Homemade skid plates?

Think I should have made the tabs from plasma cutting a bit smaller. This is almost a two person job bending the 1" sides to a 90°. Maybe will have more time to bend over the weekend.

 

Would a BFH be of any help?

 

It will probably make an appearance before it is all said and done.

 

@CGoss this is the thread I was talking about

 

maybe try whiskey bends. score into the rest of the tabs with a cutoff wheel. Then re-weld the seams.

 

Got the toughest part bent tonight. Need to cut two more spacers for the front, then a test fit before welding.

 

Wow! Any updates?

 

Stupid question but do the 90 deg bent up sides add strength or rigidity? I’m gonna start mine soon and want to make them as simple as possible. I just want to know what’s necessary for strength rather than looks. Bends look really good looks wise.

 

Test fitted needs a few tweaks. Front mounting points need to be elongated about a 1/4 of an inch and I think everything will line up. It's just been raining here for two weeks and I don't have a garage.

Bends add strength. I would assume if you are only doing light wheel you could get away without them, but if you bend it on the trail straightening it out will be really hard.

 

Gotcha. That’s what I figured. Thanks.

 

I don't have a way to create a DXF file.

 

Does any body have a diagram of how the 3rd gen underbody is layed out? I want to design my own.

 

I believe it is the same as the 2nd gen. Only exception is oil filter on 3rd gen is on the bottom of the engine so the skid plate needs an access point for that.

 

Im going to leave that one and only add the skids after that. Wheres the post that shows that diagram, assuming its been posted?

 

http://sketchupplugins.com/plugins/convert-sketchup-skp-files-to-dxf-or-stl/

 

Thank you! What is the height needed for the mounts? Front and rear?

 

cut the plate, fit it, and measure the distance. If I had to guess it's probably around 2". @jahulgan what was the height you found?

 

Front 2.5"


Rear 1.25"

 

I an not sure there is a diagram showing the oil filter access point. I don't think it would be hard to add it. Most manufacturers I have sourced ideas from have it in the 05+ skids, even though 05-15 have a topside oil filter.