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By jollymon - 8/22/2006 10:52:55 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by rajincajingt
that skin looks thin in the pictures...
what are you using?
quote:
going to add a 3/16" plate to the bottom for a smooth finish
Looks thick enough to me
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By Tangerine Dream - 7/18/2006 1:54:15 AM
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Nice fab work! I noticed your running SOA without a traction bar...Do you experience wheel hop under acceleration?
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By GI Joe - 8/20/2006 5:37:42 AM
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It would be really trick to try a piece of high density plastic as a belly pan. Slids over rocks very well. Fabtech uses the same thing on their belly pan.
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By rajincajingt - 8/22/2006 3:24:34 AM
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that skin looks thin in the pictures...
what are you using?
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By rajincajingt - 8/23/2006 12:19:04 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by bgredjeep
yup, 3/16". It doesn't feel thin when you pick it up.
ok,
it just does not look like that in the pic you posted...
just checking cause im going to copy if you dont mind!
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By rajincajingt - 8/23/2006 10:12:26 PM
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haha, thanks.
i am just having some trouble figuring if i want to mount the tranny support to it, or run a single bar, with urethane mounts on each side, to the frame.
that way i could drop the whole skid at once and keep bolts off of the skidding surface...
only down side is i have to drop the whole thing to change fluids
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By cjaholic - 7/19/2006 3:59:28 AM
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Frame looks sweet.
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By Insane Wheeler - 8/19/2006 3:24:30 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by bgredjeep
quote:
Originally posted by Mike Simpson
Not even a bunny hop?
Only when I'm powering up hills in reverse.. 
I called on the steel and the quote was ~$130 for a 4x8x3/16" sheet. Does that sound about right? I've never priced plate steel. I have a friend that is going to check with a guy he knows about some free 1/4" plate but I'm not sure what size pieces he will be able to get. The main issue I have with buying the big piece is that I will have a huge piece left over with nothing to use it on (for the moment at least).
thats a lot cheaper than I paid for my 1/4 inch plate
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By jeffy - 7/15/2006 7:15:59 AM
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I like it. It's very clean. Are you going to have small panels fill some of the openings or one large one?
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By jeffy - 8/16/2006 8:19:11 AM
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Shame to cover that nice looking framework. Does the skidplate match the framwwork?
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By Sarges 7 - 8/16/2006 6:33:13 AM
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That's a real good looking setup!! Nice job!
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By Sarges 7 - 8/17/2006 12:04:43 PM
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You did a real kick-ass job on that thing!
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By jeepnewb - 7/16/2006 2:06:24 AM
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One word.....RIGHTEOUS
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By George W - 8/19/2006 3:07:03 AM
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Man that looks great!!! Such a shame to hide the beautiful frame work up.. What do you call that square stock you used for the frame? What type of place would be a good places to by metal like that from? Thanks George
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By Jeepnbeer - 7/18/2006 3:41:55 AM
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Nice fab work.
Front SOA tend not to hop too much guys.
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By bgredjeep - 7/15/2006 6:20:51 AM
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I was planning to make a new skid plate for my YJ to gain a little ground clearance (about an inch more than stock) but after my last ride and a trashed stock skid (see pic below) I decided to tuck things up as high, and cover as much as I could. I had to hammer out the floor a bit to clear my t-case, and I ended up with the new skid only 1" below the frame, so about 2.5 inches higher than stock. So far I built the frame work and I'm going to add a 3/16" plate to the bottom for a smooth finish. The plate will bolt on so I can deal with fluids and such w/o dropping the whole thing (its heavy). I used 1.5"x3/16" wall tubing for the frame, and 3"x3"x1/4" angle for the mounts.
Here are the before and after shots (the after is a little hard to see b/c my friend's car is in the way).
Before:
After RiverRock (custom high clearance):
After:
and the frame for the skid:
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By bgredjeep - 7/15/2006 7:27:28 AM
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Initially I was going to have small panels, but since I ended up making it completely flat I'm going to make it all one piece.
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By bgredjeep - 7/17/2006 5:41:29 AM
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Thanks guys.
I have some questions about the material to plate this with. Since its already nice and heavy, someone suggested using aluminum for the skid. Any thoughts on this? Good idea or not? What thickness should I look for to be similar strength to the 3/16" steel I'm currently planning to use? Any idea what a sheet of aluminum might go for?
I'm guessing I won't like the sound of what aluminum costs and I'll stick with steel, but I want to explore the options first. Another option is to add some of that cutting board stuff to the bottom after I plate it but I'll have to see about that as well.
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By bgredjeep - 7/17/2006 11:29:46 PM
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Yeah, I'm going to stop by Fastenall to get some bolts so I can keep it flush. Cheap and easy are where its at. Looks like I'll stick to the original plan as you guy suggested.
