Flat belly skid (stage 2)

[MattPascoe]

Finaly got some time today to finish the skid up. I like it!!

Heres a couple better shots of the crossmember:
http://www.solamarconstruction.com/Matt/Belly%20skid/MP%20Jeep%20Flat%20Skid%20016.jpg
http://www.solamarconstruction.com/Matt/Belly%20skid/MP%20Jeep%20Flat%20Skid%20018.jpg

For the skid I found a piece of 1/4" 6061 T651 aluminum and 3/16 x 2" bar stock for the sides. This stuff is expensive... $100 at a scrap yard.

Cut the skid to shape:
http://www.solamarconstruction.com/Matt/Belly%20skid/MP%20Jeep%20Flat%20Skid%20010.jpg
This stuff is tough to cut. Used a jigsaw and the blades kept clogging with melted aluminum.

The side bar stock is needed because the nut-inserts welded into the frame protrude ~3/16" down from the frame. Speeking of, I added an additional welded in nut to the front of each frame rail just behind the spring perch. It was needed to support the skid all the way up to the front perch.

So I cut out holes in the bar stock to clear the nutserts and had them welded to the skid:
http://www.solamarconstruction.com/Matt/Belly%20skid/MP%20Jeep%20Flat%20Skid%20013.jpg
http://www.solamarconstruction.com/Matt/Belly%20skid/MP%20Jeep%20Flat%20Skid%20015.jpg

Next I cut off all of the perches, shock mounts and track bar mounts from the rear axle with a torch:
http://www.solamarconstruction.com/Matt/Belly%20skid/MP%20Jeep%20Flat%20Skid%20027.jpg

I loosely bolted the rear axle in place, set the pinion angle (1* lower the the shaft angle) and tacked the perches in place. Then pulled it all back out and welded on the shock mounts and spring perches.

My welds are starting to get a little better:
http://www.solamarconstruction.com/Matt/Belly%20skid/MP%20Jeep%20Flat%20Skid%20022.jpg

Put it all back together:
http://www.solamarconstruction.com/Matt/Belly%20skid/MP%20Jeep%20Flat%20Skid%20023.jpg

And checked for binding issues with my John Deere RTI ramp:
http://www.solamarconstruction.com/Matt/Belly%20skid/MP%20Jeep%20Flat%20Skid%20025.jpg

Tomorrow I'm off to Los Coyotes to "field test" everything :beerchug:

MP

[MattPascoe]

I dont know why, but imagestation is not linking pics very well lately. Hope you guys can see them cause I cant........

[ZickZJ]

If you right click on them and click show pictures, sometimes you have to do it a few times, they end up showing.

Looks great, keep up the good work! :beerchug:

[H8 PVMT]

No worky, but the little red x looks damn good to me. :D

[NE-RokToy]

Let us know how it works, I would imagine it will flex a bit. I bet a few extra pieces of stock welded to it could stiffen it up a bunch, even just some flat stock welded to the leading and trailing edges, or some bends there.

[MattPascoe]

Screw Imagestation.... Got my own website!:clapping:

Sure hope the images show up now...

Los Coyotes was incredible on Saturday. Its about 1 hour from San Diego and was covered in snow.

My hats off to those of you that wheel in snow regularly, puts a hole new spin on things (pun intended:brows: )

What a blast!!!

MP

[Hoobie7]

Hey could you give some dimensions for that brace. It looks like a good first timers weld project. How much of a body lift do you have?

[NE-RokToy]

I forgot to ask before, where did you get those shock mounts? or did you make them?

[MattPascoe]

Hoobie7, Its 1.5" square tube 3/16" wall and 1" BL. A couple weeks back I posted more specs on the cross brace:
http://www.jeepsunlimited.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=484552
It was one of my first welding projects on the Jeep. Not too tough

NERoktoy, There from MORE. More expensive than I think the should have been.
http://www.mountainoffroad.com/catalog/ShockConvMt/05.jpg
$30 each. I had to reshape them a bit to get the position that I wanted. They are very beefy though and are one of the few designs that let the shock eye rotate when flexed.

MP

[mckeddie]

how are you all getting your t-cases above the frame rails, and still keeping a livable d-shaft angle? i've got the 1" bl and mml already. my t-case hangs down about 2-3" from the framerails as it sits (stock skid). i would love to do something like this, but just don't see how i could keep a decent driveshaft angle, even with my axle pushed back 2". how are you doing it? doesn't your CV want to bind at full droop? i'm not running a CV yet, just a cut down ford front driveshaft. i'm wanting a CV if i have any money left this winter, but we could build this with scrap we have sitting around in a couple of hours i think.

are you just raising your t-case with the mount, so in essence everything is leaning forward instead of leaning back with the mml?

greg

[MattPascoe]

Greg, even with the tranny/tcase stuffed as high as I've got it, the output shaft still points 5* down. My drive shaft is at 18* from horizontal so thats a 13* operating angle. Well within the acceptable range.

With the revolvers in the rear I do have enough droop that if both sides opened up all the way I would bind the CV. I installed a limiting strap to keep that from happening but in reality they should never both be open that far.

MP

[Shagginwaggon]

what type of nut did you weld in? regular nut or did you find something similar to stock?

[MattPascoe]

-=- originally posted by Shagginwaggon -=-
what type of nut did you weld in? regular nut or did you find something similar to stock?

I searched a couple bolt distributers for the weld in t-collar nut that the factory used and couldnt find any. So I just went with some 1/2" grade 8 nylocs that I had on hand.

It was kinda fun dodging the dripping pools of melting nylon while welding:rotflmao:

MP

[Shagginwaggon]

Matt,

Are your bolt heads recessed on the skid? Can't really tell from the pictures.

[MattPascoe]

-=- originally posted by Shagginwaggon -=-
Matt,

Are your bolt heads recessed on the skid? Can't really tell from the pictures.

Yea they are. That actually was the hardest part of the project.

With countersunk heads there is zero tollerance for misalignment of the holes. I managed to screw it up pretty bad and will probably have the holes welded up and try again.:giveup:

MP

[Limpin]

that actually looks really good, what are you going to coat it with? mud?:beerchug: