Skid Plate Mods

OzLtd · **Posted:** Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:55 pm

Heres what I did with mine. Holds up like a tank, well, in the 5mm thick sections anyway

Its just a straight cut out of the low hanging pressed sections, and replacement with flat 5mm plate. IT warped a bit cause the useless 1mm thick factory stuff couldnt handle the welding, but it just needed a bit of persuasion with the ole' mallet

I'm designing my flat ultra low profile skid atm, should be good as there's still HEAPS of clearance to be gained.

Jeger · **Posted:** Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:49 am

Thanks Oz, if it looks like my front is taking a beating I will know what to do.

Picked up the skids sat, thanks to jfortier777 for a heck of a deal!, Heck every thing I have bought for the KJ has come from the lost crew!

The fuel tank skid seems to be the least robust of them all, has anyone had a problem with it?

moose · **Posted:** Mon Jan 08, 2007 11:50 am

Jeger wrote:

Thanks Oz, if it looks like my front is taking a beating I will know what to do.

Picked up the skids sat, thanks to jfortier777 for a heck of a deal!, Heck every thing I have bought for the KJ has come from the L.O.S.T. crew!

The fuel tank skid seems to be the least robust of them all, has anyone had a problem with it?

Eddo has been wheeling his for 4 years and just bought one over x-mas. He got a scuff on his gas tank and decided it was time. I'm not saying that you don't need one, but just that it's the least used of the four... As for it's strength, I don't know, that's the only one I haven't hit yet. :wink:

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:03 pm

Jeger wrote:

Thanks Oz, if it looks like my front is taking a beating I will know what to do.

Picked up the skids sat, thanks to jfortier777 for a heck of a deal!, Heck every thing I have bought for the KJ has come from the L.O.S.T. crew!

The fuel tank skid seems to be the least robust of them all, has anyone had a problem with it?

Fuel tank skids bend fairly easy. Eddo has the OME hd springs, air bags, and two extra isolators, so he has alot of lift in the rear.

The corner of mine bent in this pic:

There wasnt much weight on it at all. Thats the only time Ive ever hit that skid. The front suspension skid and the tranny skid is used the most. Ive hit my tcase skid, but it just barely took the paint off and probably would of been fine if it wasnt there.

jerbacher · **Posted:** Mon Jan 08, 2007 2:06 pm

Is that at Livingston?

moose · **Posted:** Mon Jan 08, 2007 3:24 pm

jerbacher wrote:

Is that at Livingston?

This is the hard line. The bypass is much easier. We were trying to take the most we could.

CarNutCertifies · **Posted:** Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:50 pm

As far as the bolts go you could always weld them to the underside and fill in on the bottom and grind flat....if there is room to get the nuts on, and to take care of the "gap" or "weak" seperation you could weld the front skid to the rear skid making it one big skid and use some flat stock to brace the two, and then just fill the gap with weld and again grind smooth for no hanging issues... Need to weld the back of mine sort of got used for a tow hook.......busted the bolt holes out of it... so its just hanging by the front two bolts..

I will be putting tow hooks on it soon picked one up this weekend from the local Tractor Supply store for 8.00, Dont think the bolts will line up so i will use some flat stock to make a bracket. If I am successful with this mod I will post pics. I am hoping that my mod will be much cheaper than using two reciever hitches and D rings.....

jason thompson · **Posted:** Tue Jan 09, 2007 12:22 am

I got the 3 OE's for the '03 and made/had made the trans skid
this is the first try I have since added 2 more pcs of 1/4" thick angle to the inside for more beef and have plans for out rigers to the unibody after the wife is done with it as her DD probably this time next year

I have tested it and so far so good the fuel tank skid has been hit and no problems
the others are scrached up but no dents
the cost to me was only ~$160 so still way less than the super skid and it does what I want

jason thompson · **Posted:** Tue Jan 09, 2007 12:26 am

oops in that last pic you can see the angle
there are 2 pcs on the out side as well as the ones on the inside they are all 1/4" and the plate is 3/16" the gap and the cut are for the pipe but still add beef and because they run front to rear they hold the weight well

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Tue Jan 09, 2007 1:56 am

You can weld stainless to CRS but stainless is a lot softer than CRS so you will probably be more likely to tear it....

I guess that I'm one of the lucky ones that doesn't have a transmission oil pan to smash

(just a clutch to blow up)

Do you have any capacity to take pictures and post some dimensions for whatever you decide to do with the skidplates?
-Mark

Jeger · **Posted:** Tue Jan 09, 2007 7:03 am

I like the idea of welding the engine and tranny skid together with a plate, that would make things stronger. I probably wont do that unless I create a reason to. :twisted:

That way I dont have to take off and install the two as one piece. Maybe later.

