Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

Rock Rails??


Andyjo
 Share

Recommended Posts

I've seen Heeps with them , 2 of my friends have them... they just seem like they'd add ALOT of weight, while protecting your pinch weld, but let's face.. none of us have those seams any more :headbang:

I dunno.. i found some Square tube that i could use..... sorta' heavy though... I also was thinking i should put running boards on it.. heh, for those covert subaru operations, with the black ops team on the side of the car.. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've seen Heeps with them , 2 of my friends have them... they just seem like they'd add ALOT of weight, while protecting your pinch weld, but let's face.. none of us have those seams any more :headbang:

I dunno.. i found some Square tube that i could use..... sorta' heavy though... I also was thinking i should put running boards on it.. heh, for those covert subaru operations, with the black ops team on the side of the car.. :D

 

 

lol... hey might as well make a turret and mount a .50 cal up top, never know when you might need to get a deer off the road quick :clap:

 

the only real benefit I see to rockrails is protecting the floorboard, and protecting the doors so if you do land on a rock you can still open and shut your doors... I'm more concerend about my driveshaft and differantial and oil pan to be honest, mostly because my driveshaft now sits below the frame rails w/ 6" body lift.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alot of the "Heeps" & Toyotas use them to slide around stumps and rocks in real tight turns. This is done by pressing against the stump or whatever to make the rear slide out allowing to make the tight turns in one stab. They are normaly termed "sliders". Yes, they also protect the jams.

 

3/16" angle would probably fit nicely on the Subaru jams.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been trying to figure out a way to fasten a set of 2" round 3/16" thick tube to the bottom sort of like nerf bar sliders but up really close to the body. I've damaged the under side under the doors before pushing it up to touch the bottom of the doors. really would prefer to not do that to my '86 Hatch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i was thinking something along the lines of 1x1" 1/8" wall square tube... stick it out say... 1-2 inches from the pinch seam, right at that level of the pinch weld... so i could stand on it to get into the box, and use them as running boards and protect the doors a little.. :headbang:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alot of the "Heeps" & Toyotas use them to slide around stumps and rocks in real tight turns. This is done by pressing against the stump or whatever to make the rear slide out allowing to make the tight turns in one stab. They are normaly termed "sliders". Yes, they also protect the jams.
lol, that's what that little plastic trim piece on the door is for!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I got my Hatch there was a "rock slider" installed. Of course, the damage was already done, they were installed in hindsight. It took me a good 2hrs to beat out the rockpan/doorjam so the bottom of the door would seal and not let water in. The door has also been replaced, so whoever did the damage did a real number to it. The bars are 1.5in x 3in stock with flat bar welded to it and then bolted to the frame rails. They are not that heavy and I think its a smart addition to any offroader.

camohatch2.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

camohatch2.jpeg

:eek:I think I'm looking at my car's twin...same light bar too...simular bumper...your's it a little higher but not much and bigger tires but the paint is almost the same...like your camo better than mine too...going to re-camo mine this summer...already have the paint...What size and kind of tires are those and how do you like them? Wouldn't happen to have any other pics of it? PM me if you do, would love to see them. Sorry for the hi-jack...wasn't my intentional. Just in Shock and Ahhhh!!!

LOVE your car!!:banana::headbang::banana:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just this morning I was laying under my Hatch admiring the damage I did two weekends ago and was thinking about how I should attach rock sliders even though there ain't much left to protect. Now both sides of my car are so fubared that the doors barely shut and certainly won't seal anymore. Those rocker panels are fragile and smoosh like pop cans. My point being, I think Andy's on the right track...better to pro-actively add a little weight rather than taco your unibody and rockers like I've done.

