I searched up skid plates here and found some great info. As I was looking at Justice's work a thought occureed...Has anyone here just basically attached a solid underbody plate on? If sections were formed and welded to accomadate the various parts would it be feasible or just too heavy? I am thinking that it is something done with baja style racers isnt it? If so, why not here?

Forgive my newb-ish-ness and feel free to blast away with thoughts as I have fairly thick skin <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

M

Not a newb question. I'm designing one out of 3/16" plate. Have a 4x10 sheet of it in the shop. It'll be entirely too heavy all one piece. The sheet I have weighs over 400lbs. I'll keep everybody posted when I get some round to it in. That stuff's been on backorder for a loooong time. So, don't go holding your breath till I get something done.....

LOL, no such thing as a dumb newbie question unless you didn't at least try to search first. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Seriously, good question. As has been pointed out, it's possible to do but would be very heavy.

I have something in mind for mine but haven't gotten around to building it yet. My idea is multiple plates attached to the current cross members in such a way that I minimize drag. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

If only I could weld (IOW.. if only I had the facilities to fabricate) it might be done already. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

I have a fully plated underside and i've found that 1/4 is about the minumum thickness you want under there. My two front plates are 3/8 the diff and tranny skids are 1/4 and the t-case is 1/2. The 1/4 plates are starting to get mangled up, but everything is still protected.

True on the thicknesses. But, criminy, I'll NEVER wheel as hard ya'll do. Mine is mainly going to be protection from flying debris. I have no intentions of scaling boulders like ya'll crazy AZ cats.... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Yep. Bunch of times. I agree. A full under-body would be VERY heavy unless done in aluminum. A guy here in Denver did one in 5/16 6061 years ago. Lighter than steel and did the job just as well.

Bad things he ran into - It's a flaming pain in the rear to work on after everything is enclosed like that. If you're 'wheeling where it gets REALLY hot there's quite a bit of heat build up - part of which ends up in the cab through the floor. It also doesn't do nice things for the longevity of the parts subjected to the extra heat. Aluminum doesn't 'skid' as well as steel on sand stone. There is a trade-off if the rock you wheel on is anything like what you find in Moab. There were a couple other things but I can't remember them off the top of my head. Must have been 10-12 years ago at least now.

IMH(biased)O, I don't see the point unless the vehicle is seriously 'ground clearance deficient' and the trails are beyond the vehicles configured capabilities. Long before I did a full belly skid I'd get the body and frame off the ground. A belly pan isn't a replacement for decent ground clearance and it doesn't do anything for break-over, either. This is just my opinion, though, and there are variables that would justify the opposite. I think. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hazy, "flying debris"?!?? OK, now you're starting to scare me. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

Edward

Great points all. thanks for the insight. I see why its mainly left to the high budget racers. lol

No, mainly full belly protection is left to those who really need/use it. I see it a lot on non comp buggies from SoCal, AZ, NM, NV and fewer but still some on CO and UT vehicles. Typically those vehicles are on trails with lots of big VW (or larger) sized, jumbled rocks or huge shelves where dragging the undercarriage is a technique. Like most of us would use our rock skids.

I think the primary reason you don't see a lot of full-belly pans isn't because they're heavy, or expensive, or complicated. It's because they're very specialized pieces of equipment and not that many people really need one.

Edward

In this page you can check the under protections i made.
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