How Thick is a REAL Skidplate???

[VintageIronFab]

Hello All,
I was curious how thick a front bumper skidplate needed to be to be considered a real piece besides just one for show?? I'm building mine of 6061.

Thanks,
Matt

[hobbyturnedobsession]

I built mine with either 3/16 or 1/4"

[cs_drums]

I built mine with either 3/16 or 1/4"

I concur

[cs_drums]

A pet peave of mine is the current trend I see. People build this skinny little skid plate, similar to what they see on a center mount trophy truck. That does nothing in the way of protection.

[VintageIronFab]

I figured you all would say 3/8"

[hobbyturnedobsession]

I had a large skid plate with an x brace behind the aluminum. I always figured if I hit the skid it would have to be replaced so I never ran a real thick plate. That shit gets expensive and with tubing behind it, it didn't make much sense to me.

[Smart Alex]

With the approach angle a bronco can have, its really just a brush guard for your coolers.
Mine is 90 thou. You would have to hit a 35" rock to actually use it as a skid plate.

Plus some different theories on rock protection to consider. Some "real" race cars or builders I should say perfer light weight skids to take a blow and plan on replacing the skids every time out.
Some build them gnarly enough to take a hit, stay together and tweak the chassis with it.

Some heat treat parts to be super strong and brittle so they blow to smitherines with one giant hit.

[Rmc]

3/16's is what I make mine.

[93fsb]

Has anyone thought about using UHMW perhaps .5" thick with support behind it? Its lighter, cheaper, almost gouge resistant and not so loud when you do hit it. I know a lot of utv's use it for skid plates. Just a thought?

[Travisfab]

Has anyone thought about using UHMW perhaps .5" thick with support behind it? Its lighter, cheaper, almost gouge resistant and not so loud when you do hit it. I know a lot of utv's use it for skid plates. Just a thought?

I dont know anything about it, anymore info?

[Wrightracing.net]

Here was my first skid plate, made of 1/8 aluminum tread plate. This was one trip to Glamis when I stuffed the front end into a steep razorback. Aluminum Diamond plate is light but won't last very long. It will at least protect the bottom of the radiator. I went to an 1/8 steel plate and it has lasted for years.

[Rmc]

Has anyone thought about using UHMW perhaps .5" thick with support behind it? Its lighter, cheaper, almost gouge resistant and not so loud when you do hit it. I know a lot of utv's use it for skid plates. Just a thought?

A friend was telling me about the underbelly skid plates made of this. He said its about 400$ a sheet. Well a sheet large enough for his Polaris ranger. I haven't looked into it yet.

[hobbyturnedobsession]

Its amazing stuff that's for sure. I can't believe how much of a beating the skid plates take and not completely shred apart.

[93fsb]

Here is a quick google definition.

Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE, UHMW) is a subset of the thermoplastic polyethylene. Also known as high-modulus polyethylene, (HMPE), or high-performance polyethylene (HPPE), it has extremely long chains, with a molecular mass usually between 2 and 6 million u. The longer chain serves to transfer load more effectively to the polymer backbone by strengthening intermolecular interactions. This results in a very tough material, with the highest impact strength of any thermoplastic presently made. [1]

UHMWPE is odorless, tasteless, and nontoxic. [2] It is highly resistant to corrosive chemicals except oxidizing acids; has extremely low moisture absorption and a very low coefficient of friction; is self-lubricating; and is highly resistant to abrasion, in some forms being 15 times more resistant to abrasion than carbon steel. Its coefficient of friction is significantly lower than that of nylon and acetal, and is comparable to that of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Teflon), but UHMWPE has better abrasion resistance than PTFE.

I'm considering this idea, I've found a supplier locally and can get a 4'x8'x.5" for 200. Only draw back is colors are limited and its not easy to paint. Black is the route ill probably go.

[retroblazer]

I don't have any real skid plates on my Blazer. Rock shields and screens are light, so unless you are belly sliding, stay thin.

[Dezurfer]

I use 1/2" thick Lexan for my skid plates. The stuff is amazingly strong & can mold to any shape you want with just a little heat.
With my new TTb setup on my Jeep. Im starting the front skid & gonna use 1" thick Lexan.
Lexan is just like the UHMW but I think its more flexible

[BDKW1]

UHMW is more impact resistant than Lexan.

I fall into the stupid catagory. 1/4" skids for Me. Have still bent them in........

[VintageIronFab]

decided on 1/4" 5052 because I needed a bend in mine.

[yikes]

decided on 1/4" 5052 because I needed a bend in mine.

That's what I use.

[Dezurfer]

Opps, I was speaking of HDPE we use the Lexan on side panel & dashes.