Anyone build a better t-case skid? I've built one out of 1/8" material, but its still only held in place by two 8mm (12mm head) bolts.

Anyone come up with a better design than the stock version, but without the $250 pricetag of the Budbuilt/ Trailgear crossmember which would provide a midpoint in price and protection? Budget is $50 lets say.

I've thought about welding a 1/4" thick 12"x8" plate to the existing factory x-member and then bolting on a 3/16" skid plate that looks like this \____/ from the side. What do you guys think?

 

Allpro has this for 95-04 Taco's



Cant remember what the case looks like on your junk but just giving you and idea Matt..

 

Hmm maybe... but those bolts are pretty tiny and their going straight into aluminum so you can't tighten them much, meaning you can't use clamping force and have to rely on shear strength of a tiny bolt. BUT the motor mounts and t case mounts have flex in them.

 

Yeah I decided on a tcase skid from skid row instead of that..

 

Anyone know how torsionally rigid the stock x-member is? Anyone bent it up?

 

bump... anyone?

 

I haven't bent mine like twisted it or totally mangled it, but mine has a couple dents. I think your idea would definitely be better than the original, the plate on mine's bent up enough I'm almost certain it has contacted the case before.

 

For some reason, this reminds me of a line from "Tin Cup"

"You can't ask advice about the woman you're trying to hose FROM the woman you're trying to hose!"

To the OP - you might be able to fabricate something like the AllPhase Tacoma skid:
http://www.allphaseoffroad.com/products.html?id=5

 

Yeah Tc, Makes sense, I decided on one just like that from skid row, But now seeing that they're almost exactly alike, and that one it 50 bucks cheaper..

 

Here's basically what I want to do. Found this on MUD. http://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-te...uild-pics.html

 

That one support in the back ain't enough. Consider you're going to have the entire weight of the truck on the back lip of the skid.

 

I think you're right TC. I think I will have the plate extending front and back roughly equal distances from the x-member and brace it front and back.

I was thinking about the flimsy-looking angled support at the back pictured above, and I realized that it works in two ways.

1) if we assume that the joint between the support and the plate and the support and the frame are both rigid, then it would have all the strength of the rigidity of the joints PLUS:

2) even if the joints have flex to them (assuming the support itself stays rigid, in order for the skid plate to be pushed upwards into the t-case, the rear of the skid plate pictured above would be rotated towards the drivers side away from the frame rail. This means that increasing the strength of the fasteners securing the skid to the crossmember would further result in increased strength of the skid+brace.

 

Just an idea there is that plate that you can order that bolts into the 7 bolts on the t case...cant remember exactly where you get it but look youll find it. Bolt that to the t case, weld up a x member across that- behindish/below the tcase, then make that a point to weld/bolt protection into the front...

I dont really know if im making sense right now...but kinda like the ih8mud idea, just better rear support...i wouldnt trust sandwiching the frame like that...

 

The reason I don't want anything bolting to the t-case is three-fold; firstly and most importantly, the t-case is made of cast aluminum which doesn't like impacts and is prone to cracking when hit. So the risk here is the impact being transfered from the skid to the bolts and cracking the t-case along the bolt holes. Next, the t-case mounts were never meant to take the weight of the truck if the truck got hung up on the t-case. Finally, the t-case is aluminum partially to allow it to cool effectively. Adding 1/4" of steel to the t-case isn't going to help it cool...

 

The motor mounts can't absorb the weight of the vehicle but are more than capable of absorbing more than enough torque to move the vehicle?
umm... okay. I'd be willing to bet that the force applied to one engine mount when in 1st gear / 4 low / full throttle is at least equal to the weight of the vehicle.

Over all though, I don't see any point in protecting the transfer case if you're not also protecting everything else underneath the vehicle. Replacing the exhaust could easily cost 400-600 dollars were it to be ripped out from under the vehicle and took the downpipe with it.

A side benefit of having an entire underbelly skid pan is the fact that there is nothing hanging down below it to get hung up on.

 

Difference is the exhaust is not going to prevent you from getting home. Crack your t-case and its game over. Also the exhaust can flex a little and take a couple hits- mine has with no real damage. Furthermore, I'd be impressed if someone ruined every single component of an exhaust system by dragging it over the rocks without hanging up.

You may be right about the motor mount, I've never suspended my truck by it. Don't want to either. The real issue for me with that one is that i don't trust the integrity of the case aluminum to take a hit even if the hit is distributed to 7 bolt holes.

 

If you are not happy with the prices of after market protection for your Transfer case or care for the design .

Draw up what you want . Get some prices and have it built . If it works as you want you now have a design that you can market and sell .

Thing is in the Fab business you often build things you have no idea what it is for or it is just a small part of a huge job. Look at print bend drill weld as needed.

If you are anywhere near Eastern Pa I would be glad to help.