skid plate for 01 exp sport/ST front end

[becker69]

I used the search function, but could not find who offers a skip-plate for a 2001 sport or sport trac front end. I know someone a short while ago, posted schematics of a diamond-plate skid plate, but I could not find in under search. I am not interested in the full up pre-runner style guards, I just want decent functional armor for the front end. Any help is appreciated. Cheers, Becker.

 

[Ray Lobato]

I had a skid plate custom made for my 97, that runs from the front crossmember all the way back to the rear torsion bar brackets. It only costed me about 90 bucks and it works very well.You can go to any metal fab shop and they should be able to make one for you. It does add weight to the truck. Mine weights about 85 pounds. One of the best investments I did for my truck.

 

[becker69]

Ray; It might seem like a stupid question; but what is yours made out of, and what thickness do you think is optimal? I am wondering what and what thickness to ask for a fab shop to make it at. Thank you for the help and response. Because I am fairly young, it is often hard to have shops/and / or salespeople take me seriously.

 

[Ray Lobato]

Becker,
I used 1/8" plate steel. That should be more than sufficent, then it's bolted in four places in the front crossmember and two places in back on the torsion bar brackets. It bent up about 2" in front and on the sides with cut outs to clear the lower control arms. Hope this helps.

 

[becker69]

Thanks Ray, that is a great help. I am trying to get a few things (mods) done to my ST before I go on the Arizona run in March. I have access to full hydraulic racks to put my St up on and inspect the underside and decide where to start.... I just haven't set the time aside for it yet.

 

[Jason_25]

Ray did you have to take measurements for the skidplate or did the shop do it for you?

If you have the measurements, can you post them?

 

[Ray Lobato]

Mark Train of Trains 4X4 & offroad did all the stuff, but I guess I could get measurements.

 

[JoshC]

Ray, do you have a skid plate up front? Something guarding your Rack and lines and all that junk? I need one, thought about getting one made for me.

Happy trails!!

 

[Ray Lobato]

It only goes as far as to the front of the front crossmember and bends up about 2 to 3"in the front. It does not cover anything from the front crossmember to the front bumper.

 

[todd_c]

Trailmaster has one that might work. Check this link out.
http://www.mysporttrac.com/shared/msgboard9c.asp?BOARDNAME=MSG&VIEW=108258

 

[becker69]

Todd thanks for the link, that was similar to what I had in mind... but expensive. I did print a version off what you gave, so that I can take it and modify it to give to a shop, and see how much they could make one for. Have you 4x'd much in your ST? What do you think about the sad clearance we have in the front-end?

 

[todd_c]

Unfortunately, there isn't much in the way of wheeling around here in Buffalo. I've run some of the snowmobile trails at Allegany State Park this past fall, but didn't need 4wd except to get up one hill. You're right about the clearance, it's not great, although you do get a bit more with the 16" wheels than with the 15" ones. I'm thinking about doing the torsion twist once things warm up, but I've never done suspension work before, so I'm not sure if going to do it or not.

 

[becker69]

Todd; yeah I guess I am a bit luckier given the availability of hills and roads around here. I am deffinately hooked though. I picked up my warrior shackles yesterday at desert rat, and I will put them on, on Sat. if I locate a floor jack and jack-stands. I'm also excited about gaining1.5 to 2" in the front with the TT. I am looking for armor up front there, because of some nasty scrapes I had in vegas.

 

[Ray Lobato]

Well I finally found my floppies and registered on imgestation so here's a picture of my skidplate

 

[JoshC]

Wow, that is bad Ray, so how many bolts are there total that are holding that monster up? What grade of steel are you using, that's something i could probably do myself if i acutally tried it.

I think we need to make one for Gerald! I was with him and and a bunch of ECX guys this weekend, he's crazy about those rocks!!

 

[becker69]

Awesome skid plate Ray, after getting out and looking at my front end/ back to the torsion bar brackets; I think I will need to plan something as similar as I can... My frame does an interesting bend upwards at that point, Is the front bolted right into the IFS crossmember? Then go rear-ward, and then bolt onto the frame crossmember after the t-case? I appologize if these seem like dumb or easy questions, I am trying to familiarize myself with differences and similarities between different year X's, and my Sport Trac. Thanks, again for posting the pictures.

 

[Ray Lobato]

The Skidplate bolts to the front IFS crossmember and goes back to the transfer case crossmember which is actually in front of the T-case, not behind. There are 3 bolts in the front and 2 bolts in the rear. This is either 1/8" or 3/16" plate steel(don't remember right now) and you have to cut 2 holes in the back to be able to adjust the torsion bars.

 

[becker69]

Thanks Ray. After an hour of using 'search' last night I ended up finding a post about your set-up, and I think it says 3/16".... thanks again for the visual, and ideas. I do have one more question for you; do you know if Serria has a website (I wish I could afford a brushguard/winch combo like you have...), reading that you have something made by them, reminded me that they make a diamond-plate protection plate for the upper portion of the '01+ ST/Sport front bumper. I am not sure if they are custom only, I do not know the company well. Thanks.

 

[Ray Lobato]

becker69,
My winchmount/ grill guard is actually made by WAAG exclusively for Ramsey. You can find it on the Ramsey winch website. There is a big differance between my winch mount and the regular WAAG grill guard. Gerald has a Waag grill guard and mine is twice as thick and the tubing is also alot bigger than his. Ramseys' Serria Wraparound also has a better approch angle on it than the regular grill guard. It's not cheap and not light either,it weights 100 pounds. Add th winch, which is another 100 pounds, you've added 200 pounds to your Explorer and lost about 2MPG, but it's a worthwhile sacrifice.

 

[TarHeel085]

Ray you prob already know this but imagestation is down. but you lost 2 mpg due to your winch and grill guard. i would have never thought 200 lbs maked that much of a difference.