Coastal Offroad Skid Plate

[gimlithepirate]

Has anyone tried the Coastal Offroad skid plate? Wondering how much fabrication is required, and if it really has more clearance. The design looks like it would have more clearance than most since it has a drop down for the front diff pumpkin, instead of being flat across there. Does anyone know of another skid with a similar design?

 

[montijo505]

Has anyone tried the Coastal Offroad skid plate? Wondering how much fabrication is required, and if it really has more clearance. The design looks like it would have more clearance than most since it has a drop down for the front diff pumpkin, instead of being flat across there. Does anyone know of another skid with a similar design?

The clearance is pretty insane, however if I had a front sway bar at the time it would have been hard to make it work because its tucked so high to the diff and everything. I dont know whether they changed the design for that.

It doesn't require a ton of welding, I'm a novice and was able to get it done. Hardest part is the fit up. You have to install portions, tack, remove and finish weld to make sure everything lines up.

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[gimlithepirate]

The clearance is pretty insane, however if I had a front sway bar at the time it would have been hard to make it work because its tucked so high to the diff and everything. I dont know whether they changed the design for that.

It doesn't require a ton of welding, I'm a novice and was able to get it done. Hardest part is the fit up. You have to install portions, tack, remove and finish weld to make sure everything lines up.

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Oof, so for the fit up you are tack welding on your back under your car?

I love Coastal Offroad's designs but I'm always afraid its beyond my skill set.

 

[montijo505]

Oof, so for the fit up you are tack welding on your back under your car?



I love Coastal Offroad's designs but I'm always afraid its beyond my skill set.

Yes on your back. I literally had welded nothing in my life before getting their front bumper and skid plates. If mine haven't fallen apart, anyone can do it.

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[CAFunRunner]

Yes on your back. I literally had welded nothing in my life before getting their front bumper and skid plates. If mine haven't fallen apart, anyone can do it.

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I second that! this is probably now for anyone else looking at the Coastal Offroad skids, but nonetheless.

I had minor welding experience before welding the Coastal Offroad skids. They are super thick steel, and you can lay on them for a long time without worrying about burning through them. The skids are really well-designed and laser-cut nicely. It is like adult Legos. I would encourage anyone with a can-do attitude and half-decent mechanical skills to give it a shot! Mine won't win any welding design awards but it'll hold :becky:

 

[Jeebus]

So stoked to see this!

I purchased all new welding equipment (120A FCAW) and a bumper. I'm lucky enough to live close enough to have picked up the bumper at their shop while on vacation, but they ended up giving me the wrong front end without a cutout. (Edit) Their customer service is a little slow on the response, but they've been pretty good with helping and correcting some mistakes.

I've had a friend who welded up a Coastal Offroad bumper for their 3rd gen, he also did not have any welding experience. I know you can do it, I believe in you!

 

[Runnin on E]

I don't recommend this for first time welders and also especialy with 120vac welders. You may be able to get the pieces to stick together but the penetration/strength is not there. Coastal is a nice option to reduce cost, I have a front and rear bumper from them. The one place you want ultimate strength is the skid plate area. If you wheel, you find out quickly that the underside is the most vulnerable to severe damage, pumpkins, drive shaft, aluminum trans case ect. Expensive stuff and difficult to replace. I had a set of "marginal" skids to start out with, I hit a rock and it pushed that skid up into the front diff and continued in that direction bending the diff case to the point of contacting the ring gear inside. The ring gear "machined" off some of the case inside and that debris got into the bearings. It was a noisy ride home and I had to replace the front diff. I still have it but haven't rebuilt it. I bought a used one complete off of CL. I can see in the pics above even the most basic process in welding wasn't used. Again, for the skids you at least want to watch a few vids before. As William Shakespear once said " Educate thine self or else..." also Isaac Newton said " the severity of consequences are inversely proportional to your education of that action":shocked: