I started to make some rocker gaurds today.

I'm making them with steel tubing and they will kind of take on the look of a nerf bar, but they wont act as a step.

The side profile is gonna look like this.
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I'm using a bender so the whole guard will be one piece of tubing.

I was origanally gonna weld the ends onto the frame, but my uncle suggested that it might be better to weld a plate onto  both ends of the tubing, then use U-bolts to hold the plate onto the frame.

They will probabaly be done tomorrow so I'll take some pics for everyone.

I'm interested to see how they are going to turn out (and see what your talking about in more detail via pictures) since I've been planning on fabricating up something like this sometime in the near future.

dam i wish i had a shop like your unc's kreg

I have a related question... would drilling holes to mount somthing like this weaken the structure of a Tracker frame? Would it be better to weld it on?

I personally wouldnt want to drill holes in my frame unless I had to.

If you did drill holes I would go right through the frame so you can slide a bolt through and toruqe it tight.  If you were just gonna lag bolt it to one wall of the frame it would be pretty booty fab.

Even welding will weaken the frame but I would rather weld than drill holes.

I liked my uncles U-bolt idea, and I know I've seen some rocker gaurds attacted like this before, so I'm gonna go that route.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA awsome pic kreg

i dont have a web site, so i will send you some pics of mine here in a min.  it it more for show than as a guard but i can stand on it and bounce up and down with no prob.  they are welded tubes with gussets. hope it helps.

what happens when you drag the frame down a rock

Stu

I guess your U-bolts would take a bit of a beating.

I came up with a better Idea today.  I'm just gonna use another plate and sandwich my frame in between the two, then bolt them tight. I'll make one of the plates "L" shaped so it will act as a guard for the bolts.

The guards arent done yet.  I had to stay late for work today so I never got a chance to go to the shop. Hopefully they will be done tomorrow.

Mine have plates where the bars are WELDED to the frame.

Well whats better? Welding or Bolting?

Well whats better? Welding or Bolting?

Personally, I'm not sure, but Spidertrax (who built and installed mine) assured me that welded was better in their opinion...  Now my roll cage, is bolted AND welded.

Most frames like your Chev's and Fords and harden C channeled frams.  You won't find many welds on them.  If you weld them it will cause the frame to soften in that spot and will fateage (sp?) and break at the weld.

The trackers are make of cold rolled steel tubing.  It's ok to weld on them.

I think welding is stronger, but you can remove a bolted on piece.  So it come's down to personal prefance.

I remember hearing somewhere about the deal with welding something to the frame would cause the frame to be really weak at that point and break, which is why I originally asked that question. Since this doesn't appear to be the case, I think I'll weld mine right to the frame

I just found out that if you have anything welded to your frame in B.C. that your vehicle won't pass inspection, if a cop ever nails you with one.

So I'm glad I'm going the bolt-on route for that reason.

I just need to find some suitable plate for the guards and they will be done.