Home Made Engine Skid Write Up (W/ pictures) - Page 2

**Stu Olson** · 06-26-2007, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotch740

Changed the oil for the first time tonight, and found the oil pan does slope forward. The oil didn't over shoot my drain hole but it ran down the oil pan and onto the skid. Then it ran to the front of the skid and pooled up there. I will have to cut a funnel out of something to prevent this.

Any other suggestions? Other than a drain valve, which I have not ruled out but I think it might hang down too low.

For these infrequent maintenance issues, some ordinary kitchen tinfoil works great for making a funnel. Cheap and very easy to shape.

By the way, congrats on a nice looking skid.

I made one similar to yours, the biggest difference was the aluminum alloy it was made from.

Details at http://www.stu-offroad.com/guards/tranny/tranny-1.htm

jeepteejay · 06-27-2007, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotch740

Some finished product pictures.
Front

Mount Close up

Looks great. I'm going to be doing this soon too, though I already have a belly up skid, so I'll just be doing the engine skid.
I'd have probably used 2 bolts here per side, but at teh same time, I don't really think it's going anywhere.

BlackJeephunter · 06-27-2007, 05:25 AM

The cut in the angle iron bracket. That will be your weak point. I know you had to cut it to make the slight bend but taking that angle section out really weakened the metal. It would have been better to do a filler weld or scab a piece over that gap.

Scotch740 · 06-27-2007, 09:25 AM

WOW lots of responses.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NAILER341

it would be nice if the mounting bolts were countersunk.
get some of those large hex flat socket head cap screws.

I did use those bolts to secure the Engine skid to the TC skid. If your referring to the TC skid bolts I have considered that but decided those could be a HUGE PITA if the hex holes rounded out. I think a better solution would be to recess the heads with room for a socket into the skid, or make thick washers with room for a socket and weld them around the heads.

STU,
I have seen yours and used it to help with the design of mine. Your site is great by the way. I wish I could TIG weld, or had the access to cheap aluminum. Your skid turned out really nice. How much clearance did you have between the very bottom of you oil pan and skid?

JeepTeeJay,
There are 2 bolts connecting the mount bracket to the Motor mounts, and that one bolt is 1/2" Grade 8. I think I have seen others who just used one bolt up there, plus I wanted to be able to swing them forward and back to make mounting and fitting them easier.

BlackJeepHunter,
That notch concerned me too. The forces there will be more in a upwards motion compressing the support arms. The frontal impacts will be transmitted to the TC skid. As my dad pointed out It will be better to have good surface contact between the front angle bracket and the support arms, so as to not subject those bolts to as much shear force. I think I will be doing an over haul to these skids adding more drain holes and at that point I will probably remake those arms with 1.5" x 1.5" x 0.25" angle. At that time I will be adding a filler weld or brace covering those notches after I get them bent to the right angel.

As far as a funnel I am thinking I will try the top of a milk jug and just cram it up there. Tinfoil might be a good solution also (thanks Stu).

Anyone who has a Drain valve and an engine skid if you could provide more details and or pictures of that it would be appreciated. Along with your clearance between the skid and pan. I just don't know if that hangs down too far.

Scotch740 · 06-28-2007, 02:35 PM

Requesting a mod move this to the Fab section for its final proper resting place, thanks

360wrangler · 06-28-2007, 05:59 PM

build cost?

wrap the mounts around the side of the frame? then you wouldn't hit them on any thing

Scotch740 · 06-28-2007, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 360wrangler

build cost?

wrap the mounts around the side of the frame? then you wouldn't hit them on any thing

Explain what your talking about wrapping around the frame, I'm not picturing it.

Well I picked up the plate when I picked up the angle and I got 20' of angle for this and my TC skid. Which I already calculated into the total cost for both Which was $346 Then I had to get $10 more in bolts for this. Not exact but I would est it was under 50 for everything. Metal was 42 but about a third of that was for the TC skid as well. Those costs are from nothing to on the Jeep. Metal, cut off wheels, welding rods, flapper disks, primer, paint, bolts. The cost for both included the Trany mount for the flat TC skid which was almost $150 its self.

