Skid Plates

[bubbatrucklover]

I am having a custom skid plate made (provided the fab shop can laser cut some letters and a logo I want). Also since they will prob have to run a cad program to put my design in. I'm scared the cost will be more then I want/need to spend now.

I have seen skid plates with holes or slots in them as well as solid. Is there a reason for the holes or slots other then looks?

 

[dirtyoldman]

The skid plate on my burb has several holes which I believe allows extra air into the engine compartment to lower the under hood temps.Also,I added a trans cooler and installed it directly behind the upper row of those holes.

You can see the holes in the skid plate in this pic from last year's vacation in Oregon,the tranny cooler is directly behind the upper row(it's the long round version cooler)and is bolted horizontally.

[/IMG]

 

[bubbatrucklover]

Thanks Gary. That makes sense. I like the trans cooler idea. Forgot I needed to plan on one down the road 'til you mentioned it.

I'm adding twin electric fans and eventually hood vents. (Need to save for a new hood with reverse cowl scoop or front scoop first).

Making up a template for the skid plate to come off of my brush guard under the winch mount and attach where my factory plastic one mounts. This way when I do an SAS I don't have to change the configuration and I can add more pieces as needed.

Decided on a theme for my truck to try to make it somewhat unique. I can then utilize the helmet stencil for various parts of the truck giving it a kind of "factory package" look.

I will put red lights behind the letters and helmet and based on what you said slots on both sides of the helmet.

I have to find out how much the fab shop will charge to put the CAD for this in to their laser cut machine. (If they can even do it.) Then the actual skid plate itself.

Thanks for the input. Nice looking Burb.

 

[mr_bots]

My factory skid plates are solid except for a hole to get to the oil drain plug.

Shouldn't be too hard to put into CAD and if the shop tries to charge you I have AutoCAD on my work computer and you can send me the drawing and let me know how big you want it for me to scale and I'll see what I can do.

 

[dirtyoldman]

Glad I could help....forgot to mention,I believe the aftermarket skidplate was put on when the lift was installed.I've had the skidplate off of the burb for a few days and the front just looks wierd without it.

BTW,the extra trans cooler was added to the factory aux. cooler so I actually have two for the trans.Here in the SW driving to the desert(and towing a toy hauler)on hot days I figured the more cooling the better.

This is the one behind the skidplate,not real big but it all helps....
http://www.jegs.com/i/Derale/259/13224/10002/-1

Darth Bubba huh?......

 

[bubbatrucklover]

My factory skid plates are solid except for a hole to get to the oil drain plug.

Shouldn't be too hard to put into CAD and if the shop tries to charge you I have AutoCAD on my work computer and you can send me the drawing and let me know how big you want it for me to scale and I'll see what I can do.

Thanks Matt. Yeah I'm not sure exactly what all will be involved with the shop doing this or not. My friend owns a diesel repair shop and has connections around town for fabbing stuff up. He's working on a few smaller projects to complete my brush gaurd how I want it. When I told him about this project he suggested a certain fab shop then when he saw my drawing he wasn't sure if they could do it.

Worse case scenario is I use the drawing as stencils and paint it on. I still haven't figure out how I want the letters. The whole thing is a work in progress. I have in my head to do a small shadow like box on the back so the lights glow through the front cut outs and MAYBE add a fake purge kit and set the jets to shoot threw the mouth piece.

I will have plexiglass mounted so dirt/mud and shit don't get inside on the lights or build up inside etc. ASSUMING the laser cutting isn't a MAJOR PITA the mask is "easy" having the letters done not so much. (the mask is from a pumpkin stencil so the lighter areas are designed to be cut out so light can show through) I don't want them to look like stencils yet they need to stay fixed. Attaching the cut outs to the plexiglass is an option BUT, Gorilla glue is about the only adhesive I would trust to do the job but, it oozes everywhere. LOL

I'm thinking the most plausible solution is have the outline of the letters etched and then drill multiple holes in the field of the letters.

ALL this depends on logistics and PRICE!!

I'll keep you in mind if I need to have the images in Auto Cad though.

 

[bubbatrucklover]

Glad I could help....forgot to mention,I believe the aftermarket skidplate was put on when the lift was installed.I've had the skidplate off of the burb for a few days and the front just looks wierd without it.

BTW,the extra trans cooler was added to the factory aux. cooler so I actually have two for the trans.Here in the SW driving to the desert(and towing a toy hauler)on hot days I figured the more cooling the better.

This is the one behind the skidplate,not real big but it all helps....
http://www.jegs.com/i/Derale/259/13224/10002/-1

Darth Bubba huh?......

Yeah it gets hot as balls here in Florida too but, for now it's only a daily driver.

I probably will go with something like a Tru-Cool MAX and then possibly looking into adding the little one you have. I mean for the price and the added "extra" it couldn't hurt.

For starters I need to get rid of that belt driven clutch fan and get the twin fans installed. This fat kid likes his AC blowing ESPECIALLY sitting in traffic or when it's raining JUST enough you can't really have the windows down even if it's cool outside. LOL

"Darth Bubba" yeah well......most of us name our vehicles. I've also noticed if a truck/car isn't stock most have a name and "theme". I started out not really "feeling" a name for mine. I got tired of just calling it "asshole" (and other explicits when I got mad at it. LOL) so I started calling it "Bubba". (Since it's a "Bubba" truck. I know, I know it's as lazy and un imaginative as calling a K9 "D.O.G." )

Well I am somewhat of a Star Wars fan and have always been sorta obsessed with storm troopers and Vader (IT'S THE HELMETS MAN,THE HELMETS!!)

There's Darth Maul, Darth Sidious etc. and OBVIOUSLY Darth Vader. So "Darth Bubba" was conceived.

I don't want to make my truck a rolling homage to George Lucas (all though the fWONkin' interior is starting to look like a damn shrine to him through the various Vader crap I have. LOL) but, (as I said) I would like it to look like a form of a factory option package.

Gonna get a vinyl shop (local or the net) have the 4X4 stickers say "Darth Bubba Edition". I got the idea from 07FX4Chick's "sexy edition" one.

 

[Carneyman]

My factory skid plates are solid except for a hole to get to the oil drain plug.

Shouldn't be too hard to put into CAD and if the shop tries to charge you I have AutoCAD on my work computer and you can send me the drawing and let me know how big you want it for me to scale and I'll see what I can do.

Thanks Matt. Yeah I'm not sure exactly what all will be involved with the shop doing this or not. My friend owns a diesel repair shop and has connections around town for fabbing stuff up. He's working on a few smaller projects to complete my brush gaurd how I want it. When I told him about this project he suggested a certain fab shop then when he saw my drawing he wasn't sure if they could do it.

Worse case scenario is I use the drawing as stencils and paint it on. I still haven't figure out how I want the letters. The whole thing is a work in progress. I have in my head to do a small shadow like box on the back so the lights glow through the front cut outs and MAYBE add a fake purge kit and set the jets to shoot threw the mouth piece.

I will have plexiglass mounted so dirt/mud and shit don't get inside on the lights or build up inside etc. ASSUMING the laser cutting isn't a MAJOR PITA the mask is "easy" having the letters done not so much. (the mask is from a pumpkin stencil so the lighter areas are designed to be cut out so light can show through) I don't want them to look like stencils yet they need to stay fixed. Attaching the cut outs to the plexiglass is an option BUT, Gorilla glue is about the only adhesive I would trust to do the job but, it oozes everywhere. LOL

I'm thinking the most plausible solution is have the outline of the letters etched and then drill multiple holes in the field of the letters.

ALL this depends on logistics and PRICE!!

I'll keep you in mind if I need to have the images in Auto Cad though.

You might also look for a company that can do water cutting. Should be cheaper, and they can cut through thicker pieces. I had a company cut 7 pieces of aluminum for $140, and they had to be pretty precise since it went towards a parabolic mirror. They wouldn't have had any problems cutting out the mask and letters you have.

 

[bubbatrucklover]

You might also look for a company that can do water cutting. Should be cheaper, and they can cut through thicker pieces. I had a company cut 7 pieces of aluminum for $140, and they had to be pretty precise since it went towards a parabolic mirror. They wouldn't have had any problems cutting out the mask and letters you have.

Thanks Carney!! I Goggled for a local water jet cutting company and WALLAH there is a shop about 5 mins from my house and much closer than the other and based on just the attached picture from their website, yeah the mask will be a cake walk for them.

Going there tomorrow to find out what,if and how much. lol

Hopefully they can provide the material and do the bending also. So I can just go to one shop.

 

[Nick The Great]

Good luck!

There's a lot of us with CAD access if you need help