Doubling up the OEM skid plates for more robust skid plate on a budget?

[Pyral]

I did some 4x4ing in my stock 4runner, and everything was adequate, except the skid plate under the fuel tank that is now touching the bottom of the tank (hopefully not dented).

After market skid plates cost a lot and aren't easy to get, but I can find dozens of people parting out 4runners and it's rare to find one that doesn't have pristine skid plates.

How effective would it be if I welded two stock plates together?

I'm pretty sure they wouldn't nest together, but I think once you cut off the sides so you just have the underside of one you could make them fit nicely together without hanging lower. Would that work well?

 

[Hungryhawk]

Do you have the welding skills and equipment to do this yourself? If you are hiring a weld shop ask their opinion first.
If you are thinking of drilling holes and bolting them into a sandwich you might find simply adding reinforcing plates/strips (flat bar) easier to work with.
Look for a used metal business in your area. You can purchase (usually by the pound) steel, stainless steel, aluminum in handy sizes.

 

[auspilot]

Just remove it and beat it back into shape with a hammer. Re-install and you are good to go for more wheeling.

 

[phattyduck]

Two pieces of metal that are the same thinkness stacked is 2x as strong as one. One piece of metal that is the same thickness as two of the thinner piece is 8x as strong. Two pieces welded together will be somewhere in-between in strength and will likely have rust issues between the two pieces.

If you have a welder, maybe consider bars or something you can fully weld on a repaired/replaced OEM skid plate. Less weight and probably more strength.

-Charlie

 

[T4R2014]

Water and dirt is just going to collect between the sheets and it will turn into a POS. Either pound this one into shape and choose different lines or get a better skid plate for your purpose.

 

[sugjavier]

Not sure if weld shop maybe charge you more compared to $400 ish for lil skips gas tank skid
Place Order | Lil' Skip's Offroad

This is what I'm planning to get soon

 

[Endlessblockades]

Not sure if weld shop maybe charge you more compared to $400 ish for lil skips gas tank skid
Place Order | Lil' Skip's Offroad

This is what I'm planning to get soon

Oof Skip is (understandably) up to $485+$85 shipping. I had a chance to get one at 300-something a few years ago. Cool thing about Skip is he will adjust fitment if you have odd welds or certain bolt-on sliders. I would go with Skip if I needed a tough 50lb skid.

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[sugjavier]

Oof Skip is (understandably) up to $485+$85 shipping. I had a chance to get one at 300-something a few years ago. Cool thing about Skip is he will adjust fitment if you have odd welds or certain bolt-on sliders. I would go with Skip if I needed a tough 50lb skid.

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Yea I wish I got in the group buy years ago haha. I think he may waive the shipping fee depending on where you are.
I do have shrockworks bolt on sliders and he said it should fit.

 

[phattyduck]

Yea I wish I got in the group buy years ago haha. I think he may waive the shipping fee depending on where you are.
I do have shrockworks bolt on sliders and he said it should fit.

Could be worse - I had to clearance my Shrockworks gas tank skid to clear my Shrockworks sliders in the position I wanted to install them...

-Charlie

 

[Endlessblockades]

Yea I wish I got in the group buy years ago haha. I think he may waive the shipping fee depending on where you are.
I do have shrockworks bolt on sliders and he said it should fit.

Hmm interesting. Back in the day he said he may want to notch one of the skid mounts so it didn't interfere with my Shrockworks bolt-on sliders. Obviously he knows best and a grinder can solve most ills.

Could be worse - I had to clearance my Shrockworks gas tank skid to clear my Shrockworks sliders in the position I wanted to install them...

-Charlie

Wow - that's wild!