I'm planning on replacing my rockers with the standard 2x6 or 2x5 tube. I've done a ton of reading on this, but have 2 questions.

- I had planned on using 1/4" wall tube, but my local steel yard charges a decent chunk more for it and it has to be special ordered. Will 3/16" meet the need?

- How well are sliders holding up when they're just welded to the body? I'll probably cut my rockers about an inch below the door, then bend the metal up so that the sliders sit almost flush with the bottom of the door. I figure it'll give a double thickness of metal to weld to. On the back side I plan to plug weld through the inner rocker to the narrow diameter of the tube, then fold the rocker over the bottom of the tube and do a combination of plug and stitch welding. Not sure how well that'll work, as I haven't welded upside down much, but it seems like it'd increase the rigidity of the body and help prevent cracking. Thoughts?

3/16 is plenty. That's what I have and I would venture to say I've used mine enough to know!

Other question, can't help ya with. I wouldn't do it myself for the reason I mentioned above.

I don't have any experience with sliders, but I wouldn't attach them to the body. I just don't see the body holding up well to that kind of stress. I'd hate to see all that body work you did end up all jacked up. I'd cut and fold your rockers, but hang the sliders from the frame, under the rockers.

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JD has his welded to the body and last I saw/heard they have beat up the body pretty good. The ones I built on my 79 are 1/4 and 3/16. I have used them with no issues on that heavy rig.

here is the frame mount I used.




the best pic I have of the slider.

Thanks for the feedback so far, guys. Keep it coming! Gunni, my concern about not attaching the sliders to the body is that the tub (apparently) doesn't have enough rigidity without the rockers in place. Welding the tube in place of the rocker panels helps reinforce the floor of the tub while giving more clearance.

I agree, if you just cut the rockers off below the door sill, the sill would become very flimsy.

I'd modify the rocker to make it a 1" tall rocker just below the door opening. I was thinking, cut the rocker off 2" below the door opening, then make a 90* bend 1" below the door, leaving you with a 1" horizontal flange. Next build a new bottom piece, that would weld onto the 1" flange and to the inner rocker panel. You could make this lower panel from heavy gauge metal, giving the tub/door opening more structure.

Then you still have the structure of a boxed rocker, but keep it independent from the slider.

If cutting the rockers off and not adding a slider will cause it to cave in then my dads bronco should have folded in half years ago. His rockers are cut off and have been since the late 80's. just food for thought.

I've wondered if you could just use some 3/16" angle, maybe 2"x5" and just weld it to the body, sort of like you're suggesting, Gunni, except using the heavier guage metal in place of the rocker. I'm not anticipating hitting too much with my rockers, just don't really feel like repairing damage and want the extra clearance. Zoso, interesting, I've always heard that not reinforcing the rocker area caused problems.

I'm sure there are lots of ways to skin this cat. Including just cutting and waiting/hoping.

I thought about just welding 3/4" angle under the sill, and along the outer edge like this guy did to stiffen his cheapo floor pans. (I cheaped out years ago on my floor pans and followed this thread installing mine). Pics are about 1/2 way down the page.

http://www.broncofix.com/viewtopic.php?t=261574

I'd be worried if you tried to pull the body off the frame I can see it just folding in half. I have cut mine off also. I left about an inch under the door. When I go to pull the body off I am going to brace the door frame and rocker.

So I am planning on doing this mod as well and was initially planning on attaching them to the body to start and could attach them to the frame down the road if I feel it is necessary. The one thought I had with just attaching them to the body without frame reinforcement is that you will have a double thickness reinforced outer rocker folded in and then you will have a vertically hanging inner rocker that you will weld to. With the total length of the slider itself, I would imagine it could withstand a decent amount of stress without the reinforecement to the frame. I also do not intend to utilize them in any wheeling maneuvering. Unless you were leaning heavily on them, I just don't see them jacking up the body that easily...

My sliders are welded to the body. And I have abused them quite liberally. There is some strange stuff happening to the body, but I can't attribute it to having the sliders welded to the body or simply just working a 40yr old bronco body hard; something it was never designed for.

I don't recall the exact dimension of my metal (3 1/2" x 2" x 3/16" rings a bell), but as you can see it's in a "L" shape, therefore resists horizontal and vertical forces very well. The vertical tube is butted against the bottom of the door sill and is against the inner rocker panel. The horizontal in then butted against the vertical tube and where I cut off the rockers.


As you can see, they don't appear to be any worse for the wear. The buckling on the front fender is from catching it with a tire chain on a stuffed tire.


In all honestly, it has held up very well. I know I have used them as pivots for the bronco before, while side-hilling so a lot of the weight on the bronco is on them.

If I were to do it again, one thing is for sure, I'd seal them to make air tanks. But I can't say that what I did has failed. However, you are asking a lot from some very long 3/8" bolts holding the body to the frame, so it would probably be better to weld them to the frame. Just make sure you weld a nice 1/4" plate to the frame and weld your sliders to those plates to disperse the load, with some triangulation. And tuck the supports up as high as possible.

Go take a look at K&K surplus for your steel. Might take a few trips, but you may land what you need far less than new steel.