Welding Final Project

[Dowser]

I'd definitely go with sliders man. I'd put those on before skid plates. Do a search on sliders in Google. SO MANY different styles out there to copy off of. Tube version, Square Tube, version. Sealed version to Hold Air pressure for filling tires after offroading, ones with flamethrowers and a Machine gun turret..... ok well thats what I'm designing anyway...... :tonguefinger:

[BowTied]

If you are learning to weld still, use mild steel. Other types of metal like stainless or whatever can be welded but have extra requirements/more difficult and more exspensive.

 

Bends add a huge amount of strength. Way more efficient and cheaper for a shop to do than welding reinforcements, that is why you won't see welds on the commercial items.

 

IF you don't have access to a brake, or are set on welding stiffeners, use some small lengths of angle iron as the stiffening strips (assuming clearance exists). I am not sure how small they come, but pretty sure half by half by 16th thick is available. This type of thing is often available cheap at a scrap metal dealer, just be prepared to wire wheel the surface rust off before welding.

 

Plan to have your mounting holes be oversized slots - not only is there tolerance from one frame to another, but welding distorts things. Staggered stitch welds can help reduce distortion. Avoid welds that prevent drainage/trap water. Avoid welding to close to the edge of the plate or too close to mounting points, the HAZ (heat affected zone) around the weld can slightly weaken the parent metal.

 

Make sure stuff fits before adding the stiffeners, cuz you ain't gonna bend it after without a good press. Test fit often.

 

I would use a gas MIG for this if I was doing it.

 

Good luck.

[BowTied]

Sealed version to Hold Air pressure for filling tires after offroading,

 

 

While this is a great idea in one sense, I strongly caution against building this at home unless you are professional welder. Compressed air has an incredible amount of stored potential energy. Should a weld suffer a catastrophic failure while the tube is filled with air pressure, things can come apart like a bomb/grenade and kill people (not exagerating!). Even if it is "only" 20 psi.

[Kittamaru]

Hm... the sliders sound like an idea. Should I build them to replace my current step-bars? Those things are decently well made (think they're 1/16th inch steel or 1/8th inch steel, would need to measure) but yeah.

[adamzan]

Hm... the sliders sound like an idea. Should I build them to replace my current step-bars? Those things are decently well made (think they're 1/16th inch steel or 1/8th inch steel, would need to measure) but yeah.

You will most likely smash them into your rocker panels

[Kittamaru]

They've held up for what I've needed them for so far... but my question is can I base the actual sliders off of them and use their frame-mounts to mount the sliders?

[RedPath88]

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.

Marcels (Black Panther) Ultimate kit for WD21's

 

[Kittamaru]

Hm... what kind of metal does he use? It's not just normal plate steel is it?

[beastpath]

Not to jack this thread or anything...but as y'all are discussing them... do skid plates that people have take into consideration that Thorley Headers drop below the crossmembers?

 

Or am I asking a dumb question?

[Simon]

No sir you are not. nige just went through this, as he's got the Thorleys. I think the eventual fix was to space the skids down from the crossmembers before bolting them up. The BP skids do not allow for the extra droop in the exhaust caused by the headers.

[nige]

yeah, that was a big question for me when i was figuring out what to do to protect the under carriage. The Thorley header crossover pipe is a little larger diameter than the stock pipe and it hangs about 1 1/2" lower.

 

I never had to use a spacer, but i think marcel may have made them hang a little bit lower than the originals that he made. They fit just about perfect with a few millimeters of clearance between the plate and the x-over pipe. If it didn't fit, marcel gave me a spacer to put under the front of the front mounting point of the transmission skid plate. I would have had to get some longer hardware, but it would work fine. If you do get them and find out they don't fit, send me a pm and i'll give you the spacer he gave me. It makes the trans and front skid hang about 3/4" lower.

 

If you look in the pic i posted, you can see the x-over pipe through the two holes in the center of the plate. I have them off for the winter, so if you want me to take a pic to show how close the fit is, you'll have to wait until spring time when i get the truck ready for wheeling again.

[TrailChaser]

I hope this helps a little.

 

Rear Diff Skid

 

Building a Skid

 

Full Skids

 

Building Rock Sliders

 

I'm not selling them anymore, but that should give you another visual of what the mounts and stuff look like.

 

I thought about making them wide enough to cover the t-bars, but that would have added way to much weight.(almost double) I've never had a problem with my t-bars since they tend to be pretty flexable when rubbing on the rocks.

 

Like the others said, 1/8" is junk. That's what the weak stock front splash & t-case skids are.(I think it's a metric measurement) 3/16" is the bare minimum I would use, anything less and you're adding weight not protection.