Do I really need… part 6 – Rock Sliders

Rock sliders are one of those things that can be good, but may not be, and it all depends on what you’re going to use your 4WD for.

The thing that rock sliders give you is some pretty major protection for your sill panels and the bottom of your doors. They will help you “slide” over large rocks instead of having them crush up into the side of your vehicle. They also can offer a good side step to make getting in and out of your vehicle easier – especially for the shorter of us out there.

Before anything else – rock sliders and side steps are not the same thing! Side steps have one function – a step up into your vehicle, While they will normally ad a tiny bit of strength to the side of your vehicle, they won’t do much, if anything, if you’re resting on a big rock. Rock sliders are designed to handle the loads, forces and hits and keep the rest of the vehicle safe.

Again, deciding if you need rock sliders comes down to how you drive. If you’re taking on hard tracks with big rocks and big ruts and will probably do some sill damage, then a good set of quality rock sliders will help you to keep your body panels straight. If you’re not tackling the tough stuff then a set of side steps will do the job for you.