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Making your own skids?

Muddy Beast

Muddy Beast

NAXJA Forum User
Location
WA
So I dont exactly have any welding skills, so this may become a problem...but I was wondering if anyone has made any skids plates for cheap? I was taking a look at transfer case skids and they look pretty simple, same for engine skids.


What I was thinking of doing was going to home depot and buying some sheet metal, not sure what size yet...but I was thinking something thick enough to not bend super easy, yet thin enough that I can hammer the bends I want. And do something like make a few bends by hitting it over some 2x4's or something to get the transfercase relatively covered, and then drill some holes in the cross brace and bottom of the frame...calling it good.


This could be a stupid question, but it would save me a lot of money. And I'm not doing rock crawling or anything, I just want something to keep my transfer case from getting dinged up, and help it slide over the dirt/mud/and random rocks we have in Washington.
 
Last edited:
Well sorry for being a noob on the subject...but what would work, and how easy would it be to work with?

Like I said I dont need something to withstand a rock bashing, just some light dude protection.
 
If your not gonna crawl any rocks, skids arent REALLY necessary. I wheeled almost 2 years with out any skids and never messed anything up except for a muffler.

For a skid you need atleast 3/16" plate with ribbing to re-enforce it and if you cant weld, im gonna pretty much say that its impossible to build a skid that will mount and work well.
 
Hmm thanks swbooking, there are some out there for $70 from homemade guys...i'll look more into those.

I know its not necessary, but since right now my Jeep rides lower then the local ones (stock lift for a few weeks, till I finish the full tune up/replacement parts) it scrapes on some of the rocks in the mud, I'd like for it to "slide" over things in the way and not collect a pile.
 
Yeah no problem,
For a real "slide" type of skid, you can also look into getting a sheet of 5/16" - 1/2" HDPE ( High Density Polyethylene) and throwing that under your skid. The HDPE makes a good slide effect versus the grind of the metal skid.
 
Muddy Beast said:
, yet thin enough that I can hammer the bends I want. And do something like make a few bends by hitting it over some 2x4's or
Click to expand...

If you can hammer the bends into it with a hammer, whats a rock or ledge going to do to it when you sit a how many thousand pound vehicle on it?
 
Well I'll take a look at what that sort of material looks like in person, to see what I can do with it.

I have a weld/gas set from my grandpa (he owned an autopart store when he was alive 15 years ago) but I just dont know how to use it...if that means anything.

P.S. Yes, I have tried to get lessons to learn how, all the local schools are either full or cancelled the program for the time being. (Damn WASL)
 
Begster said:
If you can hammer the bends into it with a hammer, whats a rock or ledge going to do to it when you sit a how many thousand pound vehicle on it?
Click to expand...

You make one point I did not think of...:shhh:

:dunno:
 
you should look in the local salvage yards for stock skids. They are not great, but at least more coverage than you have now. I think they are about 1/8 inch thick.
 
Jess said:
you should look in the local salvage yards for stock skids. They are not great, but at least more coverage than you have now. I think they are about 1/8 inch thick.
Click to expand...

Already have, well my dad did (you have to be 18 to go, I'm 17...yeah, it explains a lot, right?) and he said all of the skids for all of the Jeeps were gone.
 
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