Real talk regarding choosing 80 series rock sliders
If you're going to take your rig deep into the bush or even crawl over some technical terrain, a good set of 80 series rock sliders is pretty much non-negotiable intended for keeping your sills intact. Let's be honest, the Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Series is an absolute tank, but it's also the heavy beast with a lot associated with sheet metal exposed between wheels. A single bad line through a rock garden and you're looking at a crumpled rocker panel that will costs three periods as much to repair as a good set of sliders could have cost within the first location.
I've seen plenty associated with guys go out with factory "steps" thinking they'll offer a few protection. Spoiler alarm: they don't. All those aluminum or thin-walled steel steps are usually basically just "damage multipliers. " These people fold up straight into the body the second they touch a stump or a rock, often performing more harm than if they weren't there at almost all. If you're severe about wheeling, you will need real steel under there.
Exactly why the 80 series needs serious defense
The 80 series is the long-wheelbase vehicle compared to something similar to the Jeep Wrangler, plus while that makes it ride such as a dream upon the highway and stay stable upon climbs, it provides it a very mediocre breakover angle. You will find the center of your truck dragging over crests. Since the 80 is definitely so heavy—especially as soon as we start including drawers, fridges, and steel bumpers—that down force is massive.
If you drop two and also a half tons associated with Toyota onto a granite slab, you want that power transferred into the framework, not your doorway pillars. A well-built set of 80 series rock sliders acts as a secondary frame train, sliding you more than obstacles rather than letting you get strung up. It's the difference between a "clunk" followed by a smooth slide and a "crunch" then a very costly trip to the -panel beaters.
Materials choices and exactly why they matter
When you start shopping around, you'll see a lot of talk about DOM (Drawn Over Mandrel) vs. HREW (Hot Rolled Electric Welded) tubing. In case you're a casual weekend warrior hitting fire roads, HREW is probably good and will conserve you several bucks. But for the particular 80 series, that is significantly heavier compared to your average Hilux or Tacoma, DOM is generally the way in order to go.
DEM is denser and much more uniform, meaning it's less likely to dent or collapse within heavy effect. You also want in order to look at the particular wall thickness. Almost all reputable fabricators use a minimum of 0. 120" (1/8 inch) wall structure tubing, but regarding an 80, bumping up to zero. 188" (3/16 inch) isn't a poor idea if you're planning on doing some serious rock moving. It adds excess weight, sure, but the peace of mind is worth it when you're pivoting the entire weight of the truck upon a single stage.
The miracle of the kickout
One function you'll see on a lot of 80 series rock sliders is a "kickout" close to the rear wheel. If you haven't used sliders having a kickout before, it might just look such as a styling selection, but it's really one of the particular most functional parts of the style.
The kickout flares apart from the body simply before the rear tire. Its job is to push the rear of the vehicle away from a rock or a tree as you're moving forward. This stops your rear one fourth panel from obtaining sucked into the particular obstacle while you switch. Given how wide the 80 series "hips" are, having that extra little bit of steel in order to nudge you from trouble is a lifesaver in tight spots. Plus, this makes a great step for reaching stuff on your roofing rack.
Bolt on vs. Weld-on
This is a good age-old debate in the 4x4 community. For most 80 series owners, bolt-on sliders are the preferred option. The 80 has the massive, fully encased frame that manages bolt-on loads extremely well. Good bolt on sliders use "U-bolt" or "sleeved" mounting systems that wrap around the framework, giving you the massive amount of surface area for the particular load to distribute.
The main advantage of bolt-on is that you can eliminate them for artwork, or should you ever determine to sell the rig and want to move the sliders to another 80 (because let's encounter it, we all end up buying another one). Weld-on sliders are technically the strongest, but they're permanent. If you aren't a self-confident welder, you're paying out a shop to do the work, and you're also risking heat-treating issues within the frame if it's done poorly. For 95% of all of us, a high-quality bolt on set is even more than enough.
They aren't just for rocks
While we contact them "rock sliders, " they're in fact one of the most versatile upgrades you can put on your vehicle. First, they behave as a hi-lift jack stage. You can't safely raise an 80 from the factory bumpers or maybe the body, but you can throw a hi-lift within sturdy slider and get the tire off the ground in seconds.
Second, they're the particular perfect step. In the event that you've got a 2-inch or 3-inch lift, getting within and out of the 80 can be a bit of the workout. A slider with a best plate or "tread plate" gives a person as well as your passengers a solid place to phase. It's the great way to stop the mud off your boots before a person climb inside. Simply make sure the very best plate has several grip—bare powder-coated metal gets incredibly slick when it's raining.
Protecting your investment
Once you make your 80 series rock sliders installed, you've obtained to maintain them. These things are usually designed to obtain hit, and whenever they do, the paint or powder coat is going to scrape away. If you live somewhere with salt upon the roads or lots of dampness, those bare metallic scratches will become rust pretty rapidly.
A lot of guys choose a simple rattle-can paint job more than professional powder layer for this exact reason. If a person scrape a powder-coated slider, moisture can get under the coating and begin bubbling. If you use a quality spray paint (like a bumpy engine enamel or even a chassis black), you are able to just grab a can from the particular garage and contact up the scrapes after every vacation. It takes a few minutes and keeps the particular sliders looking clean for years.
Fitting them yourself
Installing 80 series rock sliders is really a job a person can definitely do in your front yard, but I'll give you one piece associated with advice: get a buddy to help. These things are usually heavy. Trying in order to balance a 60-pound bit of steel while you're lying upon your back trying to line upward bolts is a recipe for a poor Saturday.
A floor jack port and some jack port stands are your own best friends here. You can use the jack in order to lift the slider into position towards the frame, then just use your fingers to tweak the alignment. Make sure you check for any brake lines or fuel lines that may be running along the frame train before you begin tightening things lower. The 80 series usually includes a bit of room to utilize, but it's often better to double-check than to pinch the line.
Final thoughts on the update
At the end of the day, 80 series rock sliders are one of those "buy as soon as, cry once" adjustments. You can discover cheap ones on the internet, however they usually give up on the mounting hardware or maybe the metal thickness. When you're out in the center of nowhere and you listen to that gut-wrenching sound of metal meeting stone, you want to know that the only thing getting scratched is a piece of sacrificial steel, not the one you love Land Cruiser.
Whether you're creating a dedicated rock crawler or a reliable overlander, adding sliders should be high on your list. They will give you the confidence to consider the harder series, provide a safe recovery point, plus honestly, they simply make the 80 appearance a whole great deal meaner. Once they're on, you'll wonder how you ever wheeled without all of them.