you.
They are as unpredictable as when removing a coil spring under tension. You might die , you might just get injured , you might be lucky.

globalgregors · Jan 26, 2023

klarie said:
This is what I like on this forum, - practical experience shared.
This brings me to a really needed gadget.. a thermal vision system... when travelling at night.. and it need a rather high frequency 50hz
Problem - the thermal sensor must be located on the outside of the vehicle.. and somehow dirt & dust protected.
A bolometer inside a vehicle will help you nothing as the temperature signature cannot pass glass.
The one I use for hunting can detect heat signatures from 3000m and identify from 800m and distinguish temperatures of a difference of 0.3C.
So a warm blooded animal (and heated up croc or so.. ) should be detected quite early in an open range.. Of course a bolometer cannot see through a bush or rock.. only heat radiation that gets unhindered to sensor.
Nasty part.. these items are quite hefty in impact to wallet..

I feel this is where someone mentions the Shu Roo... which persists despite, well, science.
Notwithstanding it is a hill that adherents are prepared to die on.

bigleonski · Jan 26, 2023

Tazzieman said:
The problem with kangaroos is that even if you slow/stop they may jump at you.
They are as unpredictable as when removing a coil spring under tension. You might die , you might just get injured , you might be lucky.

The other problem is there’s always more than one.
You’ll see old mate jump in front of you and shoot off across the road, and if you’re not careful you accelerate again and its mate will follow him straight into you.
The second skippy always gets more hits than the first one.

That’s why a good wide spread beam is gold. All the show ponies want a set of spotties that shine 2km down the road long and straight.

I want a nice wide spread beam that lights up the verges for 600-700m and that’ll do me.

globalgregors · Jan 26, 2023

Tazzieman said:
The problem with kangaroos is that even if you slow/stop they may jump at you.
They are as unpredictable as when removing a coil spring under tension. You might die , you might just get injured , you might be lucky.

I think what we saw in that video was a dazzled Skippy attempting to vault the driving lights, blind to the vehicle behind.
Roof-mounted LEDs might reduce that, but it’d be impossible to know for sure.
Either that, or it was some marsupial version of Razorback. @klarie that might be a film for you.

klarie · Jan 26, 2023

globalgregors said:
I think what we saw in that video was a dazzled Skippy attempting to vault the driving lights, blind to the vehicle behind.
Roof-mounted LEDs might reduce that, but it’d be impossible to know for sure.
Either that, or it was some marsupial version of Razorback. @klarie that might be a film for you.

Watched the trailer on the link.. at least the "razorback" head there was so obvious plastic...
rather comedy than horror.
In my case normal driving lights on road - is regulated.. so normal low beam / headbeam - and too much traffic - so most of time with dipped lights.
When off public roads. (Gravel; agricultural, forest - I go either in lights off, of as far as possible. Or USB-Powered red LED Lamp sucked on roof. (aluminium does not permit magnetic)
But then speed is low 7-10km/h and I know the area.. but your area has quite different challenges in particular at night. .. respect.

DenisM · Jan 26, 2023

globalgregors said:
I feel this is where someone mentions the Shu Roo... which persists despite, well, science.
Notwithstanding it is a hill that adherents are prepared to die on.

Yep, one may as well whistle in the wind...to coin a phrase!

Disco Dave · Jan 26, 2023

I have a theory which has served me well. It is also a theory which a college also had, however we derived the same theory independently. We lived in remote Western Australia at the time. On roo infested roads you must travel at a minimum of 140 km/h. The roos simply do not have enough time to jump in front of you. Many is the time I saw a roo starting to lean forward to jump, as I flashed past. There is one clause however, if the roo is on the road, your driving lights must be powerful enough that you can spot him, and brake before you reach him.
This has worked for me in 4 states of Australia. Neither him or I have ever hit a roo at that speed. Meanwhile all our compatriots were smashing them, especially so at 80 km/h.
However at the time I was young and bulletproof. Now I just don’t drive much at night.

Tazzieman · Jan 26, 2023

Disco Dave said:
I have a theory which has served me well. It is also a theory which a college also had, however we derived the same theory independently. We lived in remote Western Australia at the time. On roo infested roads you must travel at a minimum of 140 km/h. The roos simply do not have enough time to jump in front of you.

When a big one jumped in me in a borrowed Kingswood in '89 I was only driving at about 120
39C day and it was 3 in the afternoon. No phones back then either.
The 3 hr tow (Kingswood front wheels on the road as it was an auto) back to Albany riding shotgun with no seatbelt in a tow truck@100 km/hr with 2 stoned guys was an adventure , to say the least.

