Sidestep / Rock slider bracket question

[Bluey]

I've started making some sidesteps for my 80 using 40x40x4 for the legs and main step, with 2mm checker floorplate on top. The brackets are 50x8 in a U shape with bolts on top.

My question is this: how much clearance should i allow in the bracket to enable easy fitment without making it too loose? ie if the chassis rail is 70mm wide, should my brackets be a close fit or say 72/73mm wide? I have made 4 of 8 brackets so far and they are reasonably tight, need a hammer to give some taps to get them fully on. Is this going to make it impossible to fit when all brackets are tied together and weighing heaps more.

Any advice from those who have done this before would be great.


Cheers

[80's_delirious]

if you can get them on now, I reckon you have them spot on. I would clamp them in place, and tack weld up the sliders on the car so you dont have alignment issues fitting them later.

[wreckingball]

G'day bluey my sliders were made by a mate and use the same mounting style. They were a tight fit requiring some persuasion with a hammer.
This was done to leave no room for movement.
I also agree with the suggestion to have them in place when you weld them.
Because mine were done 1 day at a time over 2 years when we could organize to get together they were tacked up then removed for finishing
But they pulled slightly from the welding and sat to close to the sills.
That meant another trip and day in the workshop to fix

Mark

[Bluey]

Thanks fellas, sounds like I'm not too far off then. Was a bit worried that hammer fit might have been too tight.

I have been marking the plates when clamped on the chassis, then setting up on the work bench to spot weld and have made up spacers of the required width to keep my spacing whilst welding. After spot welding I test fit, then if right then weld up fully. Seems to have worked so far.