Steps or Sliders....hhhmmm

[Tommytime]

First time Jeep owner (not counting my previous Grand Cherokee) I'm curious what steps and sliders are out there. Being vertically challenged and planning on doing some light offroading - not heavy as this will be my A and B - I'm curious if going with a step style vs a slider/running board will I miss the ground clearance and also the protection that a slider would bring. Are there steps out there that won't be a liability if they get caught up on something?

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[ATL_Rubi]

First time Jeep owner (not counting my previous Grand Cherokee) I'm curious what steps and sliders are out there. Being vertically challenged and planning on doing some light offroading - not heavy as this will be my A and B - I'm curious if going with a step style vs a slider/running board will I miss the ground clearance and also the protection that a slider would bring. Are there steps out there that won't be a liability if they get caught up on something?

Rock slide engineering will be the gold standard. Beyond that, there’s a few that come to mind that double as steps and sliders

white knuckle off road
Ace engineering
Motorbilt skins
Goat off road (new product to the market)
Arb makes a rocker protection/step integration
LOD has a few options

one that many will likely recommend is also Rockhard 4x4. Options that double as a step and slider are numerous, your biggest decision will be materials and mounting method.

 

[Tommytime]

I would say Steel and Frame mounting is preferred - any of the above would you recommend I check out over others with this info? Thanks for the reply!

 

[ATL_Rubi]

I would say Steel and Frame mounting is preferred - any of the above would you recommend I check out over others with this info? Thanks for the reply!

If memory serves, white knuckle would be a good start.
Motorbilt I think is steel and frame mounted , there’s a few in that list that use a hybrid mount and utilize the pinch weld and body mounts, I think rock hard falls into that category

ace is a bit expensive (they were bought out a while ago and prices have skyrocketed) but from the above list they each make great options in my opinion

 

[MrClortho]

What happens when you go with steps over sliders that don't stick out at least some (on my RAM). Boulders and sheet metal have differences in opinions.

 

[Jefe1018]

Rock slide engineering will be the gold standard.

Depends what standard you are going after, I feel RSE is a great product, but not when I'm wheeling the shiz out of my truck.

I'm curious if going with a step style vs a slider/running board will I miss the ground clearance and also the protection that a slider would bring. Are there steps out there that won't be a liability if they get caught up on something?

Here is a thread of White Knuckle VS Rock Hard which most folks who off road kinda hard or plan to like to use.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/rock-hard-vs-white-knuckle-sliders.69299/

And past posts with photos of the WK sliders:

White knuckle sliders are in. They are stout. Wish their instructions did a better job of explaining and maybe pictures per instructions, but once you get the general hang of things they went in fairly easy. Biggest bear is the backing plates.

Just another Sunday in southern NV.

We’ve had a very warm winter, last weekend tons of snow fell up in the mountains… we went to check it out a week later hoping to find some fun but just found melted snow, ie mud. No need for 4WD at all, but kicked up plenty of mud on the rig. So I guess parking lot cred with other Jeep’s?

 

[Jefe1018]

What happens when you go with steps over sliders that don't stick out at least some (on my RAM). Boulders and sheet metal have differences in opinions.

Did you slide off a rock? I feel like the White Knuckle design might have saved you here, but hard to tell.

 

[ATL_Rubi]

Depends what standard you are going after, I feel RSE is a great product, but not when I'm wheeling the shiz out of my truck.



Here is a thread of White Knuckle VS Rock Hard which most folks who off road kinda hard or plan to like to use.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/rock-hard-vs-white-knuckle-sliders.69299/

And past posts with photos of the WK sliders:

Always thought I’d hate sliders underneath the rubicon OEM ones, but the more I see WK sliders the more I’m on board with it and move them up my list lol

 

[Jefe1018]

Always thought I’d hate sliders underneath the rubicon OEM ones, but the more I see WK sliders the more I’m on board with it and move them up my list lol

Only draw back was price… it was like $1,700 a tank of gas and lunch for me to get them back to my garage.

 

[MrClortho]

Did you slide off a rock? I feel like the White Knuckle design might have saved you here, but hard to tell.

I believe you are right. The step did get bent but a slider sticking out farther may have saved it. Of course, I didn't expect to do much wheeling in the RAM until...lol

 

[maninblak]

Rock hard patriot sliders on my mojave. Looks good, family enjoys them as a step, hopefully protective if and when I need them.

 

[LostWoods]

Rock hard patriot sliders on my mojave. Looks good, family enjoys them as a step, hopefully protective if and when I need them.

I'll second these. A 1" wide strip of 3M tread tape on the tops slightly inward of center turned these extremely durable sliders into a great step for my wife to get in and if you do it correctly it doesn't rub the back of your leg getting out if you don't use them.

Only downsides... they're heavy AF and I had to drill the pinch rail for a couple of the holes... from what I understand that's not an uncommon situation. Also they mount to the body mounts (which is excellent) but you need to take great care in breaking those loose... you break the nut inside free from its retainer and you're going to have a very bad time involving an angle grinder.

 

[Geoarch]

First time Jeep owner (not counting my previous Grand Cherokee) I'm curious what steps and sliders are out there. Being vertically challenged and planning on doing some light offroading - not heavy as this will be my A and B - I'm curious if going with a step style vs a slider/running board will I miss the ground clearance and also the protection that a slider would bring. Are there steps out there that won't be a liability if they get caught up on something?

I have the Barricade step sliders (or my wife won't ride in my lifted JTR) and there are a number of advantages: 1) the obvious as a step, and 2) it's hard to get the side damaged by the deranged drivers who need to jam their door into the side of your Jeep (see below). I have lifted the JTR with my Hi-lift jack, and it has taken a few hits, but is fine.

Last year while parked in a lot next to a Mercedes, the woman who owned it, right in front of me, jammed her door into my sliders. It chipped her door and she went after me threatening to sue for damage to her car since her husband is a lawyer. I assume that her husband told her otherwise. Wealth does not necessarily equate with intelligence.

 

[Billyj7175]

I run the MetalCloak sliders. The step can be flipped up or down, or removed completely. I haven't tested them up against anything yet, but they sure seem sturdy.

 

[WILDHOBO]

First time Jeep owner (not counting my previous Grand Cherokee) I'm curious what steps and sliders are out there. Being vertically challenged and planning on doing some light offroading - not heavy as this will be my A and B - I'm curious if going with a step style vs a slider/running board will I miss the ground clearance and also the protection that a slider would bring. Are there steps out there that won't be a liability if they get caught up on something?

Get both. Not cheap, but rock slide engineering slider steps are the gold standard. They hold up to hard hits off road, and have automatic steps. My wife and kids love them.

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