I will take some pics when I get things started and show whatever I come up with. I only have acces to a Tig welder so it will take a little longer and you all can let me know how bad my welds suck :lol:

Hopefully they will be strong enough though.

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Wed Jan 10, 2007 1:48 pm

Jeger wrote:

I only have acces to a Tig welder so it will take a little longer and you all can let me know how bad my welds suck :lol:

Hopefully they will be strong enough though.

If anything, I'm up in the NE corner of ohio (anywhere from cleveland to Akron) and I have welders at my disposal in either of the two locations. If you get the stuff tacked together and feel like you want to run a thick bead I can arrange to use a MIG to create some stronger welds (assuming you are just brazing them together with the TIG and not using any filler rod)

-Mark

Jeger · **Posted:** Wed Jan 10, 2007 2:36 pm

Donkeykong wrote:

Jeger wrote:

I only have acces to a Tig welder so it will take a little longer and you all can let me know how bad my welds suck :lol:

Hopefully they will be strong enough though.

If anything, I'm up in the NE corner of ohio (anywhere from cleveland to Akron) and I have welders at my disposal in either of the two locations. If you get the stuff tacked together and feel like you want to run a thick bead I can arrange to use a MIG to create some stronger welds (assuming you are just brazing them together with the TIG and not using any filler rod)

-Mark

Thanks for the offer, I think I will have a go at it with the TIG though, I will get my hands on some thick filler wire so my fingers wont be so busy. Its a Miller Syncrowave 300, it will run TIG and Stick but is only set up for TIG. Going to pick up some angle iron at the scrapyard sat (less than $1/foot), so with any luck I will at least get started on this weekend. I will be sure to post up some pics.

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Wed Jan 10, 2007 3:15 pm

I would go to a welding supply place (Lindt and ADA is local to cleveland) and see if they can hook you with a stick torch as well. I think that tig is beautiful, but stick would make some thicker welds and it'll probably be inexpensive.

Also look for a welding repair shop in the area, I'm sure that a lot of people would practaclly give away the stick attachment.
If I knew more about that I could offer some better advice, but it shouldn't be too expensive.
-Mark

Jeger · **Posted:** Wed Jan 10, 2007 3:30 pm

I just saw the MIG welder that belongs to maintenance come back in from one of the other plants, That will make things a lot easier.

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Wed Jan 10, 2007 7:47 pm

That's cool. What do you do anyway that you can use works welders?

Jeger · **Posted:** Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:48 pm

Donkeykong wrote:

That's cool. What do you do anyway that you can use works welders?

I work in a small foundry for a good sized company, we make jet aircraft engine parts, just so happens that maintenance is located in my area and therefore I get to use their goodies.

OzLtd · **Posted:** Thu Jan 11, 2007 12:57 am

Jeger, get as many little crappy scrappy cut offs and the like as you can, so you can practise all different types of welds.

Remember when welding, Gravity is your friend

!

Have a look at this its helped me alot - pays to read all 10 pages.
http://www.aussieweld.com.au/arcwelding/index.htm

Jeger · **Posted:** Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:48 pm

Well I havnt gotten much time to work on this little project. But I did get started a bit this week. I am going to run three lengths of 1"X1/4" angle iron down the length of the skid one on each side and one down the middle. It looks like I will only lose about 1/4" of clearance the way I have it laid out. I am going to angle the angle iron down & inwards at the back where the skid takes that funky dip to meet the t-case skid so it wont interfere with the bolt holes in that area. I will try to get some pictures this weekend but here is the basic layout.

Bottom View

FRONT
| | |
| | |
| | |
\ | /
REAR

Jeger · **Posted:** Mon Jan 22, 2007 11:02 am

Here are some pics of what I'v got laid out. Still a bit of cutting and grinding to do, but I have only been able to work on these on my lunch breaks etc.

That middle piece will be cut off so that I can get to my oil drain plug and will look something like this when I am done. I will box all corners and taper any edges to meet the contour of the skid.

A few more pieces and I will be ready to start welding. I will probably add a piece of 1/8 flat plate to the front mounting points to overlap the angle iron a bit drill a few holes in it and weld through to the stock skid. That should stiffen the front up a bit. I will get some more pics when it looks better.

Skid Plate Mods

Who is online