Nova Scotia BS Thread

I'd gladly be your first paying customer if you like! You planning to only do the front main skid or are you perhaps planning a full set of skids in the future *HINT HINT*

I'm fine with unfinished, I'm sure I can find a shop to either powdercoat or LineX or some such, which do you think is better?

Are you putting an access hole or a removeable panel for the oil changes?

Props on building this stuff! I know I'm planning to buy a full set of skids, front and rear bumpers, and a bed rack at some point, and I'd much prefer to give my money to a fellow Nova Scotian/TW member!!

Thanks,

Chad

 

@D2. And I are working on bolt on sliders, IFS skid, and a tranny+t-case skid. My intention is that the t-case skid will include a cross member which bolts onto the slider rails. Neither of us need the oil filter hatch, so we won't include that on the very first version but I bet @D2. can wizard one in for future runs. As I have re-run my exhaust to cross behind the t-case my skid will not include a drop for that, and @D2. Doesn't have a cross over anyway (one of many advantages with the I4). He might need some measurements off a truck like yours to work that magic...

I know a shop that does blasting and powdercoat, if that is something anyone needs.

 

1st draft will not have an access panel, but once i have the dimensions correct, I don't see it being an issue to add.
honestly all this stuff is already done here on TW, some guy gave out the plans and DXF files for free, but the place I use for plasma cutting can't seem to read the file, so I had to re-create all this from scratch. Its a huge PITA trying to reverse engineer everything and try to get the dimensions correct. not complaining, just letting you know why I'm taking so long.

If you can find some one in the valley who can plasma cut the original files for you then I' say giver! ( although I appreciate you wanting to give me $$ ) I just wanted to be totally transparent with this. I must have 4 - 5 hrs into recreating it, and I'm still not done. What your paying for with me is the time / materials its going to take to finish this once i get it back from my plasma guy.

The thread is here if anyone is interested. also if you want a copy of the files, no need to bug JDub. Just shoot me a PM with your email address and I'll pass along his files.

I made more progress last night, but not quite done.

as for paint, if you plan on using the skid to bash off rocks (no judgement intended!) I don't think powerdercoat or lineX is the correct paint. I think they both are going to scratch down to the metal on the first real impact, and then just be a place to trap water and flake off. I have no real world experience with either one in this application, but that's my thoughts. spray on bedliner ( the cheap stuff from CDN tire ) is what i'm going to use.
that way I can give it a spray and walk away. My sliders already have some scratch marks and I think I would be heartbroken if I paid all that $$ for powder only to have it scratch away ( and no real good way to fix it )


I did notice that one of my local NAPA's have this Gator Guard epoxy sealer that seems like its Canadian and water based? $80 for the kit. I think I'm going to try that for my skid and bumper.


Full skids?
Hell yah!
@Canoehead has already been under his truck lots planning some stuff out so I think a mid skid will be really quick to bang out once I have the front skid perfected in CAD ( I'll know my reference points are correct )


rear bumper is on my mind too, but I was thinking of building a tube type protector. Like you bolt it on and it protects your original bumper.... I've also seen a "hitch skid" that I debated making. Not really sure if it would be useful here in the Maritimes with the types of trails we have here. Give it a google and let me know what you think.

Anyhow,
back to the day job
D2

 

I am very much a big fan of paying a local to do the work and keep the money in NS then paying some company in the states to build it and then pay to ship it etc etc etc... I was only considering learning how to do this stuff because I was so frustrated at the availability of this stuff in Canada! Much prefer to pay you and hopefully you enjoy the process of making it/make enough money to make the effort worthwhile for you. I don't want to finish them in anything that will chip or scrape off as I plan to actually use these skids a lot (I've bottomed out so many times I just want the reassurance that I'm not damaging anything vital) so I'll probably go the bedliner or epoxy route, let me know how it works out if you do try that gator guard...

I'm def interested in the full skids (w oil change panel) and front and rear bumpers as well as the rock sliders. If you or @Canoehead needs my truck for any measurements let me know, I can always make time for anything truck related and let's face it, I'm a single guy so I get to make the schedule lol

As for the hitch skid, I'd buy one, I have a few trails I like to go on regularly that have a substantial rock face to drop off of and I have dinged mine off of them a few times so want to get the skid, plus I'm planning a road trip to Death Valley/Colorado, and Utah sometime in the next two years so I want to be fully protected!

I have to take a second and commend you on your willingness to work on this stuff and get some quality product made for the rest of us as I have never been more frustrated trying to get parts for my truck but the only good ones are from the states... I ordered my external lights and and internal blackout kit for my taco... the lights came before the new NAFTA so no duties to come across the border... the interior blackout kit had almost $50 in duties on a $135 order that made me seriously reconsider ordering anything directly from the states in the future as the new NAFTA added a lot of cost to car parts and accessories that really pissed me off! Now I do have a brother in San Diego so if I need to order something that I can only get in the states I can prob get him to allow me to have it shipped to him and then have him ship it to me clearly marked as a gift which SHOULD remove all of the duties but who knows with the new rules?

Either way, I want to support you and @Canoehead with your ventures as hey. maybe it will work out so good you guys can make this your full time job or something? I know I'd appreciate a local shop to get stuff from!

Thanks,

Chad

 

My truck is always available to you guys if you need to measure stuff, even if it's not a part I want to get, I'd like to encourage you guys to start a full time business doing this stuff so I don't mind helping out in any way that is needed! Simply ask and I will do my best to accommodate!

Thanks,

Chad

 

You and me both brother!
I looked at some MobTown Sliders and just about choked on the conversion rate + Shipping and possible duties. Then I looked for Cdn Options, but there was slim picking for that too.
I think there is a decent un-tapped market for this stuff, even just from the toyota crowd.

that's what started me down buying all the stuff needed to make them. I also want this to be a bit of a side hustle for me to help fund more stuff for the truck.

 

2nd or 3rd this I dunno what order

my priority for my truck is front / rear bumper / sliders. skids would be last thing I do as stock skids are “good enough” for now

I did a price check the other day I’d be looking at 3-4K with 2inch lift

 

Now we’re getting somewhere
JuSt need to do a sanity check on the hole locations and I should be able to get this cut soon

 

YES!!!!!!

 

well,
I just failed Safety Inspection.
two wheel bearings, and a LBJ on the drivers side.

Womp Womp!

I called around, no one could touch RockAuto for prices, Parts should be in Christmas Eve

 

Does anyone want this muffler?

Just the muffler, not the over axle portion though!

 

No take mine! Even has (most of) the over axle part

 

Mines an aFe though......

 

Mine is not

 

I'm swapping out for a 3 inch baffled muffler, and fixing a bunch of "that will do for now" welds.... since I'm still waiting for my parts to ship

 

One day I'll get my y pipe re-done with all new pipe and nicely welded up. I'll probably be able to hear the bearings squeal again after that!

 

If you can't hear them over your exhaust leaks are they really even squealing?

 

I'd have to turn down the stereo to check

 

I still have that part you cut off when we were fixing your frame, I could make you a y rather than a t !

 

I’ll take one of those mufflers...

I can tell mine won’t pass next safety
I already had to patch it, and the hanger rusted off...