Rebending a skid plate to the original shape

Morning everyone,

So I have a steel SOS skid plate that has been bent pretty bad. I believe I got it this way (Second hand, not SOS' fault) but can't be entirely sure.

I worry that because it's up against the things it's trying to protect (I'm sorry, I'm not 100% sure what it is against and the picture below is the best I have) it won't be very useful. It also kind of makes taking it off and on a pain.

It's steel and jumping on it does nothing. I could smack it with a sledgehammer or something, but can't imagine that would do much because fuck up my skid plate or sledgehammer, or possibly send shrapnel into my face. I have access to a 20 ton press but don't think it's big enough to fit the plate inside. Where can I take this to be bent back? There's a local spring and welding shop near me, maybe they could do it?

Thanks in advance everyone!

 

Try jacking up a front wheel high enough to fit the skid straddling between two railroad ties (or 4x4 or 6x6 posts) under the tire. Then lowering the truck tire onto the skid until it bends back straight.

Wouldn't suggest bricks or cinder blocks, only big timbers. 2x4 stacked could slip.

 

Unfortunately I need to bend it the other way. It's pushed in towards the truck, I need to bend it back out away from the truck

 

Know anyone with a press? All you really need to do is press it a bit over a void, and maybe weld in a piece of angle iron to keep it from bending the next time you smack it since it will be weaker.

 

Probably need to take it off. Use a BFH powered by armstrong, bad words, beer, then beat the livin' S out of it until shaped like you want.

 

A press big enough would be ideal to give you a nice controlled pressing force. You could try to make a press frame out of 4x4s or 6x6s and put a bottle jack inside that. Honestly not sure if that would be strong enough or not

Suppose you could also set the skid on some 2x4s, then use a bottle jack against the front jack point of the truck to try and press it down back into shape. Similar to what @TartanEagle said. Only thing Id worry about with that method is if there is any "spring" effect or whatever you want to call it. With a regular press as soon as the metal starts to bend, the pressing force drops off. But with our method, the weight of the truck is still on the metal being pressed. So the skid might "snap" or spring down and end up bending too far the other way.

Obviously not the first choice, and it goes without saying not to have yourself under the truck while doing this..

 

you could drive on in, while its between some wooden posts

 

Hard to say without seeing .

I doubt it would be that difficult .

A few good ideas mentioned.

My 50 Ton press would make it a easy job.

 

The plate is supposed to be removed from the truck first.
How else would you be able to "lower the tire onto it as it straddled the lumber"?

Position the plate so the load pushes it in the direction desired...