Budbuilt Skid/bellypan Question?
 

Does anybody have the flat belly pan from BudBuilt? If so, what did you have to do to install it? (i.e additional parts) Also, for those who have the frint skit and regular bellypan, does it gain any additional clearence then the factory stuff? Also any pics would be awsome. I am looking to get as much coverage underneath as I can and try to gain some addition clearence. Any additional comments on this topic is welcome.

Thanks guys and gals.

-Matt

i have the fornt and belly skids... theyre awesome.

you have to deal with some issues while mounting like the small plate of the tcase.

i recommend you use a floor jack, raise them into place, then put in each screw 60% of the way, then tighten all around.

i have used mine to hell and back and they bent a bit, even bent up into the cat to make a bad rattle at one point, but its nothing a sledge hammer cant fix :great:

It's really pretty easy.

There's the front skid plate which uses the 3 front old skidplate holes. Then it can also connect to some of the rear holes, but the angle brace that connects to the steering is better and stronger. (The rear budbuilt holes didn't line up on my 97' so i just used the angle brace).

The flat belly skid connects to the brace and then with carriage bolts to the cross members.


Here's a couple pics from my install. A floor jack helps get those heavy ass plates up.

http://www.pixsum.net/public/pics/IMG_9099.jpg

http://www.pixsum.net/public/pics/IMG_9093.jpg

http://www.pixsum.net/public/pics/IMG_9098.jpg




edit : Dont' forget to remove the little stock t-case skid and the one carriage bolt by the exhaust is a bitch to get to.

the flat skid says it is level with the frame rails, these pics don't look like they are flush.

Yeah, it's not all the way on in those pics. You have to use the floor jack to press it up and then tighten the bolts.

Someday I should take pics of it fully installed...

Did you have to get the clocking adaptor? anything else to get it done?

Ok, I just re-read your post, and no it is not flat with the frame rails.
It is flat with the cross members - which are lower than the frame rails.

There is a lot more work involved to get it flat with the frame rails, like :
- Body lift (1 1/2" - 2" i believe)
- Clocking transfer
- Cutting off cross members and moving them up or replacing them
- Relocating the gas tank to the spare tire
- etc

There was a thread going the other day about creating a fully smooth underbody. Only a few ppl have actually done that.

CruX: Thanks for the additional info. SO do you gain any clearence with the skid you got? I guess the big issue is that the gas tank hangs kinda low.