- Location
- Chattanooga
Just searching around online and I saw some sites where people made their own skids mostly on jeep forums. Why dont more people do this?
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I haven't tried it, but I heard getting all the bends into the metal and getting everything lined up was the tough part. I've also heard of people using thick sheets of HDPE plastic for skids. Not sure if that is for all skids, or just the radiator plate. Seems to me if you could borrow one and use that for measurements it wouldn't be too bad.
I know that some second gen owners have made their owne skids. I have a few drawings dome up with some measurments taken off of TNX. the only skid that I am still not sure on how it will work is the T-case skid though. I can see if i can find and either link or post the pics when I get home from work tonight
There was one thread of someone making one giant skid for the entire truck out of HDPE plastic.
In that same thread, I think RacerXXL said he made two skids...engine/transmission skid out of HDPE plastic and had no issues. I think the single large HDPE warped from the heat of the exhaust cross over.
I will eventually go the HDPE route to save on weight, and just have a few specific sheets protecting things instead of one giant belly pan to penguin slide on.
I made my own, just cut out cardboard to make templates then cut out metal 3/16" steel and welded angle iron on the edges to make it sturdy...
The hdpe route will be really really expensive, I used to have some... They don't really work, hdpe will flex under the weight... Just do yourselves a favor and use steel...
Hdpe could work of it were 3/4" at the thinnest, but it's expensive and will still melt, hdpe is only heat rated for about 200 degrees...
Why don't people do more themselves? Simple. I don't have a welder. Or a cutter. Or the knowledge. And I don't have the money or time to buy or learn how. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to get into metal work. But I just don't have time right now. I would have loved to build my own bumper too. But I just don't have the resources. So I bought one.
I found these plans and had a few sets bent at the local metal shop.
It's cause I'm an old fart to Ry...lol