RSE Powered Slider Steps & Water

[Warhorn]

Hi all -

I've got a '24 Everglades coming in the next month here, pending no delays. I've recently come across a local deal on a new-in-box set of Rock Slide Engineering's powered slider steps. These were something I was looking at already since they would be perfect for my girlfriend to have a step that low versus hop, skipping, and jumping into the Bronco any time we go anywhere.

My big question revolves around their ability to take on water and not run into issues. Reaching out to their support, the official response was "the steps can handle some water but not to be submerged for very long." I like the steps but, while I don't think I will often find myself knee-deep in water, I also don't want to more or less defeat the purpose of the everglades trim and have to be afraid of water ruining some $2000 steps in the event there happens to be some on a trail.

As an alternative, I will have the factory rock rails and am picking up some hoop steps to keep on for daily driving, and can plan to swap them out with the rails when hitting the trails and not have to worry about any electronics being below board.

Curious on the groups' thoughts here. This will be my first 4x4 vehicle and I have not done any sort of off-roading before outside of ATVs. Not sure how valid the concerns are and wanted to throw the question out there before dropping two grand on steps.

Thank you in advance!

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[Brian_B]

I lock mine open to pressure wash in there every time I wash it...

I think as long as you don't park in the middle of the lake you are good. If you are flooding out the steps, you're also flooding out your wheel bearings and a whole host of the lower suspension and steering components, the rear diff, and the stock exhaust outlet as well -- all of them can get wet no problem, and even take a quick dunk, but you don't want to sit with them submerged. You will be just a few inches from water getting in the cab itself.

The step motors are tucked up up pretty high with the sliders, the sliders don't hang down very far at all. One of the nice things about the RSEs and the way they have the step swing down.

 

[Warhorn]

I lock mine open to pressure wash in there every time I wash it...

I think as long as you don't park in the middle of the lake you are good. If you are flooding out the steps, you're also flooding out your wheel bearings and a whole host of the lower suspension and steering components, the rear diff, and the stock exhaust outlet as well -- all of them can get wet no problem, and even take a quick dunk, but you don't want to sit with them submerged. You will be just a few inches from water getting in the cab itself.

The step motors are tucked up up pretty high with the sliders, the sliders don't hang down very far at all. One of the nice things about the RSEs and the way they have the step swing down.

Appreciate the response here. The Everglades has the venting changed on the diffs but its still just a touch higher than where the RSEs would be mounted. Regardless, I would expect to clean it thoroughly after fording but based on your response I should spend time learning more about what water does to some of the other components. Great to hear that they hold up to the pressure washing, that puts me at ease. I would assume if they are submerge longer than a second or two, I have bigger issues to worry about than whether the steps work or not.

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