TW Live

dude! sweet looking prototype!

 

Put supports in the middle at the bend like there are on the factory skid if you want to do it right. Just my opinion.

 

They are unnecessary. If you can punch through 3/16" steel hitting a rock, you probably were in a death race. My design is meant to help you slide over an obstacle at low speeds. Budbuilt and skid row are pretty similar. I will offer 1/4" if you want to pay extra though...





A little preview. I'm having one of these fabbed up this week.

 

All of these All-Bro 6" lifted Tacomas in Hawaii are ridiculous.

 

They are very necessary. I have skid row skid plates, I chose them over bud built specifically because they have those supports. And I have been grateful for them several times. The issue isn't just hitting it head on, it's coming down on a rock with the full weight of your front end right in the middle of the skid where it has the least support and exactly where your differential supports are. I have at least one very large dent directly below my differential mounts. If I had left the diff drop on and shimmed the skid just enough to clear it the skid would have smashed right into it. And I was going about 0.5 mph at the time. You get up on a rock, slide sideways, and come down on another rock, boom. Without those supports there the skid would have folded under the weight. Just trying to offer my personal experience. That skid looks every bit as good as bud built, which are very popular, but if you want a truly home run design add the supports like skid row. Hell I might even consider getting one since the skid row doesn't go back far enough to cover the steering rack as much as I would like.

Actually, just noticed you took the back lip off. Why? Put that back on so the steering rack is better protected.

 

Well that came quickly.

 

....that's what she said?

 

Really?

 

Now I'm on the same page as you with the supports. I see skid row does have them. I thought you meant something more like gussets, which wouldn't do much on a 25 degree bend. My whole design idea is that I don't really want to weld anything. Cut, form, ship. Cheap, yet effective. I'll quote those supports though. I appreciate everyone's help, I'll try to include what the majority requests. I'm trying to remain low on price to help everyone out though. When y'all can get a good one for $200 shipped, some people may not need the features a $350 skid offers.

I took the rack protection off in favor of a transmission skid that is not fully designed yet. I'm going to fab this front design before I work on that. The new design will be similar to skid row in that the transmission skid will mount under the front skid so that sliding transition is smooth from front to rear. I can offer the lip in the front if people don't want the transmission skid, but it shouldn't be more than $100 I would think.

What I don't like about the budbuilt is how it angles sharply up after the rack. That would cause unjust smashing force on the transmission skid as you mentioned happened to your front skid. A flat skid design will keep forces equal the whole ride over an obstacle.

 

I should take a picture of the bucket of cig butts at Howe Welding in Ames. A 5 gallon bucket about 3/4 full of just butts.

 

Yes

yes, but this isn't in your new house.

 

I bet they smoke outside and are just screwin with you. Typical funny guys.

 

I bet not. I've been around too many houses going up and the workers DGAF.

 

I had neighbors throw cigar butts on my truck several times. If I actually saw who did it, pew pew pew Murica!

 

I highly doubt that.

 

Lol

 

I hope they did that as a joke... If not I'd raise hell with the supervisor.

Hooters?