Metal Fabrication / Skid plates - ***Drawings***

[nxski]

I finally got around to looking into this more. I've found 2 places to do the work (one for cutting, one for bending) and I've created drawings. I have a rough quote but it's too rough to post now (very reasonable though). Because the places charge a fee for drawing, cutting, and bending, and material separately it makes no difference to the price no matter how many you order. For this reason and because I don't want to put a lot of money down I will supply drawings only and give you information on where to go and who to ask for If you want a plate made. I have only made drawings for automatic l300's. If you want a manual one I will let you know the differences and you can take the drawing in and have it slightly altered (I can alter it for the mist part but don't have exact measurements on the hole placements, I might be able to find them though).

[nxski]

EDIT:
SOMETHING TO MAKE NOTE OF... The 'indent' on the right side of the plate (when looking from the front) should be extended further up / towards the front of the vehicle (only about 0.5-1 inches). I had to trim some of the metal away to stop it from rubbing. Also, the tabs need to be bent a bit further (place in vice and bend until perfect). I would adjust the drawings but my copy of AutoCAD has expired.

Here are images of the to scale AutoCAD drawings I've created. If you need drawings to give to the Fabrication shops just PM or email me and I'll send them to you. I was going to try to charge $5 / drawing or something like that but it's just too difficult to keep up with. I was quoted $150 to have the drawings made up for you from a template so it's a hard deal to beat.

I have the dimensions for both manual and auto plates and I didn't dimension the design because a shop will work off the ACAD drawings and you can come up with your own if you like (or I can create new ones for you...that will cost you though )

At any rate, here are the images...

[nxski]

Update:

I was told cutting would take 3 days, 3 weeks later it's cut but the used the wrong drawing so hopefully it will be done right in another "few days"

[Luna-Sea]

Very nice of you to keep the skidplate
thing going.
Right On!

[almac]

very cool.
i currently work as a laser cutter operator at a local steelfab shop in kelowna.
i wonder what kind of staff discount i could get for a project like this?

thanks for the drawings.
cheers

[nxski]

very cool.
i currently work as a laser cutter operator at a local steelfab shop in kelowna.
i wonder what kind of staff discount i could get for a project like this?

thanks for the drawings.
cheers

I'll take that as a rhetorical question but if you need the ACAD drawings pm me your email and I'll send them your way...

[nxski]

The skid plate has been cut. The cost was $80 which is far better than the $500 some places were quoting. I'm taking it in to have it bent and will hopefully have it ready for Friday, at which time I'll post pictures.

[jessef]

Those are Fishslapper's drawings with some minor alterations.

You should give the man some credit for coming up with those and being nice to share them with you to use for your own mod.

[nxski]

Those are Fishslapper's drawings with some minor alterations.

You should give the man some credit for coming up with those and being nice to share them with you to use for your own mod.

They aren't at all actually, I did obtain his drawings nts but didn't use them. I made all of the measurements myself using a JAOS skid plate of Mardy's as an example (the same skid plate fishslapper used as a template), made the AutoCAD drawings and created the design as well.

[jessef]

The template and bends looks exactly like Ian's with some extra holes (fishslapper's one by Keith at solidcodesolutions). I used him for a corner cad cut on a Pajero rad plate.

Did you use the same shop ?

What material will you use ? same alu plate ?

I would have gone with 5/16 cold rolled steel. That will keep it from bending !

[nxski]

The template and bends looks exactly like Ian's with some extra holes (fishslapper's one by Keith at solidcodesolutions). I used him for a corner cad cut on a Pajero rad plate.

Did you use the same shop ?

What material will you use ? same alu plate ?

I would have gone with 5/16 cold rolled steel. That will keep it from bending !

I'm not sure why it matters either way (unless the goal is to accuse me of plagiarism!?) The bends most likely are the same because we used the same skid plate as a template (Mardy's JAOS skid plate, which I would have bought if it had fit my van).

I did not use the same shop, I used a shop that I take all of my metal work to for work, Downtown Custom Metalworks. They told me to take the plate directly to Viking Profiles in Richmond to get the cutting done so that I could avoid any mark-ups. I picked the plate up from there and took it to Downtown Custom Metalworks today to have it bent.

After speaking with Jeff at Viking Profiles I decided on 3/16 5052 AL The thickness is enough that the connection points will break before the plate does. I looked into cold rolled steel as well but apparently it wouldn't bend well unless I made the holes smaller which I didn't want to do because of all the talk about overheating.

Along with my Radiator guards (modified side steps) I feel that it will serve my needs perfectly. I'm looking for a warning system, not a 'bash' plate. The only way you could get enough strength to actually protect the undercarriage from a hard hit would be to weld connection points to the frame and have a bash plate run the length of the vehicle. I prefer the cheaper soloution of just taking it slow and listening for scratching

[jessef]

steel !

What good is a beautiful aluminum bash plate if it snaps off at the tabs on impact or pressure ?

Hear the crunch : new plate

At least for the center. I can see your point about the sides. Will be neat to see how they work out for you. Looking forward to them

[nxski]

Well in hoping not a lot of pressure gets put on it or I'll count myself a bad driver The rad guards have been tested a d work well. As for the tabs, I've been told they will be stronger than the bolts and the flimsy metal they attach to (either way I'm hoping they don't get tested).

[nxski]

The plate has been bent, the cost of that was $90+tax. If the machine is already set-up apparently it could cost around $45. The total came to $180.80 after tax which is very reasonable for a one-off.

I'll try to find time to install it tonight and take pictures...

[nxski]

Here are the pictures... SOMETHING TO MAKE NOTE OF... The 'indent' on the right side of the plate (when looking from the front) should be extended further up / towards the front of the vehicle (only about 0.5-1 inches). I had to trim some of the metal away to stop it from rubbing. Also, the tabs need to be bent a bit further (place in vice and bend until perfect). I would adjust the drawings but my copy of AutoCAD has expired.