Dr. Zhivago

Most sliders are made from this stuff, btw.

G

shazaam

I'm pretty sure I know what your talking about now. I saw it on Gadgets runner when he had the TC plates. thanks

ravencr

You don't make the tubing, you buy it! The way transalper made his is simple, and mine will be complex for sure because I'm planning to do a 4-link suspension and moving my gas tank, so all that is coming into play.

Chris

sschaefer3

I did the same thing back in September of 2003, it's been on my site the entire time. I ran 1" angle throught the thing to make it even stronger. Bolt rings as well.

The pics don't show the front frame brace, but that's complicated and involves welding on the frame so I left it off the net but it's on the 4Runner. Basically an additonal cross member.







The center skid is easy to make, the front one is the difficult one & you can't sell them with enough profit to make it worth your while.

shazaam

I figured I wold be able to buy it. But then I would somehow have to weld it on the side of the plate right?
In either case this is a definite must have before our run in May

Ranski

Steve-

What are the dimensions of your t-case skid (thickness, width and length) and are your bolt holes at the same location as transalper?

I have been to your site many, many times and never saw it...just didn't scroll down far enough.

ravencr

Yep, I'm planning to have my rear bumper and possibly my skid plates done, but I really need to move my gas tank first before I can start torching off crossmembers. I don't know yet!

Chris

Ranski

Steve-

Also, what's going on in these locations. why the shorter reinforcement with the square steel pad and the lower bolt hole seems to have a raised section...

sschaefer3

I have a custom rear crossmember for the MC09. The pad is where the lowest point on the moved back stock case hits.

The pad is on the tiny stock t-case skid, I tried on the big skid but in the end took it out.

I should take a new pic with the front crossmember.

Ranski

That would be much appreciated

sschaefer3

It's 11 gauge. I;m not sure of the dimensions but it goes from a few milimeters of the front sway bar all the way back to the start of the as tank skid. I have draged on it several times and it really works well.

The front crossmember is a 1.5" x 1.5" 120 wall tube that bolts to added on mounts to the frame. It then bolts to the very front lip of the skid. Other side as your arrows.

You can see the under the truck pic that the entire belly is covered.

Ranski

Steve-

In your opinion, if you don't have the added crossmember how would the plate hold up from the forward crossmember to just before the swaybar? Could I run it that way or would it end up bending to easily?

sschaefer3

More real life advice. What will happen is that when you get to highway speeds it will vibrate and howel life crazy. It needs to be supported to be quite and to be strong.

BruceTS

I made mine out of 11 guage and no additional bracing, it's held up just fine and I have no plans on making it stronger. I'd rather have it flex a bit, besides it's quite easy to straighten.

Albuquerque Jim

[QUOTE=BruceTS]I made mine out of 11 guage and no additional bracing, it's held up just fine and I have no plans on making it stronger. I'd rather have it flex a bit, besides it's quite easy to straighten.[QUOTE]

It looks like you bolted it to the front skid though

BruceTS

Yep. drilled through both plates after Installation and bolted them together, it works just fine, but I'll be changing it, once I cut out both crossmembers and relocated them to the same level as the frame rails. before all this, I'll relocate the fuel tank, then the new skid plate will cover across the full width of the rails.

The plate in the photo has a kink in the back to clear the transfer case, but since the 1 1/2" body lift, I added a block under the rear trans mount to raise it. I'll redo the plate to take out those bends. There is no vibration like Steve writes about....

ravencr

Man, we must think exactly alike because that's exactly what I'm planning to do. When you say that you added a block under the rear trans mount to raise it, can you explain what you did in detail. I didn't know this was possible, but I would love to be able to tuck it up higher and out of the way before I make my new crossmembers.

Chris

ravencr

Hey man, did you make those bends with your angle grinder too? Do you put it in a vise or anything to hold it?

Chris

transalper

Steve and BruceTS - Those are nice plates! My rig will have complete belly protection and reinforced gas tank armor some day. My simple plate was inspired by Steve's, TC's, and Jeff the Marmot's awesome armor.

Here's Jeff's:

transalper

The straight plate barely touches the OEM t-case "gaurd," but it does rub a little bit.

Would you recommend (1) adding a couple washers to lower the rear of the plate, (2) removing the "gaurd" so it doesn't rub, (3) inserting a thin rubberisolator between the plate and "gaurd" or (4) pivoting the truck on a rock to raise the t-case a couple millimeters?