Cali Raised LED Sliders Install Issues

[kgolive]

8-9 week lead time before I received them. Cali Raised emailed me about 6 weeks after ordering to ask me if I have threaded holes on my frame to mount them. Apparently some of the new 4Runners don’t have pre threaded holes on the frame. I checked and I only have two threaded holes on the frame on each side on the bottom of the frame rails. Cali Raised said no problem they have a solution they will be providing. The solution is similar hardware to what Westcott designs uses on theirs. Fast forward to today, install day.

I received two bags of hardware. One bag of bolts and washers for pre threaded holes, another bag of anchoring bolts and washers. It also included a card with a QR code to scan for a video tutorial on how to install them with the included hardware for frames with pre threaded holes. This didn’t apply to me but fortunately Westcott Designs has a YouTube video explaining how to use the supplied anchoring bolts solution. How hard can this be?

Upon installing the driver side slider I learned none of the supplied threaded bolts will thread into the few (2 on each side) pre threaded holes I have on my frame.

No big deal, I can go to Ace for a couple of bolts right? I’ll get to that shortly.

On to the anchoring bolts. I used a sharpie to mark the top side so I knew which way the bolt needs to be positioned for it to remain locked in place. You need a flat head screwdriver to turn it. Since the mounting locations are so high on the frame I had to use a very short flat head screwdriver. Even then I cannot supply enough torque with it to prevent the stud from wanting to turn as I tighten down the nut. I believe this can be remedied by threading two nuts onto the end of the stud and using a wrench to hold the inner nut in place while you tighten the nut against the frame. Maybe this isn’t necessary at all? Maybe once the nut is fairly tight against the frame, it’s ok for the stud to turn because the inner locking mechanism can’t retract under force? I don’t know because there’s no instructions or explanation.

After installing the anchoring bolts on the drivers side I realized they only supplied me with 8 and it would take 12 to do both sides. They gave me maybe 24 washers though. I don’t know why. Am I supposed to double them up? Let me check the install video. Oh wait…

So I’m left with only the drivers side slider semi mounted and not fully tightened until I figure out the proper way to tighten the locking nuts on the anchoring bolts to the frame.

I sent an email to Cali Raised doing my best to describe the issues I’ve run into and lack of proper hardware. I will await their response. I haven’t seen anyone else post about these so either no one else has ran into this problem or I am the only one to post about it.

Thoughts? Am I missing something?

Oh and went to Ace for bolts to go into the threaded holes and couldn’t find a match. So I’m at a loss with what size or thread pitch it requires. The supplied m10 fine thread bolts don’t work and course thread didn’t either.

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[michael]

he’s a link to the install video for caliraised blind bolt install. Use 2 washers, torque to no more than 18 ftlbs. I had the same issue. Called Caliraised and they sent me 12 blind bolts and 36 washers. Hope this helps. I also have the 2 threaded holes at the bottom of each frame. My bolts seem to screw in with no problem but I had to wiggle them around to get the right angle so they would thread in properly. Let me know if you run into and more issues.

 

[kgolive]

he’s a link to the install video for caliraised blind bolt install. Use 2 washers, torque to no more than 18 ftlbs. I had the same issue. Called Caliraised and they sent me 12 blind bolts and 36 washers. Hope this helps. I also have the 2 threaded holes at the bottom of each frame. My bolts seem to screw in with no problem but I had to wiggle them around to get the right angle so they would thread in properly. Let me know if you run into and more issues.

You think I can get by with just the one washer for each blind bolt? I asked on the phone but they didn’t say whether it would make a difference. I’m waiting on the remaining hardware to be sent to me and I’ll give it another go. Thanks for the info!

 

[michael]

1 washer should be fine as long as the bolt doesn’t bottom out without tightening All the way. I will note in the video they use 2 washers. The blind bolt kit from Westcott comes with 1 very thick washer that looks like it was made in house. I’m going to assume there is a reason for that. Short term 1 should be fine, long term, use 2 or 3. Check out the Westcott designs YouTube page for their install of blind bolts. very similar to Caliraised but an obviously thicker washer.

 

[gvan1998]

Do you guys think the blind bolt will grab the frame hard enough which will cause paint to chip off and cause frame rusting?

 

[kgolive]

Do you guys think the blind bolt will grab the frame hard enough which will cause paint to chip off and cause frame rusting?

It grabs a very minimal area. Like an eighth of an inch. I’m worried about strength. They say to only tighten to 18 ft lb of torque. Doesn’t seem like much. I ordered them before any of this was ever mentioned. They weren’t aware of these trucks being built without the threaded holes.

 

[gvan1998]

Im thinking about using the blind bolt to mount the OEM rock sliders

 

[Mattb124]

I had a similar issue keeping the bolt from turning with a screwdriver once it started to get fairly tight - but not tight enough that the anchor stopped it from turning - due to the limited space under the vehicle. I bought 2 10mm 1.50 jam nuts and tightened them together at the tip of the bolt like you did and it worked great. The jam nut also helped keep the screwdriver tip from jumping out of the slot under pressure.

 

[kgolive]

I had a similar issue keeping the bolt from turning with a screwdriver once it started to get fairly tight - but not tight enough that the anchor stopped it from turning - due to the limited space under the vehicle. I bought 2 10mm 1.50 jam nuts and tightened them together at the tip of the bolt like you did and it worked great. The jam nut also helped keep the screwdriver tip from jumping out of the slot under pressure.

that’s exactly what I did and it worked well. My only concern is it’s hard to tell if you are overtightening them. They only require 18 ft lb of torque which does not sound like much.

 

[Mattb124]

that’s exactly what I did and it worked well. My only concern is it’s hard to tell if you are overtightening them. They only require 18 ft lb of torque which does not sound like much.

I used a torque wrench to get to 18 lb/ft and found that was just over what I was able to get I really cranked on my 15mm ratcheting wrench (~9" long).

 

[kgolive]

I used a torque wrench to get to 18 lb/ft and found that was just over what I was able to get I really cranked on my 15mm ratcheting wrench (~9" long).

Got it. I couldn’t put a torque wrench on it without the bolt wanting to turn

 

[Mattb124]

Got it. I couldn’t put a torque wrench on it without the bolt wanting to turn

When the nut gets tight enough, the actuating "wing" on the bolt will ground against the inside of the frame and the bolt will stop turning (per an email I got from Cali Raised LED, which aligns with my experience). You can then torque to spec. You might need a deep socket to make that work. Sounds like you have a little work left to do to get the bolts torqued to spec.

 

[Fishing]

I wonder if fishing the bolts through the frame would be better/stronger than the "solutions" we have to do now because toyota forgot to add threads to the frame for some models.

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