Winches and Sliders and Trails, Oh My!

[Yeti]

I have two items left to finish the parts list of my build with the exception of the drawer I'll build.

For sliders, I've only found one company that really is top notch. White Knuckle Offroad seems to be the only game in town for actual sliders. Spending $2,200 when the Toyo guys are spending a third of that is annoying but I'm not seeing much of a choice.

My last part is the winch. So I've gone down the rabbit hole to where all I can see is the Warn platinum 12 S. While that is an excellent winch, you're basically paying twice as much to have a remote free-spool release (because trying to do it with our trucks is not very likely). So we all know that freespooling is convenient but is it really necessary? Is it $900 necessary? I still have the superwinch Talon 12.5 from my last truck and have started to think just how much I need access to a freespool release.

Feedback on either if these topics are welcomed. Understanding that sliders only connect to frames and there is no way to access a behind the bumper spool release.

 

[Bakes]

For what it's worth, the Badlands apex 12,000lbs winch seems pretty good. Matt's Off Road Recovery uses them on both of his rigs and has never seemed to have had any problems with them.

12,000 lb. Winch with Synthetic Rope and Wireless Remote

Amazing deals on this 12000Lb Electric Off-Road Vehicle Winch at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[Yeti]

For what it's worth, the Badlands apex 12,000lbs winch seems pretty good. Matt's Off Road Recovery uses them on both of his rigs and has never seemed to have had any problems with them.

12,000 lb. Winch with Synthetic Rope and Wireless Remote

Amazing deals on this 12000Lb Electric Off-Road Vehicle Winch at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Yeah. I've heard good things about them. A bunch of toyo guys use them around here. I'm of the opinion that my superwinch is the greatest of all winches. But is there ever a scenario where I need to freespool? And is it worth $2200?

 

[Wrench77]

Another option for sliders is Rocky Road. I don't have experience with them but I'm leaning that direction as opposed to White Knuckle.

Rockrails, rock sliders, Step Rail kits: Rock Slider kits for any vehicle, Jeep, Toyota, Ford, Chevy, Dodge, etc, etc...

Nothing is more discouraging that smashing rocker panels on your 4x4. Not a worry when you have Rocky Road's Rock Slider kits.

www.rocky-road.com

 

[High_Country]

Yeah. I've heard good things about them. A bunch of toyo guys use them around here. I'm of the opinion that my superwinch is the greatest of all winches. But is there ever a scenario where I need to freespool? And is it worth $2200?

Do you see the need to freespool - when it arises - a safety thing or just a convenience thing to be able to do it remotely? I’m assuming you can actually do it physically in the new setup if you can’t remotely.
I’d put a big premium on safety. But if it’s more convenience / time saving, I’d break it down into “how many times per month would I need it…over how many years…what’s that cost per instance? $9? $90? Is it worth it?

 

[High_Country]

Or said another way, if it’s a matter of time saving, does it save you ten minutes a month? An hour?
Of course, sometimes it’s just nice to have nice sh!t too.

 

[Yeti]

Do you see the need to freespool - when it arises - a safety thing or just a convenience thing to be able to do it remotely? I’m assuming you can actually do it physically in the new setup if you can’t remotely.
I’d put a big premium on safety. But if it’s more convenience / time saving, I’d break it down into “how many times per month would I need it…over how many years…what’s that cost per instance? $9? $90? Is it worth it?

Yeah, I don't know if there is a real reason for the freespool other than the 10 minutes it'll save you winching then respooling it later. For about $200, I can buy a wireless remote for my Talon and a solenoid connected to one of the internal switches.

And if I'm thinking about it, I could buy 2 new winches and a hidden rear mount for the cost of the 12s platinum. Wait.. I'm going the wrong way, here. Damn forum..

 

[Yeti]

Another option for sliders is Rocky Road. I don't have experience with them but I'm leaning that direction as opposed to White Knuckle.

Rockrails, rock sliders, Step Rail kits: Rock Slider kits for any vehicle, Jeep, Toyota, Ford, Chevy, Dodge, etc, etc...

Nothing is more discouraging that smashing rocker panels on your 4x4. Not a worry when you have Rocky Road's Rock Slider kits.

www.rocky-road.com

Yeah, I get it. Definitely cheaper and while I would have destroyed them with my last rig, do I really think I'm going to take a $70k truck up Windrock 22? Probably not.

I had considered stopping by on my way to portland, next month but getting sliders wrong is costly.

 

[FaKtor34]

I have two items left to finish the parts list of my build with the exception of the drawer I'll build.

For sliders, I've only found one company that really is top notch. White Knuckle Offroad seems to be the only game in town for actual sliders. Spending $2,200 when the Toyo guys are spending a third of that is annoying but I'm not seeing much of a choice.

My last part is the winch. So I've gone down the rabbit hole to where all I can see is the Warn platinum 12 S. While that is an excellent winch, you're basically paying twice as much to have a remote free-spool release (because trying to do it with our trucks is not very likely). So we all know that freespooling is convenient but is it really necessary? Is it $900 necessary? I still have the superwinch Talon 12.5 from my last truck and have started to think just how much I need access to a freespool release.

