Fabtech, ProComp 6" lift or more. Pictures

I thought of that earlier but I was concerned that a flat plate may buckle or bend due to any rearward flex of the drop bracket. This design would use the support of the braces/struts. The BD hangs down anyway so I wouldn't really gain any clearance by replacing the braces/struts with a flat plate.

 

I really like the new body and the harder lines etc BUT yeah that grill is fkn hideous huh :/

 

4.88's holy bad gas mileage Batman ! My neighbor just did 4.56's and lost a lot mileage at highway speed... Of course only a DD concern.

 

Oh and pics of my said "dent earlier..

 

BTW... I could make a couple extra if anyone was interested....

 

Go aluminum so it can stay thicker and keep the weight down win-win. Once you tie the DB's together it will have less flex than it does now which BTW is nearly zero front to rear flex and the db's actually strengthen the lateral/ twist flex of the frame across those cross members so you can totally eliminate those braces.
Take the braces off and look at the bushings I bet they show zero wear...mine didn't after thousands of miles of washboard Baja road driving over the year.

I made my final templates ( cardboard ) for a front and mid skid and dropped them at the shop last week. They are going to cut the panels and then I am bringing my truck there and we are going to tack them together on the truck to be sure the fit is right. Then leave them for final assembly etc...the guy is doing me a favor price wise so I am just being patient about the time. I think I am going to bead blast them and have them either anno'd or wrinkle black powder...just thinking a textured surface will be easier to touch up as they get beat up and you can get texture in a rattle rattle can for touch up...

Oh- the only con to aluminum that was explained to me is that you have to be careful when you buy your material because aluminum does not like to be bent across the grain. So find out the material size, make templates and lay them out first to figure out what can be bent with the grain and what will have to be welded.

 

Ill take a copy of the solid works file!! I have access to all of this because I work in Aerospace.
I'm most curious about the measurements

 

Bet we see a handful of these in here by this time next year...

 

If Pro comp and the others can get their hands on one quick enough I agree.

 

I'm sure its probably the exact same frame and suspension components

 

So you think an aluminum plate will provide enough support to eliminate the braces all together? Dang it! Now you have me reconsidering my original design (no braces and a big plate instead).

I previously thought of using 1/4 inch Aluminum and removing the braces but I wasn't sure that the material would be strong enough to hold up to any rearward flex in the drop bracket. Also don't like how aluminum is susceptible to deep gouges on hard rocks. However, aluminum doesn't rust!

I've laser cut some templates out of foam board and the fit in the solidworks drawing is good. I have some crappy (meaning thin) stainless front and mid skids now. I'm using those as templates to make steel replacements.

Let me know how your skids turn out. Good luck....

 

HaHa. I just went out with a tape measure and wrote the measurements down. Laser cut some foamboard mock ups. Seems to fit fine....so far!

 

Laser cut...foam board... Holy fancy Batman... I'm more of a cardboard and painters tape dude

I was going with steel but the shop talked me into aluminum, they said it has all the strentgth but less weight etc. My only real materials experience is in the bicycle & moto bike and I can tell you that an aluminum frame is far lighter and more rigid than a steel frame. Aluminum is stiffer whereas steel frames clearly feel softer and absorb shock better. Check out the videos of the new aluminum F150 bed being tested it is much stronger than steel in impact tests.

 

It's not like that. I work with a bunch of Engineers and I actually asked one to help me out. He used our laser cutter on some foam board we use for prototyping designs.....like a skid plate for my truck!

 

Went down to anza boreggo split mountain/fish creek/sandstone canyon for a little day trip

 

I've driven a Taco with 4.56 and 35's....not enough difference from stock gears IMO. Your neighbor have a standard? Oh, and I DD my truck.

 

Yes, it is an access cab 4x4 standard with 35's and a DB so all the usual mileage and aero dynamic suicide moves I was dead set on doing 4:56's for the low end gain but a few guys on here had oh shit moments with mpg too when they hit the highway and saw a 500+ rpm rise at highway speeds so it got me second guessing it. That rpm range is when this pos motor just starts keg standing the gas tank. I'm only getting 12mpg these days around town but at 80mph I am only at 2000 in OD ( I have an auto )....which is way more efficient. I cover an area from Yuma, AZ to San Diego and all the way up to Long Beach and over to Victorville for work so highway driving is my life. I don't crawl so I'm seriously thinking of skipping gears to keep that low RPM at highway speeds....

 

Standards have a higher OD ratio....explains the severe loss in MPG/High RPMS.

I drove slimwoodshady's auto truck on 35s w/ 4.56 on the street. I could feel a difference but it just wasn't enough from stock gears/35s. I'm still researching and asking around but I'm 90% sure I'm going 4.88

 

For trails and rocks there is no doubt that 4:88's are advantageous. The only disadvantage is that the larger that gear is the thinner and weaker it gets. You clearly don't need to know this but that is why you should never scrimp and buy cheap gears to get a good deal. A guy out here just had to have his truck flat bed towed from Ocotillo back to SD with a grenades third...that's a pricey tow !

 

Gonna be at 8.5" of lift soon