3rd Gen IFS skidplate buildup

[freejake3]

Good luck with the design. THe only way to know if something will hold up is to build it, wheel it, and hopefully not break it; if so just take that lesson and improve on your previous design. I have had a front skid (it goes just beyond the steering rack) in my garage for quite some time but really need to start thinking on mounting options before this wheeling season. I need to upgrade the front coils to 881's before doing so due to the weight increase. My 880's would not take the additional weight.

This is what I have for both the gas tank and the transfer case. THe gas tank skid weights around 30 lbs and I'm guessing the transfer case skid weighs just a shade under.

[glenyoshida]

Really cool skids. That must have taken some time to fab up. Looks great!

[Seanz0rz]

ok, way past due to update this thread, but its been a busy few weeks!

so i got my steel, 4x8 sheet of 11 gauge. i started at the beginning.

after i cut my sheet in half (for ease of use), i cut out the basic shape of the front skid.


all of this was done with basic hand tools, a 4.5 inch angle grinder, and a tsquare.


the front portion of this skid mounts to the bottom of my shrockworks bumper with 4 3/8" bolts. the skid is welded to a 1.5 inch piece of angle iron. here you can see the gussets i finished yesterday.


i tapered the skid between the width of the front bumper and the distance between the IFS lower control arms. i scored the metal and bent it up, welding the cutline. it provides rigidity and looks cool!


then i had to make brackets to bolt up to the stock location on the engine crossmember


and here is what it looked like before i cut some more holes in it:



i decided to cut some holes in the skid to match my bumper.



and here is how it stands right now:


next weekend's project is to start and finish the bracing on the back side. once im done with that i can start on the piece that goes under the engine, and continue on with a belly pan.

im having a very good time working on this, i have learned alot!

and a HUGE thanks to Jenn (JnJ) as she did alot of the welding on this project! (anything that looks good is hers!)

[neliconcept]

i like it so far

[paddlenbike]

me too

[Tankota]

Looks pretty good.

One suggestion on the welding. I think you need to turn up the heat a little on your welder.
Here it looks like they're not penetrating very well.

[img width=800 height=600]http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/Skidplate/skid004.jpg[/img]

[Seanz0rz]

those are jenn's! haha

actually i was looking over them this weekend, i might go back and grind them flat and refill, or just lay another bead down them on either side (proper t-joint style)

[Tankota]

hehe, dont worry. Not every one can make their welds look like mossyrocks fab.
They dont have to look pretty, they just have to be strong. A penetrating weld is a strong weld (mostly). You dont want cold welds.

I would run two new beads along those. Make sure they're hot ones though. Get as close as you can to burning though with actually doing it.


-edit- I'm sure you saw this. Just want to drive the point home
http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.ph...;topicseen#new

[Seanz0rz]

yes, you want to buy me a dimple die and a press? i dont really like the dimple die look anyway, at least not for me and what im going for with this skidplate.

back will be ribbed for her pleasure. stay tuned for that. im estimating maybe next weekend, deff the weekend after.

[4x4mike]

Looks pretty good.

One suggestion on the welding. I think you need to turn up the heat a little on your welder.
Here it looks like they're not penetrating very well.

[img width=800 height=600]http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/Skidplate/skid004.jpg[/img]

I was going to say the same thing. I don't think you'll blow any holes through the metal but there should be "heat marks" on the other side of the work. A good penetrating weld will have a heat effected zone on the back side of the work. If it doesn't it's a cold weld and will break.

I'm totally new at welding and have spent a bunch of time practicing on scrap and little projects to get my technique (the word technique is a stretch) and settings down.