Metal skid plates?

[Silverado-Hareek]

I'm glad someone is trying to make metal skid plates. I'm in. Cost would have to be pretty high for me to say no.

 

My friend's brother is a welder. I've seen his work, and he looks like a really good welder. I asked my friend if he would be interested in making metal skid plates for my truck. He said said that plastic is better than metal because it bends back into place, unlike metal, which is more of a one time use. My friend went on to ask a few more welders, and they all said the same thing: stick with plastic.

 

Well i just came back from a hunting trip. We were driving down mostly gravel roads, and some trails through fields. The only obstacles were snow drifts that sometimes reached 1.5'. "Cheby", as we ended up calling her, did really well. We got stuck a couple of times, but only had to dig ourselves out once (truck got high centered, we could spin a couple tires with our boots".

 

But then I noticed this when we got home:

 

Strange... i thought plastic was suppose to bend back into its original form....

 

I agree metal is a "one time use" so to speak but that would have to be a hell of a one time use to permanently destroy it. I mean these are nearly stock trucks we're talking here not jacked up rock crawlers. At least that's my intent personally. The goal is to be able to do some light off-roading (snow, sand, camping, hunting), kick up some gravel, hit a tree branch or two, and plow over some higher than normal grass/light shrubbery and not have your plastic skid plate break off if it gets hung on something. Yes if your truck plops down on a boulder, I don't care if you have plastic or metal, plastic will break in that scenario and metal will bend. Ideally though the metal would bend under way more pressure than what it would take to break the plastic so I'd argue it would still add a level of security higher than plastic. Regardless, you shouldn't be going over boulders with a stock truck and it all comes back to one main point: know your tool (your truck) and how to properly use it. And I don't care what any dealer or salesmen says, GM uses plastic to save money not because it's better. Every other manufacturer uses metal.

 

EDIT: Side note, what size and load range tires are you running on your truck?

[bronco351]

 

 

I agree metal is a "one time use" so to speak but that would have to be a hell of a one time use to permanently destroy it. I mean these are nearly stock trucks we're talking here not jacked up rock crawlers. At least that's my intent personally. The goal is to be able to do some light off-roading (snow, sand, camping, hunting), kick up some gravel, hit a tree branch or two, and plow over some higher than normal grass/light shrubbery and not have your plastic skid plate break off if it gets hung on something. Yes if your truck plops down on a boulder, I don't care if you have plastic or metal, plastic will break in that scenario and metal will bend. Ideally though the metal would bend under way more pressure than what it would take to break the plastic so I'd argue it would still add a level of security higher than plastic. Regardless, you shouldn't be going over boulders with a stock truck and it all comes back to one main point: know your tool (your truck) and how to properly use it. And I don't care what any dealer or salesmen says, GM uses plastic to save money not because it's better. Every other manufacturer uses metal.

 

EDIT: Side note, what size and load range tires are you running on your truck?

 

 

I have never dented the metal skid plates on any of my previous vehicles. They are strong enough for me. Plastic on the other hand.... well just look at the pic!

 

Let me know when these are available. Do i get a discount for starting this thread? :-p

 

I'm running LT285/70R17 BFG AT KO load range E

[Spurshot]

 

I have never dented the metal skid plates on any of my previous vehicles. They are strong enough for me. Plastic on the other hand.... well just look at the pic!

 

Let me know when these are available. Do i get a discount for starting this thread? :-p

 

I'm running LT285/70R17 BFG AT KO load range E

 

Having a skid plate is like having some TP with you when you're hunting. Things are crappy when you need it.

[jvanwinkle2]

Any update on these?

[Silverado-Hareek]

Any update on these?

 

Not yet I need to follow up with him. I've just been too swamped here lately with work to think about it but I will check in soon and report back for you guys. Stay tuned.

[Aznative]

I bought the transfer case skid plate for my 2014 1500 silverado, really quite cheap? go to figure out what type of bolt it takes (4) to screw it into the big transmission cross member? I am trying SAE and Metric bolts fine and corse thread and the dam bolts wont start, finally crawl all the way under the truck and with glasses on and flashlight I realize there are no threads on the cross member????? What does chevy use self tapping bolts to install the transfer case skid plate?? When I bought the skid plate they asked if I wanted to buy the bolts (the 4 bolts are more expensive) than the skid plate now I am thinking I should have must be some kind of self tapping bolt?

