Sliders to replace predator steps

Hi All,

My TRD Pro came with the predator steps. I want to replace them with sliders and have it narrowed down to either RSG or Cali Raised. Now I'm trying to determine which type. I want it to function as a step, which either can do. Now it's deciding whether to get the angled or flat and whether or not to get a top plate. I'm going with the side kickout. I'm leaning towards the flat design.

Here are my questions. Do I need a top plate in the flat design, or is the tube enough to catch your foot? Does anyone use the angled design as a step, and how do you like it?

 

My RSG flat sliders with kickout is 100% functional as a step for my kid and dog. Driver side kickout have some scuffs probably did the job protecting the rear. Just for fun I used the hi-lift jack on the sliders to lift. But I don't do serious offroading.
BUT.....
To my eyes flat ones with kickout don't look good. I think the angled ones look good but not sure about functionality as a step or used with hi-lift jack.

 

If you're looking for sliders to also use as steps (like me), the general consensus seems to be flat as angle doesn't really work that well as a step. Westcott Designs seems to be the widest closely followed by RSG (at least from my searching of the threads here). I'm just trying to decide if kick out or no kick out, then hopefully wait for one to go on sale for black friday.

 

I am happy with the flat top RSG with kickout. The flat top plate has dimples that provide good grip. No plate I would be worried slipping when wet/snow.

I love the angled but won't work for me as a step climbing to roof rack.

 

Thanks. I saw the top plate with the mini spikes, and that is a not go. That will tear up wash sponges. I'm in Texas so snow is not a concern. I'd imagine rain would also affect the smooth top plate.

 

I'm waiting for BF too. The angled look much better IMO. Just wondering if there is enough tube to catch.

 

Rust is another concern with top plate. I am in Texas to so not an issue local but take the rig everywhere.

Advice on powder coating. Pay for it. Not worth the time and effort trying to do it yourself.

 

They also offer other top plates as well outside of the grip top plate, just fyi.

 

Knowing what I now know living in the snow belt, I'd skip the plates. The salty slush collects under the top plate and is a major pain-in-the-ass to keep clean. It is no fun going to the self-serve car wash in the freezing cold, getting down on your hands and knees on the wet or icy pavement to power wash it. Unless you're a total klutz, the tube should provide enough surface area for a decent step. You could use skateboard tape to help with better traction.

A wheelin' buddy was so fed up, he cut the top plates off of his sliders. He then had to remove the powder coat (a major job in itself) grind the welds, then clean and paint them.

 

Looks like StoneyRanger deleted the comment. But you are correct sir. I'm in CO. The salt would accumulate under the top plate and needs cleaning to avoid rust.

I'm also not a fan my top plate having holes. Unline the running boards the dirt come through the holes. Wish I had an option to get a plate without holes.

If I'm not mistaken RSG recomends to remove the sliders to check if there's any rust where slider plate meets the frame. I'm a small made guy and removing and fixing back is not my thing. I pray that it doesn't rust. As a prevention I did a thick coating of rust-oleam paint on the frame.

 

First time I've heard of the need for wash-sponge friendly sliders... I use a brush on the sliders.

You can get the RSG top plate with those serrated edges up or down, you just have to specify.

 

We went with RSG Flat with a top plate. Reason being is that I do have elderly parents who do use it as a step when I am visiting, and angled or an “open” top would be too hazardous for them. I am 6’ and I can still step over / around them for daily driving, so not the hassle I worried they would be. For my wife, I had to call them “heavy duty steps”, since getting sliders would have caused a whole other discussion I did not need to have.

 

Also consider if you will use it "kind of as a step" or "definitely as a step". I had angled in on my 1st and 3rd Gens as they were more for getting in the rocks. They were useful for getting in, less so for getting out. You could stand on them well enough to arrange items on the roof rack but it was just your toes/balls of your feet and your calves would start to get irritated if you were up there any length of time. Now on the 5th gen I have 0 degree plated Westcotts as I expect to camp more and rock crawl less with this truck. They are doing the job but I've gotta admit I don't really like the way they look as much... But form follows function.

 

I went with RCI angled with top plate. Also PC factory done. I love the look but honestly they’re pretty useless as a step IMO. In my case I just wanted the protection and the extra clearance provided by the angle helps a little with ground clearance as I don’t plan lifting or bigger tires anytime soon.

 

I have the RSG flat with plate and kick-out. They work great as steps, and I like the way they look. Had mine powder-coated at a local place for less $$ than RSG was going to charge for powder coat.

 

I have the flat cali-raised with kick out and have the panels mounted with the raised punch outs mounted facing down.

I’m very happy with them and use them for steps.

Cheers,
Bob

 

Thank you all for the input. I'm going to use these as kind of a step vs step only. RSG has a was to view it on a 4R at all angels. The angled don't look that much shorter than flat, and I prefer the angled look. I'm going to try their augmented reality camera to see if I can see it on my truck.

 

I've had RSG in both flat with top plate and angled with no top plate. My observation is that as a step both are too high (not too high to step up to but raise you too high to comfortably get in) to be ideal for most adults but the shorter you are the more useful they become. For me @ 6'-0", both are useless as steps other than roof access and the flats just get in the way of ingress/egress. I can slide right in to the seat.

Top plate is going to be safer as a step but they are a pain in the ass to keep clean underneath.

It's a compromise based on needs IMO. Sliders are higher for a reason so they are never going to be as good a step as running boards or predator steps.

 

I don't use the predator step much. It's also in an awkward spot. My kid and girlfriend use them to get in and are shorter than me. No one uses them to get out. Thanks for chiming in.

 

Predator steps are in an ideal spot for shin bashing

 

I haven't had my 23 offroad yet (I know, I know), but those low hanging steps just scream out that they're going to hit something.

 

I went with RCI, 5 degrees angle, top plate to protect the body from the debris. Like many other members here, I do not do serious offroading, but I happen to hit a large rock or two when going out. Rock sliders in general, are a great mod imo.

 

I went to an offroad park near me and clipped a couple of rocks with those. Luckily nothing happened.

 

Interesting. I didn't know RCI had a slight angle on the flats. How do you like them?

 

I wanted to share the down side of slider top plate. Collects mud big time. I avoid mud whenever possible. This was last weekend at Palo Duro Canyon. After a rain day on county roads not even on the trails. I had to scrape off top layer of muck.

Not usable as a step until cleared. We had couple people with predator steps that were sheared off by the end of day 1 on Blue trails.

 

I removed the rsg sliders when I traded in my 4Runner. Here is what to expect, between slider plates and frame:

my rsg slider was installed on my new 4Runner for about 6 months (March-Sep), so only saw a handful of snows. Frame was pristine when slider was installed, as expected.

Within the surface area where slider plate touches the frame, there were multiple chips, peeling of the frame’s black paint, or scuffs there were through the frame’s paint. I had to rattle can the 4R’s frame rail, otherwise there would be patchwork of these unpainted parts of the frame.

on the slider side, where the bolt hardware makes contact with the slider plate’s holes, the washer wore through the paint+primer down to bare metal( I bought raw finish and rattle canned it). No rust on the bare metal spots, given it was only on the vehicle through the spring and summer seasons

 

The real fun starts when it freezes overnight and you cant open some doors because the frozen mud.
Very fun if you're sleeping in the car, wake up to use the restroom and realize you're trapped

 

RCI’s new design also lets you remove the top plate with a few screws.

 

I would add it as an extra safety feature. God forbid a little one (kid) gets stuck in there and this would be very painful.

 

I went with cali raised and would agree with most that the plate is a necessity. If you go angled then go without but flat would be too slick and too much of a chance of someone getting hurt

 

Angled still allow for plenty of room to use as a step. At least my CaliRaised did. I placed some grip tape in the high-use area and my young kids have no issues using them to climb in and out of the back seats.