Sliders on the Rivian, Necessary?

[Ramble On Rivian]

Hey All,
I'm getting colser to taking delivery of my dual motor R1T. I will do a fair amount of trail running. Nothing to crazy, its not a Jeep. But I am starting to think about what if anyting is needed in the aftermarket world to protect and enhance my Limestone R1T.

Is anyone running sliders? If so what are your thoughts. Any other real world experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Peace

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[jjswan33]

Honestly if you are asking the question you probably don't need rock sliders.

I have done some pretty aggressive trails without them. Also I don't know how much they really prevent damage, they just change your risk tolerance...lol

That said my sliders are coming tomorrow so

 

[WattTruckMatt]

Honestly if you are asking the question you probably don't need rock sliders.

I have done some pretty aggressive trails without them. Honestly I don't know how much they really prevent damage, they just change your risk tolerance...lol

That said my sliders are coming tomorrow so

Yeah that's a solid answer. I am still waiting for some sleek options without the "step" component. It's really the last bit of vulnerable space on the truck with that amount of ground clearance. I'll be a buyer once somebody has an OEM-ish solution.

I ran my old Tacoma Pro without sliders for a short while before getting really close to causing damage. I installed a set and didn't regret it one bit. Good piece of mind if you're going to be doing any sort of "rock-crawling" (it's not a jeep) or otherwise.

 

[Blackrock2014]

I also want to know. The extra protection helps and using it as a step is good as well. I guess my concern is that they bolt onto the frame and I wonder if they could cause frame damage if they get caught on something. Thoughts?

 

[DuoRivians]

Hit the bottom of my R1T on my first off-road obstacle adventure. Nothing biggie, but convinced me to get megawatt sliders

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Simple answer: depends on where you wheel and how often (to justify expense). Google “jeep trail rating system”. Sliders are needed when you have to straddle big rocks and slide off of them.

 

[zefram47]

Simple answer: depends on where you wheel and how often (to justify expense). Google “jeep trail rating system”. Sliders are needed when you have to straddle big rocks and slide off of them.

It's almost more trying to avoid a rock on a narrow trail and mitigating the risk of sliding into the rock and running that rock down the side of your truck.

 

[usulio]

Two useful side bonuses (1) the step for getting in and also helping to access the roof (2) easier to jack the truck than messing with pucks

 

[Riptonite]

I slightly gouged the lower plastic door trim on an iced over snow pile. I may, or may not, have been in drift mode going sideways...
I just installed EV Sportline sliders on our R1S and am happy with the purchase, despite the wait. I have no "cons" other than the initial price. "Pros" include:
+Easier to access roof for stuff and snow
+Kids and Grandma get in/out much easier.
+It is less of a stretch in higher ride heights so the edge of the driver's seat will take a bit less stress and maybe last longer.
+There are plenty of stumps and rocks around here that I won't stress about when romping. I even have the touch up paint waiting on the shelf.
+The attachment points are spread out and the slider frame very robust so I would be very surprised if any slider hit damages the vehicle frame.
Middle of road points:
×they don't go back as far as I expected, but nobody using them as steps seems to have awkward moves to do so, and the slider panel goes back such that only a very sharp rock could get between it and the wheel.
×I hear stones ping off them rather than clunk off the plastics.

Hope that helps.

 

[superfly_snook]

I also want to know. The extra protection helps and using it as a step is good as well. I guess my concern is that they bolt onto the frame and I wonder if they could cause frame damage if they get caught on something. Thoughts?

a quality slider should absolutely protect your rig. 100% they should bolt onto the frame and the tubular sliders should deform before you bend your frame. You really only need them if you’ll be running fairly gnarly trails and possibly pivoting off rocks. That said they can look pretty nice but they will add weight. I think the second post said it best, if you’re asking if you need sliders, then the answer is no. If you’re asking if you want sliders then it depends, they look better than running boards

 

[Singletracker]

To me, sliders are insurance and provide some peace of mind, regardless of how often you hit the trail. Depending on the design, they may even provide some protection from parking lot door dings. They’re one of those things that you get and hope you never need. The R1T may have decent ground clearance, but it also has a long wheelbase, reducing the break over angle. We all know the cost of any repairs will be outrageous, especially with these Rivians. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

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