 

Hey Rob, since I haven't seen you in three years or so and sure haven't seen this camo Hatch, howsabout posting a pic showing how the rock sliders are mounted. I'm guessing the car is sub-framed and the sliders are welded to that, but I'd still like to see how it's done. Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just this morning I was laying under my Hatch admiring the damage I did two weekends ago and was thinking about how I should attach rock sliders even though there ain't much left to protect. Now both sides of my car are so fubared that the doors barely shut and certainly won't seal anymore. Those rocker panels are fragile and smoosh like pop cans. My point being, I think Andy's on the right track...better to pro-actively add a little weight rather than taco your unibody and rockers like I've done.

 

Hey Rob, since I haven't seen you in three years or so and sure haven't seen this camo Hatch, howsabout posting a pic showing how the rock sliders are mounted. I'm guessing the car is sub-framed and the sliders are welded to that, but I'd still like to see how it's done. Thanks.

 

Has it been that long? Last time we went out was Kanaskat, when I had the blue Hatch. Hope to see you again soon to do some more wheeling. I will try and get some pics of underneath, maybe by tomorrow.

 

 

I think I'm looking at my car's twin...same light bar too...simular bumper...your's it a little higher but not much and bigger tires but the paint is almost the same...like your camo better than mine too...going to re-camo mine this summer...already have the paint...What size and kind of tires are those and how do you like them? Wouldn't happen to have any other pics of it? PM me if you do, would love to see them. Sorry for the hi-jack...wasn't my intentional. Just in Shock and Ahhhh!!!

LOVE your car!!

 

The tires are 30x10.50 Superswamper TSL's. Very wide tires and make all kinds of noise on the road and stick way out. The wheels are Chevy 15in 6 lugs drilled out to fit the hubs. I would prefer skinnier tires, might look into get some later and selling these.

 

Heres a pic right after I got it and promptly got it stuck in a mud hole. Stupid open diff.

dirtyhatchrt.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

well, I don't see much point, unless you're going to make an entire underbody skidplate, that's 1/4" thick stainless steel.....just a little tube right under the doors seems REALLY pointless to me, in my experience (buddy on the local wheeling club...with a cherokee), the sliders did more damage, cause he bent 'em at the mount, and it destroyed the body panel, and it wouldn't have otherwise....and we've got rocks up here!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nerf bars/rock sliders can help a lot if they are made right. The majority of them are oversized thinwall tube that crumples, or worse bends up and crushes the body. The problem with mounting them on a subaru is that there is nothing strong enough on the body to mount them too. So you need to build cross bars under the body to tie the two sides together. Then you run into driveshaft and exhaust clearance issues.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally Posted by singletrack

I think Subarus slide over stuff pretty well in stock form.

 

Said your oil pump at Moab.

 

Sliding and bashing are different.

 

But he's right. Adding a "slider" or nerf bars takes away precious clearance. Once you're mashed in your rockers, you've created more clearance for the next time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can tell you it would've been handy on the legacy this weekend, if only to use the high-lift to change the tire instead of a bottle jack in the snow...

 

but I'd need lift before I could justify it....

 

was thinking though if someone had a dedicated offroad rig they could cut out the rockers and replace with stronger stuff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can tell you it would've been handy on the legacy this weekend, if only to use the high-lift to change the tire instead of a bottle jack in the snow...

 

but I'd need lift before I could justify it....

 

was thinking though if someone had a dedicated offroad rig they could cut out the rockers and replace with stronger stuff

wow...good question...wonder what that would consist of and how much trouble it would be...the benifit would be worth it I think...could this actually happen??
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know this sounds ghetto, but I was thinking about some rocker panels on the hatch and I came up with a great idea! Plywood! It's cheap, replaceable and pretty darn tough! (Plus it adds some white trash flavor to your vehicle.)

 

My only problem is...

What part of the rust is strong enough to hold bolts?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know this sounds ghetto, but I was thinking about some rocker panels on the hatch and I came up with a great idea! Plywood! It's cheap, replaceable and pretty darn tough! (Plus it adds some white trash flavor to your vehicle.)

 

My only problem is...

What part of the rust is strong enough to hold bolts?

 

Are you related to Miles Fox?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...