Skidplate and Engine protector.

[tazzman68]

Ok, I have seen lots of commercial skid plates, and engine protectors. But has anyone made their own?
I have a small sheet 1/32" extruded Alcoa left over from my machining days and want to make my own. Has anyone done this, and if so did you keep plans or pics of them? Even if you've had the idea and never implemented I would love to hear what your ideas were before I start cutting.

 

[Pineapple]

I modded the stock X engine protector.
So far so good! Not with alloy like you plan on doing but I thought I'd show it to you.
https://www.hpisavageforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6030

 

[Larsenracing]

Roll bar-
Aluminum will deform. If you want to go to aluminum it will need to be braced very well and probably much thicker than 1/32". As far as an engine protector the stock X one is actually pretty good. there are several people who have modified there such as Pine did. My suggestion about this would be to run around with a lid on!

Skid plates-
Everyone has there opinion on what they like for skids. They can be made from pretty much anything that is a bit stiff and what is flat. If you can attach it between the TVP's and have it hold up it will be fine. Just make sure its not hitting the Brake disc if your running LCG TVP's.

 

[Grumpy1822]

 

[Jeremy]

Nice grumpy I like that man

 

[k0m0d067]

yup...ya gotta love diamond plate!!

 

[Dragin]

That looks pretty good grumpy! How much weight does it add? And since the added weight is at the bottom of the truck did it effect your CG noticably?

 

[tazzman68]

Hey Grumpy, that is pretty much what I had in mind. Now does that extend over the existing front and rear skidplates? And if so, do you catch the lip on anything?. Also, how thick is your plate?

Oh, one more...did you make the tank cover yourself too? and can I get some better pics of that?

Thanks a bunch everyone, I think I will start mocking up using serial boxes tomorrow....maybe.

 

[Grumpy1822]

I'm not sure about the weight. I guess its about the same as a reg one that you would buy. The diamond plate came from Lowes. We made it at my old job one day when we were bored. I just copied the one I had on the other truck. Made a cardboard template and bent it in a vice. Cuts were made with a jig saw and smoothed on a grinder. I made the tank protector and the front skid protector too.

 

[tazzman68]

Nice work there grumpy, I can't wait to get started on mine.
Oh and looks like a nice collection there.

 

[tazzman68]

Ok, here is my initial idea.
I am going to try to make my center skidplate so that it holds itself in place.
To me this seems the best way to cut down on weight, no fasteners. And if it does slip, a few little holes, and I can zip tie in place.
If you look at the pictures of my mock-up, you can see that if the plate is long enough it has a place to rest fine, the center of the plate where it will have the bend sits against the bottom of the tranny. The tension created when the center of the bend is pushed from above (the tranny) should hod the plate tightly in place.

Any thoughts?

 

[Grumpy1822]

That would fine for just a dirt shield made of thin alu or lexan. It wont be very strong though. If you bottom out on something that skid will bend up and take out your reverse linkage. If you form it to go over the plate the skids support it and it can be screwed with 4 screws to the chassis braces. See my pic. This will make it strong enough to hit a stump, rock, or pothole and not bend. The weight of 4 screws and another 2" of material isnt enough to even consider.

 

[tazzman68]

OK, I totally see your point.
But I am the type of guy that was so antsy about this project, I already made my first prototype, and have it in the truck already.
If you look at the way the shield in wedged in there, it takes a lot of force to flex the one end of the plate that does move, the end where the servos are, won't budge. And I think if I make another one, I can get it even tighter.

 

[Grumpy1822]

That will work. I would just secure it where you have it wedged. You could get two of the hpi plastic chassis braces and secure them through the sides of the tvp. The braces will go on the top of your skid edges in the inside where its wedged. That will keep anything from popping them out.

 

[tazzman68]

That will work. I would just secure it where you have it wedged. You could get two of the hpi plastic chassis braces and secure them through the sides of the tvp. The braces will go on the top of your skid edges in the inside where its wedged. That will keep anything from popping them out.

I was originally thinking of doing that with another set of the aluminum engine mount braces. I will see how this works, and go from there. And if I do need more bracing then I think the plastic ones would surely be lighter.

 

[Dreadnaught]

jsut make sure your brakes arent going to rub if it gets bent. you may want to run a brace down the edges of it, and leave a gap maybe for the breaks to run in if it gets bent that far up.

 

[tazzman68]

As for the brakes, the disk is close enough to the apex of the bend that I think there would be more pressing issues than the brake disk touching the skidplate if I were to dent it enough to hit the disk.
I may make a slot in the plate directly under the brake disk for clearance if needed.

 

[Pineapple]

I think that would defeat part of the purpose for a center skid-to keep crud from getting on the brakes.

 

[xtremsavage]

That's what I am planning on doin with my left over diamond plate from when I made my TVP's. I was also gonna do the front/rear skids too. Not all in one piece though.