Yet another attempt at an IFS 3rd gen skidplate

[4x4mike]

Paint takes along time to dry in a 35-50 degree garage. We got some sun yesterday and today so she soaked it up. Now here she is all dressed up with nowhere to go.

[img width=800 height=600]http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/DSC06640.jpg[/img]

[img width=800 height=600]http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/DSC06641.jpg[/img]

[img width=800 height=600]http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/DSC06642.jpg[/img]

[img width=800 height=600]http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/DSC06643.jpg[/img]

[4runnerchevy]

Looks good Are those bolt heads, gonna be an issue ?

[4x4mike]

Less than the factory ones. These are grade 8 so they're much harder. I used some button head cap screws once and they got buggered the first time out. Worse case senerio I'll have to use some vise grips to get them out.

[4x4mike]

So the skid plate took a little beating at Pismo. For the most part it took one really hard hit at the sand drags and bowed in a bit. I pulled it to take some pictures and to brain storm about fixing it.

The left flat'ish section is where the deformation is.

[img width=800 height=600]http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/Skid%20Plates/DSC07599.jpg[/img]


My little stay fresh wings got pushed into a lower cross member.

[img width=800 height=600]http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/Skid%20Plates/DSC07600.jpg[/img]

The up right vertical piece is pushed back. It doesn't look it because it's throughout the entire front. I may leave it as it will be hard to push back evenly but it's a little close to the radiator.

[img width=800 height=600]http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/Skid%20Plates/DSC07603.jpg[/img]

Bow'ednes

[img width=800 height=600]http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/Skid%20Plates/DSC07606.jpg[/img]

[img width=800 height=600]http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/Skid%20Plates/DSC07607.jpg[/img]

[img width=800 height=600]http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/mezamichael82/Skid%20Plates/DSC07608.jpg[/img]


I think tomorrow I'm going to lay it flat, put some wood on top of the bowed part, put the floor jack and maybe a bottle jack or two on top of the wood and jack away. The goal is to push the bump down. After that I may go out and get some more metal to double up that front piece if Ken didn't buy it all. Maybe while I'm waiting for the factories to make more steel I'll weld in some angle iron to stiffen up the piece. Hopefully the metal didn't stretch and will go back to where it came from.

[CYi5]

I'd get it as flat as possible and then weld angle on the back as you suggested. I've seen a few DIYers do this.

[Scuba]

If you can get it flat maybe try making some extra supports like the one on the Skid row skids..?

[img width=800 height=600]http://www.skidplates.com/Images/Toyota/Tacoma/Radiator_clearance.jpg[/img]

[Crinale]

haha... thats why my truck doesnt have a front skid right now... pismo killed it when i went out with Jason last month ... it was hanging on by one bolt and a hose clamp i had added, and was completely bowed in... lol

[paddlenbike]

After that I may go out and get some more metal to double up that front piece if Ken didn't buy it all.

I didn't buy that much steel! I would give you what I have but it just so happens to be the exact amount I need to finish my workbench. I will be sure to post pics when it is complete.

I would simply weld a little more steel in there...even if it's just a couple of ribs to strengthen it.

[4x4mike]

If you can get it flat maybe try making some extra supports like the one on the Skid row skids..?

[img width=800 height=600]http://www.skidplates.com/Images/Toyota/Tacoma/Radiator_clearance.jpg[/img]

I have many pictures of after market skid plates and shyed away from the above design. For one it's very similar to the factory design (little feet). Those feet messed the heck out of the cross member they attach to on my 4runner. I think there are pictures earilier in this thread. Having that extra space in there is nice because it gives the skid some give as shown. We'll see tonight what I end up doing. I just don't want to warp the skid plate welding more metal onto that face. First will most likely be the angle and then a doubled front. I hate welding on stuff that has already been painted. Even with good cleaning I get a lot of smoking paint and bad fumes.

Ken I probably have the metal I need already I was just giving you a hard time.

[4x4mike]

haha... thats why my truck doesnt have a front skid right now... pismo killed it when i went out with Jason last month ... it was hanging on by one bolt and a hose clamp i had added, and was completely bowed in... lol

How did you attach a skid plate with a hose clamp? That's totally picture worthy. I would have just taken it off for fear of the hose clamp and one bolt giving way and having the skid plate fly off and take out the gas tank or driveline.