APEX Series Rock Sliders / Side Steps - 170 - Drop Down

The Apex Series Rock Sliders, more than side steps!

Crafted specifically for avid Overlanders, these rock sliders are essential for safeguarding your vehicle. The APEX Series Rock Sliders - Drop Down allow for a 9" lower step to effortlessly assist you, your companions, and even your furry friends in entering and exiting your 170 Sprinter Van. Plus, the INDY Protective Coating ensures a secure grip, adding another layer of protection to your valuable investment. 

Back in 2020, when we developed the original APEX Rock Slider, our goal was to tackle four key problems faced by all Mercedes Sprinter owners:

1. Stone Damage: Aggressive all-terrain tires often kick up stones that chip paint along the sides of the van.

2. Rocker Panel Protection: The 170 wheelbase Sprinter’s tight turning radius and combined with its length make it prone to side swipes and rocker panel damage.

3. Improper Lifting: We’ve seen—and repaired—numerous rocker panels damaged by mechanics attempting to lift a 9,000 lb van from the pinch seam. (This even happened to Backland’s demo Sprinter just five days after leaving the dealership!)

4. Functionality and Style: We wanted a rugged, aesthetically pleasing, and symmetrical side step to enhance convenience and enjoyment during camping trips, especially with frequent climbing in and out of the van.

We believe we’ve exceeded expectations with the APEX Series Rock Sliders. Many have attempted to replicate our design, but none have matched the level of protection and quality we deliver, a few years late we developed the 170 Drop-Down version.

We chose INDY Protective Coating to finish our steps, offering the ultimate in durability and rust protection, as well as exceptional non-slip safety—even when covered with snow. INDY Coating is a polyurea-based product made in Texas and exclusively available in Canada. It features a beautiful, even texture that maintains its fresh appearance for years, unlike other textured polyurethane coatings.

Every step is laser-cut, formed, and welded in Canada, then sandblasted to remove mill scale, ensuring a surface that allows for optimal adhesion. Hard-to-coat areas are carefully inspected and sealed before finishing, then inspected again after coating to maintain the highest quality standards. Each step is either carefully packaged or installed directly at our facility, delivering a product that’s truly built to last.

Perfectly tailored for all Mercedes Sprinters, from 2007 to the latest model. Fit, function, and style designed just for your van.

Don't settle for anything less than the best for your overlanding adventures!

Key Features:

• Ease of Access: The Drop Down Rock Slider has been designed to help you get in and out of their camper with ease providing a step that is 9” lower than the interior step of your Sprinter. 
• Compatibility: Perfectly tailored for all Mercedes Sprinters, from 2007 to the latest model. Fit, function, and style designed just for your van.
  
• A must to protect your vehicle: Even if you don’t go off-road, the full-length sliders will keep rocks, stumps and other objects away from your van preventing panel damage. It will also protect your vehicle from stone chips that could contribute to pre-mature rust. 
• Tailored your you vehicle: Crafted to perfectly follow the contours of your vehicle's rocker panels, these 'bent-by-design' APEX Series Rock Sliders / Side Steps enhancing your van's appearance.
• Product Compatibility: Match your IBEX side ladder with the APEX Rock Sliders - the perfect first step for your vehicle. 

Already have side mounted ladder? No problem - we also offer a shortened version of the APEX Rock Sliders/ Side Steps. Contact our team for details!

With the 3” drop down, this gives you a full 9 inch lower step than the sliding doorstep. The 6” depth truly makes it a full additional step up into your camper van! If you are looking for more ground clearance and Off-Road specific product please see our APEX Regular Rock Sliders.

The definition of a Rock Slider:  

Off-road rock sliders are durable, reinforced metal bars or panels mounted along the sides of a ladder-frame 4x4 truck, directly attached to the vehicle’s frame ( for exemple: Toyota Tacoma, INEOS Grenadier). Their primary purpose is to protect the rocker panels and underbody from damage caused by rocks, stumps, or other obstacles encountered on rugged off-road terrain. Rock sliders also help distribute the weight of the vehicle if it slides against obstacles, and some are strong enough to serve as a step or support for jacking up the truck during recovery.

Sprinter vans feature a unibody construction, which makes welding a true rock slider impractical. To address this, we developed the APEX Series—designed to deliver superior rocker panel protection against side impacts. However, they have limited capacity to support the weight of a 9,000-11,000 lb van when using a Hi-Lift jack.

For side lifting a camper van, we recommend using a Hi-Lift LM-100 Lift-Mate, which enables the jack to lift the vehicle directly from the wheel. While we have successfully lifted our vans using the APEX rock sliders (specifically from the inner square tube), this tested the limits of the Hi-Lift XT485 48-Inch X-TREME Jack (rated at 4,500 lbs). As such, we do not recommend this method.

For safer recovery of a stuck Sprinter, we suggest using a 12,000 lb winch or traction boards such as Maxtrax or Action Trax. If you need to replace a damaged tire, the Mercedes bottle jack is the safest option, lifting from the rear axle or front trailing arm.

 Need an installation? Not a problem, our experienced technician will be happy to help you!  Click here to add an installation your order