Disco Dave · Jan 26, 2023

Tazzieman said:
When a big one jumped in me in a borrowed Kingswood in '89 I was only driving at about 120
39C day and it was 3 in the afternoon. No phones back then either.
The 3 hr tow (Kingswood front wheels on the road as it was an auto) back to Albany riding shotgun with no seatbelt in a tow truck@100 km/hr with 2 stoned guys was an adventure , to say the least.

Yes my only roo hit was at 120, the road too windy to go any faster. The Falcon was a trailer job.

Mitchell300 · Jan 26, 2023

klarie said:
Pretty hefty.. - was this one of the red or grey ones that can jump quite high..

In 2001 I was returning from Luxembourg on way to region Fulda visiting my parents. - I passed a rather uninhabited region in the Vogelsberg area on the way .. there I saw a small Roo (somewhat 1m ) standing near the road. (Wah am I daydreaming and illusioning) .. at that time gadgets like dash cams were not available.
Never told anybody .. I was confused at all. - Later I read in the news that a bit south of the area a few roos from a private zoo escaped.
So I wasn't daydreaming.
In Germany as of now live around 200-300 roos freely - but all the smaller ones. Mostly Bennett Wallaby.
As of now this is not listed as a huntable species.. however if they spread .. and create considerable damage this may change.. It was so with racoon. First cute.. then f****
I am glad boars cant jump.. but they do significant damage when colliding with a car.. last Saturday Motorway A45 close to here was blocked 4 hours because of a pack of boars. (bull bars / metal fences mounted on cars are prohibited since 20 years or so. Only vehicles that are older and had an old permission to have it - may keep it. but these are quite rare now. ) but I understand why these are needed in AUS. However considering the larger ones - a steel cage might be required ..

On an island in Loch Lomond, Scotland there are red necked wallabies. Occasionally one will swim to the shore and end up being knocked down on the road.

DaveB · Jan 26, 2023

Wayneos said:
I'm on the look out for a full bonnet/windscreen bar...

We chopped the top off an old Holden HT and a Valiant and went on a two week shooting and camping trip a few days North West of Broken Hill.
This huge red male roo came over the bonnet and windscreen and landed on the front bench seat
It started bucking and kicking and we all jumped out.
Vehicle kept going at 20-30kmh down the road until it came to a stop
With the roo, our food water and guns
that would have been hard to explain

Krabby · Jan 26, 2023

How long will it take for the aftermarket to solve the slider/step situation? I’m guessing not long. If I’m understanding things correctly, the major accessory folks have had access to the trucks and the OEM parts. I’m willing to bet that a solution won’t take long to find. If something better is available whenever we finally get delivery in the US, I’ll go aftermarket. If not, I’ll get the steps and neither me nor my wife are particularly tall.

Krabby · Jan 26, 2023

As a quick follow up - Slee Off-road makes tons of Toyota stuff here in the States. Here is a combo slider-step they make for the Tacoma. Someone will make something similar for the Grenadier.

stickshifter · Jan 26, 2023

Tazzieman said:
The problem with kangaroos is that even if you slow/stop they may jump at you.
They are as unpredictable as when removing a coil spring under tension. You might die , you might just get injured , you might be lucky.

Roos must be related to the American Mule Deer and White Tailed Deer. They just can't seem to figure out the car / road thing. Like roo - deer in New England will often jump at the headlights at night. Our deer here in the West don't jump at cars very often, but they have definitely not been taught to "look both ways before crossing". Check out this collision between a deer and a skate boarder coming down Lookout Mountain (near where I used to live) - its just 47 seconds:

ADVAW8S · Jan 26, 2023

Here is America I think we have several options for everything that we don't want to import. Lucky8 and Sarek come to mind. They are already making aftermarket parts for LR. Both make bumpers and sliders for New Defender and Old Defender. there may be an opportunity to get them on board but one of us would need to donate our Grenadier for prototyping. I plan on talking to a shop here in Wa that does custom Fab work for defender and 4x4.

Farmer Michael · Jan 26, 2023

I have these from Eagle 4x4 on my base model Hilux that came with no side steps. They are not rock sliders by any means but push bushes aside quite happily. They are tucked up close to the sills for good ground clearance but nice and wide for a good footing and protection from car doors when in car parks.

If I could get them for the Grenadier I would, however for a start I will make do with the factory steps. An Ineos test driver assured me that as a farm daily driver, lots of short trips hopping in and out, they would be a wise investment. I have to say that I am not convinced all Grenadier side steps are the same, either that or it is to with the camera angle as some look much closer to the ground than others.

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