Ford Ranger 3UZ V8 Custom Side Steps: Custom-Made Rock Sliders

By LCM LCM
3 min read
Ford Ranger 3UZ V8 Custom Side Steps: Op Maat Gemaakte Rocksliders

A Tough Upgrade for a Ford Ranger with 3UZ 4.0 V8 Swap

When converting a Ford Ranger with a 3UZ 4.0 V8 from a Lexus LS430, it wasn't just about adding power, but also some aesthetic and functional challenges. After installing large off-road tires and a body lift, the existing rock sliders no longer fit the overall picture. They were too shiny and didn't align well with the new body lines. Time for an upgrade with custom rock sliders!

From Concept to Perfect Fit: The Design Process

One of the most important aspects when designing new rock sliders is the correct dimensions and the position of the step. This determines both the functionality and the appearance of the new side steps.

Precision with BendTech Software

To ensure the tubes were bent perfectly, we used BendTech, specialized software that precisely calculates how many degrees a tube needs to be bent. Springback (the elastic recovery of metal after bending) plays a big role here. This can vary between 3-6 degrees, depending on the material. By setting this correctly in BendTech, we were able to create accurate bends for a perfect fit.

BendTech gave us:

  • The exact tube length needed.
  • The correct starting points for the bends.
  • The number of degrees each bend needed to be.

For this project, we used 45×3 mm steel tubing. This offers a good balance between strength and weight, as these rock sliders are primarily intended for appearance and ease of stepping in, not as full-fledged off-road rock sliders.

Accurate Welded Joints with a Tube Notcher

After bending, the tubes were processed in a tube notcher, which allowed us to create perfect fitting pieces. A tube notcher uses a hole saw at the correct angle to cut an exact 45 mm round hole in the tube. This ensures that:

  • The weld seams fit perfectly on the tube construction.
  • The welding process is simpler and neater.
  • The final construction looks stronger and sleeker.

Designing Entry Steps in Fusion 360

For the finishing touch, we designed the entry steps in Fusion 360. Since the design was relatively simple, we could quickly create a sleek and functional design. A nice personal addition was the milling of the owner's initials into the side steps.

With just a few clicks, we could prepare this file for our CNC plasma table. This advanced cutting process provided:

  • Clean and precise cut lines without post-processing.
  • A unique look by personalizing the step plate.
  • A robust construction thanks to the perfect fit on the rock sliders.

Assembly and Finishing

The attachment of the new rock sliders went smoothly thanks to the reuse of existing mounting points on the chassis. For extra sturdiness, however, we opted for three attachment points instead of the original two. This ensures a more stable and durable construction.

The last step? Powder coating! Although we haven't had the rock sliders coated yet, the owner of this V8-converted Ford Ranger will do it themselves later. Powder coating not only provides a sleek finish but also protects the sliders against rust and wear.