Sliders & Rock Chip Protection ?

[Ksjrb03]

Does your FE have OEM steps on it?

No, it came with the OEM rock sliders ala Badlands. I currently plan to keep it that way, love the look and havent seen another product I would choose to upgrade to yet. If I do swap them out it would be for something that helps with the rock slinging.

Is it truly just the tires? Or is is a design flaw and you are screwed no matter what tires unless you have the mud flaps? (I am also in the camp of mud flaps are ugly as all hell- I am going to get the zroadz side steps though in hopes that will help)

It's definitely the tires. These GY throw rocks like none Ive ever seen. I have KO2s on my truck, and the same drive to work (section of highway recently re-graveled) is a huge difference in rock slinging.

Yep. Bigger problem is preventing all the damage. How far up onto the fender/door is the rock damage occuring?

Pictures posted above show the cone of destruction perfectly. I swear I've had some pings off the windows.

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[Wolfeman]

PPF is your friend..

Badlands rock rails won’t do shit to protect, a larger slider/step can help but PPF is what you want for the doors.

My silverado I sold for the bronco had a gellcoat on the rocker panel. Very smart and after 130k miles I had no rock chips

One guy I've seen with PPF on the doors, the PPF is shredded as well.

 

[@BadBlueBronco]

One guy I've seen with PPF on the doors, the PPF is shredded as well.

I have PPF on my doors and it looks great. If it’s shredded I feel like they didn’t use actual PPF

 

[@BadBlueBronco]

Yup. But the point I should’ve made clearer is that it throws rocks up through the little gap between fender and slider, AND lower to the ground where it shoots towards the rear fender. Assuming a wider slider/step would solve for the latter, but will need mud flap type coverage for the front doors

The sliders I am having built will have a mini mudflap that fills in that gap. Build updates soon

 

[mandyhoth]

Even with the Outer Banks side steps that are lower, I still get rocks hitting my sides with the Sasquatch. I think mud flaps are the only thing that would help with these tires. They pick up everything

 

[Wolfeman]

I have PPF on my doors and it looks great. If it’s shredded I feel like they didn’t use actual PPF

Here is the thread -

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...ps-after-80-miles-on-county-dirt-roads.29122/

 

[@BadBlueBronco]

Here is the thread -

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...ps-after-80-miles-on-county-dirt-roads.29122/

Lol I think you need to look at the definition of “shredded”

 

[Wolfeman]

Lol I think you need to look at the definition of “shredded”

I think we can agree that they are torn - I count about eight tears in a fairly small area. Would be more if the PPF guy had wrapped the edges. Either way, I don't want to pay for PPF when it's going to look like this after each trip down a few gravel roads.

 

[@BadBlueBronco]

That’s not a tear, but I get your point. If it makes you feel better I have PPF and have taken it off-road 3 times and totaled 10 hours of forest road travel and it’s still flawless.

 

[vzqhsg]

Aluminum doors still rock chip..

and corrode once the paint is gone.

 

[RubiconSasquatch]

seems like the fix should be simple - mud flaps and mud tires. The tires being the biggest factor. If you're worried about looks, maybe those two will net out?

 

[BradtheWelder]

My hope my sliders will protect my doors / lower body area. My sliders stick out past the door handles. I purposely started my build on my rock sliders for the protection I hope they will provide from rocks kicked up from tires and door dings. This isn't really a DIY thing that a lot of other people are capable doing for themselves though. One thing I do want to change already is the area behind the front tires I want to close the area between the front fender flare to my sliders. That little area I believe I am still vulnerable.

Link to more pics https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/welded-on-rock-sliders-for-my-4-door.32977/

 

[Marshhunt]

I ordered Rock Slide Engineering steps almost 2 months ago, before I received my Bronco. They are supposed to ship any day. I plan to put a piece of rubber or plastic on each end to connect it to the fender. The 2nd picture is the damage after driving on my 400' gravel driveway twice. Now I use a screwdriver as soon as I hit pavement to clean the tread. Good thing this is not my daily driver.
I have had a lot of A/T tires. Never seen anything near as bad as these GY. Some of the rocks hold on until +60 MPH.

 

[Battleborn]

Yup. But the point I should’ve made clearer is that it throws rocks up through the little gap between fender and slider, AND lower to the ground where it shoots towards the rear fender. Assuming a wider slider/step would solve for the latter, but will need mud flap type coverage for the front doors

Got to rokblokz.com

 

[Stampede.Offroad]

One guy I've seen with PPF on the doors, the PPF is shredded as well.

Yeah, plastic film a fraction of a millimeter thick isn't going to hold up long against a persistent blast of gravel. Most of those films are only rated to last 5-7 years before they look bad anyway.

Mudflaps might not be pretty but they'll work.

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