Thanks
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By bgredjeep - 7/18/2006 2:04:54 AM
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Its SUA in the rear on 4" Wagoneer\YJ springs. No wrap, no hop.
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By bgredjeep - 7/18/2006 4:44:49 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Mike Simpson
Not even a bunny hop?
Only when I'm powering up hills in reverse..
I called on the steel and the quote was ~$130 for a 4x8x3/16" sheet. Does that sound about right? I've never priced plate steel. I have a friend that is going to check with a guy he knows about some free 1/4" plate but I'm not sure what size pieces he will be able to get. The main issue I have with buying the big piece is that I will have a huge piece left over with nothing to use it on (for the moment at least).
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By bgredjeep - 8/22/2006 11:27:42 AM
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yup, 3/16". It doesn't feel thin when you pick it up.
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By bgredjeep - 8/23/2006 1:04:48 AM
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Have at it. I wouldn't have posted it on the internet if I wanted to keep it to myself. 
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By bgredjeep - 8/26/2006 10:23:36 PM
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The skid survived its first trip this weekend. I think I only hit it one good time on a concrete pipe I was driving over, but it worked, and protected everything it was made to. I need to check the middle mount tabs for the skin. Either I didn't weld those 2 well enough and the broke, or I just forgot to tighted the bolts. I'll pull it off in a few days and see whats up. Anyways, I'm satisfied w/ my work.
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By bgredjeep - 7/18/2006 9:24:51 AM
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No cuts for free here. Its a big shop that does mainly industrial tanks (like gas tanks for gas stations), but they always have the best prices in town on tubing and such. I guess it just seems high since I only need a small part of that sheet. I have a guy at work that will cut it for me so that shouldn't be a problem. I'll just need to hang for a couple weeks before I buy this (if the free 1/4" doesn't work out). Too many bills getting paid in the middle of the month.
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By bgredjeep - 8/16/2006 3:00:54 AM
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So its been a while on this. I ended up splitting the sheet of steel with a friend and picked it up last Friday. This weekend with the help of a co-worker I cut out the shape and bent the plate to fit the frame (pics below). Since then I've welded up the releif cits we made for the bends, started grinding them smooth until I toasted my last grinding wheel, mounted the tabs on the skid frame, and drilled all the holes. Tonight I'm going to counter-sink the holes in the pan and bolt it together. I'll paint it as well then get it mounted in the next few days.
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By bgredjeep - 8/16/2006 11:21:05 AM
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Yeah, it lines up right over the frame. I finished it tonight. Just waiting on paint to dry and I'll mount it tomorrow after work. I might have to trim the front of the skid to clear the oil pan as I can't remember how close it was. I hope not b/c I'm tired of cutting metal for a little while, but no big deal if I have to. I'll post some pics when I get it mounted.
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By bgredjeep - 8/17/2006 11:16:25 AM
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Here is the finished (for now) product. I need to buy one more counter-sunk bolt for the passinger side frame mount and grind the welds smooth, but I'm tired of messing with it for now. I'll get to test it out next weekend and see how the extra clearance works out.
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By bgredjeep - 8/18/2006 3:09:28 AM
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Thanks Sarge.
Mike, welded tabs in 6 corners, then welded nuts to the tabs.
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By bgredjeep - 8/20/2006 10:03:33 AM
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I've thought about it. Not sure I want to lose the ground clearnace, but its always an option to add later if I choose. Just a few more holes to drill is all..
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By tjnovice - 8/16/2006 9:35:30 PM
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Looks good.
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By Tom Jacobson - 7/17/2006 7:34:59 AM
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Don't go less than 3/16" steel.
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By Mike Simpson - 7/16/2006 9:03:05 PM
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Nice woork, looks good.
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By Mike Simpson - 7/17/2006 8:50:18 PM
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With as much tubing as you have in that, you may be able to get away with thick aluminum, or even the cutting board trick. But 3/16" steel plate would probably be the cheapest and easiest. Counter sink any bolt head that will be / maybe be on the bottom, make is nice and flush.
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By Mike Simpson - 7/18/2006 2:20:49 AM
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Not even a bunny hop?
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By Mike Simpson - 7/18/2006 4:50:54 AM
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I've lucked out and found a small shop by me for buying steel. They still cater to the little guy, and won't nickel and dime ya for doing little things. That $130 is about right. Will they make cuts to your measurements if you buy the whole piece?
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By Mike Simpson - 7/18/2006 8:47:48 PM
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You may want to look at other places that have a larger selection of what they call "drops". Those are the leftover pieces that they cut off from their orders, they'll stack them to the side, and then generally sell that stuff by the pound.
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By Mike Simpson - 8/18/2006 12:35:21 AM
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Did you weld tabs onto the tubes for the counter sunk bolts, or did you drill and tap the tube for the counter sunk bolts?
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By YJ Nate - 8/18/2006 9:59:42 AM
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Dude! That thing is sweet! Very nice work!!!
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