[Silverado-Hareek]

Just to update you guys I haven't forgotten about this. I messaged my buddy for an update and haven't heard back yet. I'll keep you posted. I have 2 other guys here in town with me that want to swap their plates for metal ones so we're definitely still pursuing this.

 

 

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[vajj]

Would be nice to have and never need!!

[Spurshot]

Not to rain on S-H's parade above, but I have a friend with a shop that is an OEM supplier for Honda, Isuzu, Ford, Nissan, Toyota, and others I can't recall. His shop makes these types of products. The largest press they have is a 300 ton straight side along with a couple 200 ton presses as well as some big press brakes capable of bending whatever gauge this product would need.

 

To get him going it would take some financial commitment. I might be willing to do that, pending some research.

 

My first thought for this kind of thing is it should be plain ol' ordinary mild steel. That's not too exciting to some that may want aluminum or stainless steel. But it's a lot cheaper than stainless, which provides nothing to a product that deflects rocks for a living, other than being shiny. Aluminum is 1/2 the weight of steel per volume, but needs to be much thicker to perform the same job as steel and is 6 times more $ per pound. So, it boils down to cost vs. cool.

[Silverado-Hareek]

Not to rain on S-H's parade above, but I have a friend with a shop that is an OEM supplier for Honda, Isuzu, Ford, Nissan, Toyota, and others I can't recall. His shop makes these types of products. The largest press they have is a 300 ton straight side along with a couple 200 ton presses as well as some big press brakes capable of bending whatever gauge this product would need.

 

To get him going it would take some financial commitment. I might be willing to do that, pending some research.

 

My first thought for this kind of thing is it should be plain ol' ordinary mild steel. That's not too exciting to some that may want aluminum or stainless steel. But it's a lot cheaper than stainless, which provides nothing to a product that deflects rocks for a living, other than being shiny. Aluminum is 1/2 the weight of steel per volume, but needs to be much thicker to perform the same job as steel and is 6 times more $ per pound. So, it boils down to cost vs. cool.

Not raining at all man I haven't heard back yet still so I don't know. Keep us posted on your source.

 

As for material I would think aluminum is the best since it's cheaper than stainless steel and still rust proof

 

 

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[Spurshot]

S-H,

Road salts will still eat aluminum. One answer to that is stainless. Stainless is about $4/lb (w/scrap) vs about $1/lb for mild steel (w/scrap).

 

The issue that may creep into this skid plate is the forming and/or welding of aluminum. Forming may require forming in annealed condition and age hardening (more $). Welding puts more time ($) into this.

 

Mild steel can be galvanized then powder coated. That gives pretty decent corrosion protection.

 

For us southwest guys, a can of rustoleum works.

 

I'm still thinking 10ga (.134") mild steel is the way to go.

[Silverado-Hareek]

S-H,

Road salts will still eat aluminum. One answer to that is stainless. Stainless is about $4/lb (w/scrap) vs about $1/lb for mild steel (w/scrap).

 

The issue that may creep into this skid plate is the forming and/or welding of aluminum. Forming may require forming in annealed condition and age hardening (more $). Welding puts more time ($) into this.

 

Mild steel can be galvanized then powder coated. That gives pretty decent corrosion protection.

 

For us southwest guys, a can of rustoleum works.

 

I'm still thinking 10ga (.134") mild steel is the way to go.

That's a good point powder coated steel would be nice acrually

 

 

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[PMattras]

Does anyone know if the new 2015 Ford 150 or Ram have metal or plastic skid plates? Just wondering if all the different dealers are using plastic instead of metal.

[Mike1220]

Does anyone know if the new 2015 Ford 150 or Ram have metal or plastic skid plates? Just wondering if all the different dealers are using plastic instead of metal.

No idea about the 15 f-150 but my buddy has a 13' and his is plastic.

 

 

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[stlg8]

Suggest going with .100" thk 6061 aluminum and precipitate harden to T62 condition.

Comparing 1010 Cold rolled steel to 6061-T62 the tensile strength is nearly the same, (53000 vs 45000).

 

6061 is fairly easy to work with, and is able to be welded nicely.

Powder coating takes well also.