Feedback on either if these topics are welcomed. Understanding that sliders only connect to frames and there is no way to access a behind the bumper spool release.

Ok first off the winch, I have a couple of thoughts on this but it depends on the lengths you want to go to, 1) is the free spool gonna be needed, my thought is I can pick up another rope or cable for a third of the cost run out 10-15ft and attach that together then winch myself out. 2) you could always make an access plate on the skid so you could easily reach the free spool.

Now on to the sliders, I agree that white knuckle is beyond any on the market, but there are some out there that are pretty good and can be used as a lift point, the other option and one I'm seriously considering is having a shop fabricate some for me to my specs, it turns out that you can get this done for far less at a machine/metal fabricators than order a set.

Those are my thoughts and ideas, it all depends on what your willing to do though, the steps we currently have aren't sliders by any means but they have surprised me on the fact they haven't been bent to hell and back a couple of times when I've been stupid. If you want white knuckle then do them, you get piece of mind, if you wanna save some look at some different reviews of others, or pick out some designs and either build your own or have them custom made locally.

 

[Ghale3686]

Good sliders are worth the $. They will save you more than enough to cover the remote free spool capability. One of these days you are going to have to scratch the itch of windrock 22 in your Tremor - you "gots to know". Have you figured out the hidden winch mount? My truck should be built at the end of August and I will definitely need a winch (among other things) and prefer the hidden variety. Any help would be appreciated. BTW, I really like your build.

 

[Yeti]

Good sliders are worth the $. They will save you more than enough to cover the remote free spool capability. One of these days you are going to have to scratch the itch of windrock 22 in your Tremor - you "gots to know". Have you figured out the hidden winch mount? My truck should be built at the end of August and I will definitely need a winch (among other things) and prefer the hidden variety. Any help would be appreciated. BTW, I really like your build.

Thanks. I purchased the gen3 raptor hidden winch mount from swarfworks. I should have all of the parts in today and will give an update. We need to relocate our intercooler so I went with the Cobb front mount in black. They may both need some tweaking and I still need to figure out what I'm going to do with the lower grill. Coincidentally, I received my 3d scanner this week so I may just print something (think honeycomb).

 

[Ghale3686]

Thanks. Really clean looking. Looking forward to the update!

 

[metallikatz3]

After hitting some trails this weekend I can say for sure I want sliders. I bent the hell out of one of my step brackets dropping the step oon a submerged rock that I couldn't see while going thru a big puddle.

Thankfully it's still secure and doesn't seem to have bent the actual step. But still would rather have something more substantial to protect the truck

 

[Yeti]

yeah, happy it was just the step. I keep going back to the rocky road setup. Is it at all possible that Ford did actually build their bodies that they would be sturdy enough to attach sliders at the 3 step points?

 

[metallikatz3]

I just looked at the Rocky Road site and they look pretty nice, but good point about the factory mount points...

I'm about a 45 min drive from their shop and might offer my truck to them for R&D since I don't see they have the 2021+ F150 as a confirmed fitment yet.

 

[Yeti]

I'll be driving through there, next month. If I can talk myself into it, I'll stop by and pick some up. I did offer my truck but they basically said, bring it by and our development guy will take a look

 

[FaKtor34]

The f150 frame is built the same way that the f250+ is built, I haven't looked in detail on rocky roads website but if they have a way to mold around that frame it would work well to just use the bolt holes for the steps, Ford has a heavy steel box frame.

I had a Honda civic try to tear the front end of my 2011, it hit me at around 70 when he ran a red light. He impacted the driver's side tire with the passenger door it pushed the door halfway thru the passenger seat and rolled the roof of the car halfway thru the seat. If he had a passenger they would be dead.

My truck well it messed the wheel up, fender, head light, bumper, broke one tie rod, bent the other tie rod and broke the mounts on the radiator and one engine mount. That was all. The body shop couldn't believe there was no frame damage at all. They had it back together in 3days. Had they not have had to replace all 4 wheels it wouldn't have been but about 2k in damages, unfortunately the wheels I had on had been discontinued so they had to replace all 4 at another $1600.

 

[Djdj1000]

Thanks. I purchased the gen3 raptor hidden winch mount from swarfworks. I should have all of the parts in today and will give an update. We need to relocate our intercooler so I went with the Cobb front mount in black. They may both need some tweaking and I still need to figure out what I'm going to do with the lower grill. Coincidentally, I received my 3d scanner this week so I may just print something (think honeycomb).

Sounds like a great build and looking forward to seeing pictures and getting your thoughts on the setup! Swarfworks definitely seems like the cleanest option for the wench mount.

 

[Charky]

Thanks. I purchased the gen3 raptor hidden winch mount from swarfworks. I should have all of the parts in today and will give an update. We need to relocate our intercooler so I went with the Cobb front mount in black. They may both need some tweaking and I still need to figure out what I'm going to do with the lower grill. Coincidentally, I received my 3d scanner this week so I may just print something (think honeycomb).

@Yeti, have you had an opportunity to install the swarfworks bracket and the Cobb intercooler? Just wondering if everything fit together well.

It's not like I'm waiting with breathless anticipation or anything .

 

[DumpsDenny]

Any update on this setup, I’m interested in doing this?