Side Runners or Rock Sliders?

Cheshire cat said:

I found it easy to climb in without any rails but sliding out was likely to take its toll on the bolster.
Ironically, when I had to do the same on the passenger side, I found it a struggle.

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Xrford said:

Hmm looks like Buzz overland have not put any of the raised dimples in the middle of the steps, just so they can put their branding text there. The raised dimples add traction to the step but yet the most used portion of the step is devoid of them. i would much rather have the dimples there for added grip.

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Jeffrey said:

Are those three bolts at the end of that long bracket representative of all the mounting bolts? Surely there needs to be some good fasteners closer to the pinch weld or under the edge of the body. If not, the leverage factor is certainly not in your favor.

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Xrford said:

Thanks, but I am really not a fan of the over branding buzz does on all their products. Plus being laser cut into everything makes it impossible to remove. If they really felt the need to put their branding on it then use something less permanent, like stickers.

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RyanT said:

HI Xrfrod,

Where the logo is place, is pretty much where your toes would end up when steeping onto the tread plate. As you can see in the photo below the ball of your foot would rest on the first row of the dimples. Hence we placed the logo where we did, as it didn't detract from he grip the tread plate offers.

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Loc Nar said:

Respectfully, still not as good as no huge logo and more dimples. I love the fact that one can request a set with no branding. That's listening to your customers and speaks volumes. Well done! By the way, I certainly understand why you did not try to shorten the logo footprint and just go with B (dimple) O (dimple). Suggestion, you need a tighter footprint way of advertising your brand. Love the design of the rock sliders.

With your business name of Buzz Overland, you need a small and simple bee hovering over a mountain. Tight, small, circular even. This one's on me.

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Parallaxe said:

I'm struggling to choose between the Side Runners and the Rock Sliders.
The Side Runners seem to take away quite some ground clearance. The Rock Sliders seem to sit a bit higher underneath the vehicle.

What are your experiences with both? Which option will you (probably) choose?

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RyanT said:

Hmmmm… I really like your idea regarding the logo. Certainly something we’ll give some thought to, thanks!

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stickshifter said:

Make the decision based on what you need, because the two options are very different.

Side runners or "side steps" are there to provide a step, to help you get into the vehicle or to reach the roof. They offer no protection from rocks, and can actually increase damage to the vehicle if you get hung up in the rocks. This happens because side runners reduce ground clearance, making it more likely that you hit a rock, and the impact to the side runner can damage your rocker panel, and maybe your door. Side runners are a great option if you need a step, and don't need protection on rocky trails.

Rock sliders are much heavier than side runners; they are made from steel that is strong enough to support the entire vehicle. They offer protection to your vehicle when off-roading in technical rocky terrain. You can jack up the vehicle using the rock slider as your point of contact - that's how strong they are. But there are downsides: (1) they are heavy (sliders this length will weigh between 100-150 pounds for the pair - depending on construction; I haven't seen a weight provided by Ineos), and (2) they aren't great as "side steps" due to the angle at which they are mounted (which is intentional, as it maximizes ground clearance and the ability to slide over rocks). So you get reduced convenience as a step, and reduced payload in your vehicle due to the weight of the slider. Rock sliders are a bad option unless you need the protection.

Here are a list of rock sliders that I checked-out for my 2017 Tacoma. The columns are (1) Manufacturer, (2) Material: the main difference is strength. HREW (hot rolled electric welded) metal is milder steel, which is still plenty strong, with a yield strength of 40ksi. DOM (drawn over mandrel) steel is the same material which does not have a welded seam, with a yield strength of roughly 70ksi; and (3) Weight in pounds for the pair.

CompanyMaterialPoundsRCIHREW120CBIHREW110CBIDOM130PelfreybiltDOM / HREW100Metal TechDOM132All Pro?120BAMFHREW?MobtownDOM150

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Loc Nar said:

White Knuckle Off Road just came out with rock sliders for the Grenadier. Check them out here. All they do is rock sliders, and they have angle and top plate options for those that would like to make them more step friendly.

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