Hey all.

I'm looking at making a front skid plate and possibly a rear for my Baja. Looking for any inspiration and ideas that anyone has to offer. Pictures would be great.

How is your skid plate mounted?
What's it made out of?
How thick is it?
What components does it cover/protect?


Thanks in advance.



Smiley

Here's a good one

Quote:

Originally posted by 11CAB Here's a good one

here's a pic of mine



it goes down and under the car stopping a few inches before the firewall. The idea is that is there to protect the radiator as much as possible. What's it made from? Stainless steel. Now before you go, "what the?! that must be so heavy". It's not that heavy and it's VERY strong. I went with stainless because all of the sheet metal shops round blacktown didn't have any Ali sheet at the time. The place I got this sheet, bent it up for me and every thing. If it is a little heavier than ali, that's an advantage in a tail heavy buggy.

Other things you can build the skid plates out of?

Fibreglass - works very well. make up some FB sheet. cut it half way through where you need to bend it, break it and then glass it back into the shape you need. Add some kevlar fabric while glassing it and it will never rip.

For non contact areas, rubber sheet or neoprene/urethane sheeting good to, to keep the gravel off the metal and stop the paint being worn off.

If you are broke and don't care about weight, mild steel is great. Hope that helps.

if you need more help as to designs and the like get this book...
http://www.amazon.com/Baja-Bugs-Buggies-VW-based-off-road/dp/0895861860/ref=p...

It's the offroad bible for anyone taking early VWs offroad. Cheap and indispensible.

Thanks for your reply Pete. Very informative.

Stainless would be good, you could run thinner stuff and it would still be as strong.

I have a copy of that book! Didn't even think to have a look!


One last thing. Do you still have the build diary of your buggy somewhere on the internet? I remember reading it years ago and wouldn't mind doing so again. From what I can recall it was a great read with lots of info.



Smiley

front



comes under to the torsion bars. alloy checker plate about 3 mm think

rear



sits just past the bell housing of the gearbox and runs to cover the whole of the engine/rad. made from the same as front. i have replaced the rear once in two years from a very nasty landing and a naughty tree stump jumping under the car! is didnt rip it off but did tear it.
I have a few times laned hard and its bent but its saved the sump many times. always bends back out..
on my old Baja i had steel and i find the alloy much better and its held up just as well

not the best pic of the old one but u can get the idea


personaly i would fit a rear skid plate before a front, much more to be damaged at the back.

steff.................

6mm aluminium plate. can't tell you the type, but is really hard, was a real pain to bend. I bought it from the local scrap metal place, cost $80 for 1m x 1.2m piece.
The front really only helps the front skid over stuff. Don't have a good picture of the rear sorry, but mine only protects the engine, particularly the push rod tubes. Have never hit the trans so, didn't see the point.
They are held on by 10mm nut and bolt sets the nut welded to the cage tubing to keep the plate off it enough to allow you to wash all the sand and mud out

Thanks for eveyone's replies.

I really love your Baja Nils, it's a mad rig!!

Keep them coming everyone.


Smiley

thanks smiley,
If you need some idea's (most alittle stupid) heres the build thread,
http://shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=126314&start=0 

the r&p stuff credit actually should go to bajawes, I used a very large section of drawings and spread sheets from a post that he put on here to get my engineer to approve it.
But am happy to answer any questions you PM me, if it takes a little while to answer it's because im off to the airforce in the next few weeks.