Kittamaru Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 You read right - I want to design, blueprint, and cut/weld my own skids and dif cover. Looking for input/advice on this, especially when it comes to design and mounting. Also, would 1/8 inch plate steel work for something like this? Would that be too heavy / flimsy? These aren't extreme off road skids... just enough for light wheeling and to keep the road-junk out of the bottom of my truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tekazgtr1984 Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 1/8 steel is pretty thick, and is stupid heavy. That being said, it would be great for serious armour but I think that gauge is pretty much overkill. 4x4parts.com sells skids made of 3/16 steel but I have yet to hear any freeback on them. I've got 10 gauge for my skid plate and it has proven itself both in strength and weight time and again (Black Panther is excellent). A diff cover, as far as I've been told, is virtually useless but it's totally your choice to go with one or not. Again, 4x4parts.com has an entire set available so take a look at theirs and see what you can blueprint. Best of luck with your armour project! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 1/8" won't hold up to much. Most skidplates are 3/16" thick, and even those get warped like hell after a few good trips. You have to take into consideration the bends which add strength. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted November 5, 2008 Author Share Posted November 5, 2008 I had intended to "rib" the top side of it, welding small stripes of metal onto it to aid to it's rigidity. Any idea on how I should start to blueprint this? No idea what skid plates look like... never seen them before to be honest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 For AC's diff skid, they basically took sheet metal, bent it and exhaust clamps to hold it in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 Basically, 3 pieces for a WD21. Front skid, Engine/tranny skid, T-case skid. They should run from crossmember to crossmember and meet there (overlap) If I was to change my BlackPanther skids, I would only change the center one, and have it extend all the way to the frame rails widthwise. That would protect my t-bars from rocks on the trail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted November 5, 2008 Author Share Posted November 5, 2008 I'll have to look under the pathy when it's not pouring out, but I'm assuming there are mounting brakcets / holes we can use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 I'll have to look under the pathy when it's not pouring out, but I'm assuming there are mounting brakcets / holes we can use? Some, especially for the front, if you just replace the stock "slash sheild" with something stronger, you can use the same mount points. For the others, you'll want to make some sort of U mount to bolt around a crossmember, or make a mount bracket to weld to the crossmember that the skid can bolt to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 Each crossmember has holes. The middle one for the rear of the 2nd plate, and front of the 3rd is a bolt-through spot. The rest are all pretapped holes that you simply bolt into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted November 6, 2008 Author Share Posted November 6, 2008 I've been looking around online... I can't find a single good picture of a WD21 with a set of skid plates... wth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StatutoryApe Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 (edited) ya, after you brought up this thread, i went and looked for skids for WD21s and couldn't really find any. wthx2 Edited November 6, 2008 by StatutoryApe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packie88 Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 ummm calmini makes a set for the solid axle swap part. mght give you an idea... its under the solid axle crossmembers section Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted November 6, 2008 Author Share Posted November 6, 2008 Would it fit on a IFS setup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packie88 Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 I would assume not because its meant for their crossmember but it mind give you ideas of how they do theirs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted November 6, 2008 Author Share Posted November 6, 2008 I need to see if I can't find some better images of it - I want to pre-design this in SolidWorks or AutoCad first so I can test it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dowser Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 I did a search for you on everything Runnerman used to have posted here and all images have been removed. Best I could come up with was a shot of GrimGregs, so here ya go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nige Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Basically, 3 pieces for a WD21. Front skid, Engine/tranny skid, T-case skid. They should run from crossmember to crossmember and meet there (overlap) If I was to change my BlackPanther skids, I would only change the center one, and have it extend all the way to the frame rails widthwise. That would protect my t-bars from rocks on the trail. funny, i was talking to bender about that last weekend. We should just get some extra 'wings' cut and bent, then we could weld them onto the middle plate. I knicked one of my t-bars pretty good on the bobcaygeon trail over A.W. If you're gonna make your own skids, i would find someone that has a brake-press. the slight bends really make a difference in how rigid they are. It would probably be less work than welding a bunch of ribs to the backside of the plate. You can see the 'x' pattern of bends in my middle plate here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Those rocks really did a number on those skids nige. I'm looking into a set myself, even if I don't wheel that much, when I do, I don't want to ruin the undercarriage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted November 6, 2008 Author Share Posted November 6, 2008 What's a break press o0; Lol, this is my first welding class, but I've excelled in it decently well so he's trusting me with the TIG and MIG machines should I need em, and I think I'd be better off on either stick or mig for welding something like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zibi Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 (edited) I dont' think fabricating skids would really require that much welding...it's more just cutting, bending, and drilling pieces of sheet metal. My BP skids don't have any welds on them at all... Edited November 6, 2008 by Zibi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted November 7, 2008 Author Share Posted November 7, 2008 I'd need to fabricate brackets and such if I'm not mistaken, as well as the ribbing I want to do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nige Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 brake press Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted November 7, 2008 Author Share Posted November 7, 2008 We have something like that... but I think it only cuts and punches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zibi Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 (edited) I'd need to fabricate brackets and such if I'm not mistaken, as well as the ribbing I want to do The BP skids bolt onto the factory locations, except for the back of the second skid which has a custom cross bar that mounts to the stock nurf bar mounts. Either way, no welding. I'm just saying, I'm sure you could find plenty of things to weld when making skid plates, it's just a welding project and I doubt your teacher is stupid. Awesome skids for your truck don't mean you'll get a good mark in your class because you didn't do what the project required. Fab up a rear bumper for your pathy with a tire carrier and tow points. That'd be badass and require actual quality welding to hold solid. Or do sliders, just as important as skids and would require more than just cut, bend, bolt. Edited November 8, 2008 by Zibi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted November 8, 2008 Author Share Posted November 8, 2008 Already have a good bumper and the tire carrier unfortunately. Rock sliders... what kind of metal would i need for that? See, problem is, I need to supply my own metal and my budget is... tight... is an understatement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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