Street sign skid plates

wowko · Oct 12, 2010

ive got some old street signs laying around from a day when i was a bit younger and a bit dumber. think i could repurpose them and use them as skid plates? thinking of maybe reinforcing the big sections of plate with rebar or something.

obviously ill have shiny side out so nobody can see the ugly other side

what im asking is would such thin aluminum hold up? maybe two pieces thick? thanks

Doom's Day Custom · Oct 12, 2010

It depends man on where you wheel .. The street sign is to thin to use a skid plate use something like 3/16" or 1/8"..

cammeddrz · Oct 12, 2010

wowko said:
ill have shiny side out so nobody can see the ugly other side

i remember seeing on tv somewhere, or in a magazine or something. there was a guy that had a rock-buggy where all of the body panels were street signs.....sign side out

pillen140 · Oct 12, 2010

maybe as a "skid plate" to keep brush from getting stuck in places you dont want or for looks (if thats your deal). but i would say it wouldnt work as a real skid, way too thin.

SpeedNinja · Oct 12, 2010

My dad and his friends used to do that back in the day. The aluminum was ridiculously strong (don't know how thick) and had to be scored before it could be bent. The newer signs must be crap.

Anyways, it's probably a better idea to the the sign side hidden. That whole thing about stolen government property... yeah...

02RangerXLT · Oct 12, 2010

SpeedNinja said:
Anyways, it's probably a better idea to the the sign side hidden. That whole thing about stolen government property... yeah...

Ah yes, what a wonderful invention spray paint is... :icon_twisted:

spdcrazy · Oct 12, 2010

i have a old speed limit sign as my tranny tunnel in my b2. works great, but its not where it gets smashed by rocks all the time.

use angle iron, strap, tube (square or round) or channel, but not rebar!!!!!

wowko · Oct 12, 2010

yea ill actually end up using angle irons lol not rebar. its not to protect much, mostly my gas and brake lines, everything else is already out of the way. should work ok with a bit of reinforcement i think

legoms013 · Oct 14, 2010

Too thin for skid use. Seen guys run them on the front of their pre-runners but i never understood why because they are so ridiculously thin they do next to nothing other than re-direct air.

Get your self some 3/16" min or 1/4" steel plate if you want skids. Remember, an RBV can weigh close to 4k with gear and add ons.

Plus, you have to rivet or use sheet metal screws on your aluminum signs, which aren't going to hold up to any amount of deformation. That is unless you can tig weld...

RollinWOT · Oct 15, 2010

It would probably be great as a brush guard to keep rocks and junk out of unwanted places, but if you plan on jumping your truck or doing serious hardcore wjeelin, I would go for half inch steel

pillen140 · Oct 15, 2010

RollinWOT said:
It would probably be great as a brush guard to keep rocks and junk out of unwanted places, but if you plan on jumping your truck or doing serious hardcore wjeelin, I would go for half inch steel

um.... half inch is a little over kill. that would be crazy!

alwaysFlOoReD · Oct 15, 2010

pillen140 said:
um.... half inch is a little over kill. that would be crazy!

My thoughts too, 1/8" or slightly thinner would be my choice. Aluminum doesn't like sliding, it gouges/grabs easily.

Richard

legoms013 · Oct 15, 2010

alwaysFlOoReD said:
My thoughts too, 1/8" or slightly thinner would be my choice. Aluminum doesn't like sliding, it gouges/grabs easily.

Richard

1/8" is way too thin for any kind of under-body skid plating, it will just taco on you and damage other stuff. Notice the stock transfer case skid plate is 1/8" and even has bends incorporated into it to give it rigidity. Also notice you can't put a jack underneath that stock skid plate and jack your vehicle up without it bending upward.

If its load bearing, it has to be minimum 3/16" but 1/4" would be better. Geometry of the skid plays a huge role on how strong it will be.

alwaysFlOoReD · Oct 15, 2010

legoms013 said:
1/8" is way too thin for any kind of under-body skid plating, it will just taco on you and damage other stuff. Notice the stock transfer case skid plate is 1/8" and even has bends incorporated into it to give it rigidity. Also notice you can't put a jack underneath that stock skid plate and jack your vehicle up without it bending upward.

If its load bearing, it has to be minimum 3/16" but 1/4" would be better. Geometry of the skid plays a huge role on how strong it will be.

This is true. I'd be using some type of reinforcing on the back of the plate. I used 1/8 plate for the top of my front shocks, they haven't bent yet, but I did reinforce the 'back' side;
Top plate and plate stiffeners being welded;

Richard

RollinWOT · Oct 19, 2010

I personally only use 1/4" on my main stuff, but for the front clip where theres too much important stuff, I use 1/2" just to be safe. Still need to get my gas tank plated, I've waited too long for that

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Street sign skid plates

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