360wrangler · 06-28-2007, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 360wrangler

build cost?

wrap the mounts around the side of the frame? then you wouldn't hit them on any thing

the tc mount bolts could be put on the out side of the frame. now you have them on the bottom where you can hit them on rocks and such.

Scotch740 · 06-29-2007, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 360wrangler

the tc mount bolts could be put on the out side of the frame. now you have them on the bottom where you can hit them on rocks and such.

Ahh gotch ya. I dont know if I have the guts for drilling 3 new holes in the frame yet. Also don't have a way to bend 1/4" plate. I will keep that in mind for my next one. But thats 8 years down the line hopefully.

Actualy having the plate wrap around the frame like that might make it easier for doing a long arm setup.

Scotch740 · 07-05-2007, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tommaho

Looks good.

Just from personal experience: disconnect your swaybar, drive on a rock or ramp, completely stuff the right front tire, and double check the clearance between the driveshaft and edge of the skid.

You'll probably be good now, but you might run into trouble if you switch to arms or springs that allow much more wheel travel.

Tom

Just to give an update on this. I was at Shoe Creek Va. last weekend. Had a blast posted some pics in the TJ wheeling pics thread. I had no contact that I noticed under pretty good flexing for a stocker.

I got one shot at a friends with the front driver wheel stuffed about as far as it will go up in the wheel well, kinda the opposite of the one above.

Took some scrapes and the skids held up fine.

M3talhead · 08-10-2007, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotch740

Changed the oil for the first time tonight, and found the oil pan does slope forward. The oil didn't over shoot my drain hole but it ran down the oil pan and onto the skid. Then it ran to the front of the skid and pooled up there. I will have to cut a funnel out of something to prevent this.

Any other suggestions? Other than a drain valve, which I have not ruled out but I think it might hang down too low.

Get a Fumoto drain valve and opt for the model with the nipple adapter...makes changing oil w/ skid plates worlds easier.

Scotch740 · 08-10-2007, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M3talhead

Get a Fumoto drain valve and opt for the model with the nipple adapter...makes changing oil w/ skid plates worlds easier.

Did you read what you quoted? My skid is really close to my oil pan and I am concerned the drain valve will hang down below it and would have already been ripped off if it was.

However, Thank you for posting this up as it reminded me of it and I am looking into it further. I have done one more oil change that did not go any better than the first

Maybe worse. I am going to measure my distance at lunch and will probably try the one without the nipple since it is only 1/2" longer. Pretty sure that will work but if I have clearance for the one with the nipple I will go with that. I got about 3k more miles till my next change so I have a little time.

From that site which I had not seen the dimensions yet.

# Regular - 7/8" in length (Only stick out 1/2" more than standard oil plug head.)
# N-Type (w/Nipple) - 1 1/2" in length

I am almost positive the 1-1/2" one will hang below my skid but the 7/8" one might be the ticket. Or I might go with the Nipple one and cut it off. Or just unscrew the nipple in between changes.

Anyone Know if that Nipple can be removed easily? Looks like a simple bolt on piece.

**rustywrangler** · 08-10-2007, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotch740

All I have to say man is Excellent work on that. My ONLY comments that will be negative are for the beer in the back seat on the trail........

Scotch740 · 08-10-2007, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustywrangler

All I have to say man is Excellent work on that. My ONLY comments that will be negative are for the beer in the back seat on the trail........

Yeah I know about the Beer. But there was no room in the front with me

Ok seriously though we were camping. As you can see it was unopened at the time.

**BESRK** · 08-10-2007, 06:58 PM

Somebody had to drive out and make a beer run..

06-28-2007, 05:59 PM	#21
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