What thickness for skid-plate

[becker69]

OK I have resigned myself to getting a Gas tank skid plate made, and possibly another undercarriage one if the price is right. I need ideas of what thickness to get the tank one made out of... I was told the Ford tank ones are flimsy and it's because they want $170+ for an OEM one that I can probably get one made cheaper. I can't tell how thick my t-case one is, but probably about 1/4" or so. So should I look at 3/8" sheetmetal steel or...? Also what does "gauge" refer to as far as thicknesses? Does 16 ga. plate mean 3/8"... I am confused on this. But I know I need skid plates. Thanks for any help.
I want something that isn't going to weigh a freakin' ton, but will take abuse better than a stock one.

 

[JDraper]

The factory plate for the gas tank actually works pretty well. I have one and it's taken quite a bit of abuse and held up. You can get one cheaper than that from Ford Parts Network. E-Mail Torrie@fordpartsnetwork.com and he'll get back to you pronto.

Check out Dead Link Removed for converting sheet metal gage to inches. If you want to make your own skid plate, anything over 1/8" thick in steel will weigh WAAAAY to much. If you want to do it out of aluminum to save weight (I made a full length aluminum skid plate), you can make it out of 1/4" diamondplate.

 

[jasonb]

Originally posted by JDraper
You can get one cheaper than that from Ford Parts Network. E-Mail Torrie@fordpartsnetwork.com and he'll get back to you pronto.
.

yeah i got mine from him and i paid a decent amount less than 170, and that was for both the tcase and the gas tank.

you could also try a junkyard. explorers before 97 came with them. i think it was 97

 

[Explorer_5.0]

My 97 came with skid plates, i made my front skid plate out 1/8" steel. havent had any problems yet with denting or bending!

 

[Alec]

I got both factory plates from FPN for about $140 shipped I beleive.

 

[Jefe]

For a beginning 4x4er I'd say the stock skid plates (t-case and gas tank) are more than enough. BTW, I know they're not 1/4". . . maybe something closer to 3/16". If you go to an offroad shop they'll often use 1/4" to make custom skid plates. But they will be heavy.

On the other hand, I have bent both skid plates to crap in my two years of wheeling. Now realize that it takes a good portion of the vehicles weight to be located on either skid plate to do so, but it can be done.

I have rebent and reinforced the t-case skid plate, and it is now holding up. But my gas tank skid plate is beyond repair. (Before I had it I put a rather large dent in my gas tank. . .now my skid plate contours to that dent) One of these days I'm gonna get a new one and modify it.

 

[Ray Lobato]

Originally posted by JDraper
If you want to make your own skid plate, anything over 1/8" thick in steel will weigh WAAAAY to much. If you want to do it out of aluminum to save weight (I made a full length aluminum skid plate), you can make it out of 1/4" diamondplate.

Well, I would beg to differ. My front skidplate if 1/4" plate steel, and yes it is heavy, but it does save me from some large bills by saving my undercarrage and everything under there. I have gone through some hellacious rock gardens and it has saved my underside many times. I don't know how the aluminum would hold out, but I do know that the plate steel will keep you safe.

 

[JDraper]

Just FYI, the Ford skidplates are around .087" thick and yes, they will bend and dent if you put the vehicle weght on them. I've got several dents in my gas tank plate from various rocks I've had the pleasure of meeting. BUT, it did it's job and my gas tank is fine. For mild offroading the stock plates do the job, but IMHO, they are a little on the thin side for anything but mild offroading. If you do serious rock crawling, go get some custom plates made.

Ray, I didn't say the 1/4" steel wouldn't work, I just said it would be very heavy. I should also correct myself on my earlier statement you quoted. For casual offroading, I believe that 1/4" steel plate is overkill. For extreme offroading it would be appropriate.

I made one out of 1/4" 7075 T-6 grade aluminum diamondplate, and it will take just about any abuse you can hand it. It will get scraped up more than the steel will, but it holds up very well. My plate went from the front bumper back to the tranny cross member and probably only weighed 40 lbs or so. The 7075 T-6 has a tensile strenght of 76000 psi and a yield strength of 67000 psi, wheras a 1020 mild steel (common grade) has a tensile strength of 64000 psi and a yield strength of 54000 psi. The advantage the steel has is in it's hardness. The steel will not gouge as easily as aluminum.

With any plate you make, how you bend it and support it is very important. By bending up the edges all the way around and keeping the distances between the supports down, you can significantly increase the rigidity of the plate.

If you're interested in having custom skid plates made, there are several threads here on it. The one for my aluminum plate is Dead Link Removed. Another custom skid plate thread is Dead Link Removed

 

[becker69]

Sorry about my lack of replies... house chores and beer drinkin' got in the way I have kept up on various threads in the last 2 yrs or so...
Jefe; I would've figured the diff between 3/16 and 4/16 or 1/4 as I noted was a relative guess I am looking into more cost effective approaches than the OEM tank plate... however I have/am looking into a larger one (like yours Ray).
Although, I am not at this time looking for a front skid plate... I know there is much to be found in searching on vrs a new thread... I just wondered on opinions of the OEM tank plate vrs having a heavier duty one made.
I have already bent my t-case OEM one with routine off-roading... I don't think it is up to the weight of the ST (4400 lbs unloaded )
Thanks for the notes on the aluminum plate, Jeff.

 

[Alec]

Hmmm just wondering, How have I made it so far without serious dents to my stock skid plates? Anyone who's wheeled with me knows I wheel hard and crash down on my underside occasionally. Maybe I just have good aim and try to concentrate "rock surfing" to the A-arms, spring hangers, and rear bumper?

 

[becker69]

Alec I don't know... something to be said for 'surgical precision' I guess. My T-case plate is not badly dented but then again I am at least 20" longer than you

 

[Ray Lobato]

Originally posted by Alec
Hmmm just wondering, How have I made it so far without serious dents to my stock skid plates? Anyone who's wheeled with me knows I wheel hard and crash down on my underside occasionally. Maybe I just have good aim and try to concentrate "rock surfing" to the A-arms, spring hangers, and rear bumper?

You are just lucky Alec, just plain lucky, plus you don't play in rock gardens.

Becker69,
The factory gas tank shield is fairly sturdy and shouldn't need replacing unless you are going too fast over the rocks. What you can do is cover the factory shield with a piece of plate steel (read bolt the piece to the plate) just make sure that the bolts are attached at the corners. that will help conciderably

 

[glfredrick]

For another alternative in a home-built skid plate, try this...

Find a 55 gallon heavy duty chemical barrel. (Try car washes or perhaps a local dairy plant) The plain sided ones are the easiest to use...

Cut out with a sabre saw (skill saw, sawsall, etc.) the size section you need for a skid plate and bolt it on.

It is free, light weight, tough as all get out... and easily formed. If it hits hard, it deflects and bouces back. It slides pretty well over obstacles and it is really easy to work with if you have no welder.

Some of the guys on pirate.com are experimenting with this on their serious crawlers in place of aluminum and it seems to work pretty well.

 

[becker69]

Thanks for the help... I think I will measure the tank, and make some kind of easy template from cardboard of what I want and get under and see if it'll offer the protection I want.

I know many have told me to scout junk yards... I have called many yards and either they don't have a post 95 Explorer w/ skid plates on it, or they don't have any explorers. I'll see what I can do to save some $$ over what the OEM costs.
I will have to give a look at other materials... just for the halibut.

 

[Hokie]

Are the factory 4 door plates the same as Sports? Or do i have to try to find a wrecked 95-97 sport with factory skid plates on it? thanks guys

 

[Alec]

I think the gas tank plates differ, but the tcase plates are the same.