[roccomonte]

Alright, my stock skid/cross member has seen too many rocks... it's pretty mangled and I'm gonna make my own and tuck it up out of the way. So, I'm gonna make something like this for my trans mount. Its gonna sit flush with the frame rails..

Do you guys think 14 gauge wall(it says .90 in my paint art but I was wrong) will be strong enough for the supports? also how will 3/32" hold up to rocks and such? I'm trying to save weight as much as possible, but keep it strong as possible.


I'll post up my progress in the next few days

[DC4W-93XJ]

seems kinda lightweight to me...............

[jsc7002]

Originally Posted by DC4W-93XJ

seems kinda lightweight to me...............

X2, 14G is roughly 1/8" and I would use any less than that for something thats gonna be hitting rock. Im planning on doing a flat belly on my CJ and Ill probably use a 3/16" sheet and some 1/4" angle but I like to have my stuff plenty strong.

[roccomonte]

how about 3/16" wall on the square tubing and 1/4 on all the angle iron?

What would you recommend for the skid plate itself? I'm not planning on having many large gaps under it, the biggest one will be around 3x5 inches

[bgredjeep]

Posted this in your thread in the YJ section but wasn't sure you saw it.

I built a similar frame and skid for my YJ. I just started fitting it all together an came up with a design to wrap around my drivetrain. After seeing my stock skid plate after its last trip, I seriously overbuilt the new setup. I used 1/4" 3x3 angle for the frame mounts (could have used 3/16" but I friend gave me the 1/4" for free, so..). For the actual frame I used 3/16" wall 1.5" square tube, a peice of 3/16" plate for the trans mount, then some 3/16" tabs to bolt the actual skid plate to. The skid plate is 3/16" steel as well and bolts to the frame in 6 places.

I've landed hard on this new setup a number of times and its still in perfect shape.

Here is what I found after my last trip with the stock skidplate


Started with this as the base


Then continued forward and ended up with this


Cut this out to match up with the frame


and it mounts to the frame with countersunk bolts (I've since smoothed up all the welds)


Hope that helps.

[roccomonte]

thats almost exactly how i'm planning on making this. But you have a pass side drop.

[prd_cdn]

WOW.. that is very cool

Nicely done !!

[1 ton yj]

use 1.5 .120 tube and skin it with 1/4" aluminum. That will be plenty light. Going thinner than .120 on the framework is asking for trouble.

[Mr-Rock]

Originally Posted by bgredjeep

Posted this in your thread in the YJ section but wasn't sure you saw it.

I built a similar frame and skid for my YJ. I just started fitting it all together an came up with a design to wrap around my drivetrain. After seeing my stock skid plate after its last trip, I seriously overbuilt the new setup. I used 1/4" 3x3 angle for the frame mounts (could have used 3/16" but I friend gave me the 1/4" for free, so..). For the actual frame I used 3/16" wall 1.5" square tube, a peice of 3/16" plate for the trans mount, then some 3/16" tabs to bolt the actual skid plate to. The skid plate is 3/16" steel as well and bolts to the frame in 6 places.

I've landed hard on this new setup a number of times and its still in perfect shape.

Hey, bjredjeep, these pic's didn't fully come out. That is a sweet setup and exactly what I want to do to! Do you have a write up or more pic's some where?