between the front bumper and skid plate

[TC4Rnr]

I bought the 04 used, and I've been bothered because of it lacks of protection for the radiator, there's nothing between the stock bumper and skid plate.

well, today I finally found a good piece of "scrap" aluminum at school, so I got to work on it. some shearing, bending, punching, flaring, and whole lot measuring.

here is the plate before final trimming and fitting.

finished:

 

[BlackDrake]

Looks great! Any reason you chose aluminum instead of steel?

 

[TC4Rnr]

Looks great! Any reason you chose aluminum instead of steel?

it's a prototype, aluminum is easier to work on than steel, by a long mile. It's not a perfect fit, for now. next, I'm gonna make a stainless steel one.

 

[M1911]

What did you use to bend it? A brake?

 

[810moto]

rear shocks are buggin me

sorry wrong thread.

 

[Lexusbstrdchild]

looks like it belongs there!

 

[Harold1950]

I like the looks of it, looks really good. What thickness stainless do you think you would use? Do you have a schematic with the measurements? In that location, would it act more like a brush guard to protect the bottom of the radiator from brush or would it actually serve as a skid plate, or both?

 

[ALLEGRO]

Great fab work. Keep us posted, may want to hook up with you on this one.

 

[TC4Rnr]

it's not a body armor, mainly it's for on road use, strength of the material isn't important.

2 main purposes of if it

a.) blocking off fast moving rocks, debris. as you can see the small radiator has been hit before.
b.) reduce the salt spalsh during winter times. salt corrosion is one of the annoying things happens when you live in the salt belt. that's why I wanna make one in stailess steel.

the 5 flaired holes make the plate lighter, better air flow than a solid piece. but more importantly more rigid, because now the middle section becomes 3 dimensional.

I want add a stainless mesh/screen inside later on, that's why the holes were flaired outwards.

 

[JAC]

Thats a Nice JOb!!

 

[810moto]

it's a prototype, aluminum is easier to work on than steel, by a long mile. It's not a perfect fit, for now. next, I'm gonna make a stainless steel one.

@ TC4......you think you could post up some measurements on that puppy? I commend you on making your own plate and it looking that good. I would love to make something like that. Share the wealth of W"xD"xH"

 

[810moto]

I measured everything and looks like 35 X 12 will get us right in the ball park and then trimming the edges to fit.

 

[TC4Rnr]

I'll take it off and make some measurement tomorrow.

you can have one made without using a metal break, instead, just weld 4 tabs. bend the tabs on a bench vise is a very simple thing to do.

 

[<<<<]

Nice work. Can you post dimentions of those bolt location from your plate.

 

[810moto]

what angle did you bend the front edge?

 

[TC4Rnr]

what angle did you bend the front edge?

if you can get both bends between 20-25 degrees, you will be fine.


I took it out today and made a cardboard mock up. I'd say most people wouldn't have metal break to use, so just make 4 tabs either weld or bolt together will be more practical.

here is the reason why it's needed: see the small radiator(for A/C?) got hit and slightly bent back?

 

[chaz]

while not as nice looking, you can also just cut & bend a plate without welding the tabs on.

 

[810moto]

I am headed down to the local steel shop here in long beach to get me some flat steel and will pull out the dremel to cut and mold into place. Pics to follow soon.

again thanks to TC4Rnr for the idea!

 

[TC4Rnr]

always, make a paper mock-up first before you work on the steel plate. cut out slots instead of holes for the bolt to go through, easier to fit. 16ga. steel should be good enought. remember, this is not intended for trail armor.

if you don't have a punch/flair tool, you need to drill some big holes with a hole saw. you will need to have the air flow to the rad.

 

[Harold1950]

I know the post is getting old but wanted to show the skid plate I made out of a piece of stainless I had in the garage. I tried to cut larger holes using a hole saw but you can see, I burnt up two of them. I finally drilled 3/4 inch holes and the V8 seems to run cooler than it did before, I did not go all the way to the front, I left about a 2 1/2 inch space in front of the plate, I have bars on my bullbar and the skid plate is protected by that.........Harold