Time for a skid plate? Anyone have pics?

[Flash68]

Hey guys, I recently did this to my bellhousing (better that than the pan!). And I am getting a nice Canton road race pan next month. Because I drive on sh!tty Norcal roads, I am always hitting some kind of sniper in the road it seems. And I don't like to drive too cautious. That's no fun.

What's a good "blueprint" for a nice skid plate? Searched and couldn't find any pics.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/10/DSCF3019-1.jpg

[Roadbuster]

Ouch!
Your headers also look like mine!
Sorry I don't have a skid plate design.

[shortrack]

Ive often thought of doing that.....I'll be checking in to this thread.

[Motorcitydak]

Id suggest you put a piece of UHMW under there to act as a skid plate, its cutting board material. You will have to build a steel structure to hold it in place but it will take a beating and protect important stuff like that

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=978&step=2&top_cat=181

[Flash68]

Id suggest you put a piece of UHMW under there to act as a skid plate, its cutting board material. You will have to build a steel structure to hold it in place but it will take a beating and protect important stuff like that

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=978&step=2&top_cat=181

Thanks for the suggestion, Steve. Sounds like you've made one of these before? Got any pics? Curious to see what it looks like applied.

Thanks!

[wmhjr]

Isn't the low working temperature rating of UHMW a problem if it's right under the oil pan and near the headers? I'm interested because though my issue is not quite as bad, I'm a bit vulnerable under the pan and the scattershield also.

[Motorcitydak]

I have not made one...yet. Im planning on building one for my truck and a lot of guys in the offroad world use this type of thing, ill see if I can find some shots of it for you. Its great because it is also a little more slick letting you sort of slid over obstacles rather than get hung up

Im not sure of the melting temp of UHMW. Are you planning to put this skid under the entire are to protect the headers as well? I think that mite be a bad idea and only further decrease your ground clearance which you obviously have problems with.

If I were you, Id put this skid just under the motor and bell housing. Keep it up tight but still allow room for air to get in between the pieces to cool them down. Mock the pieces in place then build a steel structure to hold it in place, maybe use angle iron to hold it as long as the sides are not thicker than the piece. Put a few counter sunk screws into it to hold the piece in place then build a few arms that can attach the piece. Build something easily removable since it will have to come out at some time

[wmhjr]

If I'm reading it right, the oil temp is higher than the temp rating of the UHMW. Seems like it might be a problem if the plate is right under the pan. That's a pretty hot area - with headers on both sides. I'd guess that once warmed up the temp will easily exceed what the chart rates thsi material for. In the summer on hot asphalt and concrete I'd say the temp would be at least 50 degrees higher. Remember that even if you leave a little room between the plate and the bottom of the pan, this is not an area where you'll likely get much air movement through. I wonder if this stuff actually melts if you get it too much hotter. That would be a mess!

Steve, do you have any test material to apply heat and try and get an idea? Use a heat gun and an infra thermometer to try and figure out a starting point. Of course, we wouldn't know the other effects such as if it becomes brittle.

[Flash68]

If anyone of you didn't see my identical thread on Lateral G, this guy Clay fabbed a pretty sweet plate for his Camaro:

http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showpost.php4?p=311848&postcount=8

[John Wright]

Can you just build a skid for the crossmember ahead of the pan and just a bit lower so that it takes any hits rather than the bell or your oil pan.

My 2nd gen has a factory ramp style skid at the crossmember...it just needs to be the lowest thing under the car to work.

[Flash68]

Can you just build a skid for the crossmember ahead of the pan and just a bit lower so that it takes any hits rather than the bell or your oil pan.

My 2nd gen has a factory ramp style skid at the crossmember...it just needs to be the lowest thing under the car to work.

Sure that is an idea, but I think I'd really prefer the full coverage of a plan that goes from at least front to back of the pain.

[John Wright]

I remember somebody(it may have been on this forum) who added small skid plates to the bottom of the headers where they usually get dented/flattened...might look into that too while you are fabbing stuff up.

[Flash68]

Yep I have seen those before. My Super Comps were already dented a bit and I think I added to it. LOL But I just want to protect my new oil pan getting installed soon. And because of how and where I drive. I will probably try to mimic Clay's version. Pretty cool.