I need a project for my welding class at school and I am thinking about fabing up skid plate for my 01 ranger. My problem is where to mount it at? I was thinking for the top mount bolt it to where the tow hooks bolt to. But my delima is where should the other mounting surface be at? Also i was thinking of 3/8'' steel plate? too thick of should I go thinner?

 

frame rails towards the end kinda where the stock one mounts

 

I have a very clever design in mind, but unfortunately Im going to market it and im stingy with my designs, lol...

 

i would just bring the other mounting tabs for it down to the crossmember and bring the skid down as close to the crossmeber as you can to get the perfect protection and great skid use, since it will cover any chance of you catching the crossmember on anything. and yea i think the top mount idea you have is good, sometimes those tow hooks can be a real ***** to get off though.

 

IMO, if I were designing something, I would use square tubing, probably 1" or so and make a frame, then put some 3/16" steel to cover it. It would be much strong and better able to distribute a major impact, plus if you really mangle your plate you can bolt on a new one and opposed to having to refab and entire plate!

 

ok made my template for my skidplate this evening, here are the pics please give me some feed back!!

 

Should be sweet! Im taking a welding class next term im makn a custom bumper/ skid plate...

 

looks good, wanna make me one? just kiddin, i wanna try to do about the same thing my self, nice work, can't wait to see how the finished product turns out

 

I can wait to start on it I have to go to the steel shop and have them cut and bend the steel and then I will weld it up, If anyone wants the designs and the measurments I will be able to send them to you.

 

design and measurment would be great when you get it all out together, dont forget to post some pics of the finished product for us

 

well i almost have it finished i have to weld two more brackets on. I will post some pics of whats done a little later tonight.

 

Photobucket must be down, the pics aren't showing...

 

I got [X]

 

Well here are the pics of my skid plate sorry it took so long to post them.

 

looks like a nice start

personally i think the angle should be more, so it glances off rocks better

and you should put some drain holes in the bottom

 

Well thats the finished product, but the drain hole are a good idea it has already collecte a good amount of muddy water in it.

 

looks perty good. got any pics of it on the truck?

 

not yet im gonna wait to put it back on because I am going to remake my light tabs and trying to work around it is a pain, but when I get it on Ill take some pics.

 

I just made one myself over the past few nites. I used 1inch square and made a small "T" bracket that I welded to the end of each front frame rail with nuts in them so I had a place to bolt the frame of the skidplate to in the front and then made kicker bars so it could be bolted to where my sway bar use to be.Turned out better than I thought and took some hard hits yesterday and came away fine.

 

looks good, i want to build one like that this summer, i really need to get some protection under there

 

Its just retarded at the amount of vital stuff under there that is wide open just waiting to be damaged.Its to bad it took me a $25 powersteering line and a $122 tow bill to figure that out.

 

i've got the lines to my trans cooler and an actual power steering cooler to worry about under there, and i already ripped of the factory splash guard and the front valance once

 

yea.. that splash guard, it looked like something was supposed to be there as i looked i saw the reminents of the plastic behind the bolts

then i looked at another ranger and was like... "oh ****" im lucky that hit didnt take a chunk of the radiator as well lol

i need a skid.. anyone in texas or anywhere willing to fab me one for me? im too lasd to do it right now haha

 

does that bolt up behind the cross member?

 

watch ebay for skid plates, just do a search for: ranger skid