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Skidplate/ boatside thickness question

mesha

mesha

By endurance we conquer
Location
A.F.
I am getting ready to add some boatsides and skid plates to the buggy. I have some steel that will work already, but it is really thick. 5/16-3/8" depending on how I look at the tape. I am worried it is too much overkill. I can seriously barely lift it. I will be adding roughly 6' x 4'. I'm guessing that is a few hundred pounds. Would I be better off to go with something thinner? My buggy is no light weight as it is. So maybe I am worrying for nothing.

Waddaya Think?
 
L

LT.

Well-Known Member
Location
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Sounds a little thick to me. I think I would shoot for something in the neighborhood of 3/16ths to 1/4" if it was me. With some proper bracing I think that would do it. But, since you already have it you may be ahead just to use it in some key areas.

LT.
 
N-Smooth

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
how well supported they are is what would help me decide between 3/16 and 1/4... assuming all of it will be subject to some serious rock abuse. it'd be a shame if you used 3/8 when all you need is 3/16. twice as thick and twice as heavy would be a real bummer IMO. my sliders and belly skid are 3/16 and i have come down on them uncomfortably hard and they just shrug it right off
 
iamsparticus

iamsparticus

Take your Rig to the Edge
Location
Ogden,Ut
when i made my skid for my transfer case i used 3/16 and braced it with 1 1/2 inch angle iron. At the old school rock crawl i slammed it down skidded on it and beat it up and it held up great no problems
 
bryson

bryson

RME Resident Ninja
Supporting Member
Location
West Jordan
My skid and boatsides are all 3/16" steel with UHMW skins on them. The current UHMW is 1/4", but I want to change it to 1/2" (the 1/4" stuff warps and looks crappy, but has held up fine strength-wise.)

I also have my belly skid reinforced with angle iron - welded open side down. Works well.
 
mesha

mesha

By endurance we conquer
Location
A.F.
It will be braced up fairly well. It will see some abuse:).

I would love to put some of that plastic stuff on there, but I think it is more expensive than my whole buggy. How much is that stuff?

What about using the heavy stuff and cutting a bunch of holes in it with a plasma table(Hi carl)? Maybe words like I love unicorns or something?
 
N-Smooth

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
mesha said:
What about using the heavy stuff and cutting a bunch of holes in it with a plasma table(Hi carl)? Maybe words like I love unicorns or something?
Click to expand...

you can cut holes out if it's supported well and covered in "some of that plastic stuff" but i'd suggest pricing 3/16 at wasatch, it's not expensive and may be a better choice than working on such a thick sheet. if it's gonna say i love unicorns it better be visible :D
 
1995zj

1995zj

I'm addicted
Location
Herriman, UT
FWIW, my boatsides are 1/8" plate skinned with 1/4" UHMW. My flat-belly skid is 3/16" that I've got some 1/2" UHMW to skin it with. I've never had any issues yet and I've hit them all plenty hard.

Don't use more than 3/16" IMO, especially on the boatsides. Save yourself some weight.
 
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iamsparticus

iamsparticus

Take your Rig to the Edge
Location
Ogden,Ut
1995zj said:
FWIW, my boatsides are 1/8" plate skinned with 3/8" UHMW. My flat-belly skid is 3/16" that I've got some 1/2" UHMW to skin it with. I've never had any issues yet and I've hit them all plenty hard.

Don't use more than 3/16" IMO, especially on the boatsides. Save yourself some weight.
Click to expand...

i agree remember the heavyier the rig the more crap you will break
 
1995zj

1995zj

I'm addicted
Location
Herriman, UT
mesha said:
It will be braced up fairly well. It will see some abuse:).

I would love to put some of that plastic stuff on there, but I think it is more expensive than my whole buggy. How much is that stuff?

What about using the heavy stuff and cutting a bunch of holes in it with a plasma table(Hi carl)? Maybe words like I love unicorns or something?
Click to expand...

UHMW isn't too badly priced. I spent $170 total shipped for all of my UHMW (1/4" on boatsides, 1/2" on belly).

http://www.interstateplastics.com/B...es&utm_medium=na&utm_campaign=uhmwplastic.org

edit: oh and the reprocessed stuff that I purchased was straight black, no white swirls or anything. Very nice stuff. I worked with a guy named Bruce at Interstate Plastics, can't think of his last name right now.
 
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mesha

mesha

By endurance we conquer
Location
A.F.
I kind of know it is too thick, but it is free. I will probably end up geting some 3/16", but for arguments sake what about...

Can I cut more out of it if it is thicker and still achieve the same strength?

weights are as followed per sq. ft.
3/16=7.65
1/4=10.2
3/8=15.3

I can't quite get mine to measure at 3/8 so I think it is 5/16. which puts it somewhere between 10.2 and 15.3 maybe 14.

If I cut out a bunch of small holes maybe I can cut the weight by 30 percent. Maybe more I don't know.

Is it possible that I can use less bracing? If it has no holes I am fully confident that the heavy stuff can take a full hit with no extra support. 18.5"x36" or so on the sides and 34"x48" with a cross member in the middle

If it is going to get covered with UHMW anyway I don't see a bunch of small holes being a bid deal.

I am sure I will end up buying 3/16th and bracing it and cutting holes in it and covering it with UHMW and writing a run on sentence or two.
 
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1995zj

1995zj

I'm addicted
Location
Herriman, UT
I think you're just wanting someone to tell you that it's okay.

Seriously, everyone so far has answered that 1/8" or 3/16" is the way to go and the stuff you have isn't suited for a boatside skid.......

I don't believe cutting holes is worth the time or effort. FWIW I picked up my 1/8" at Metal Mart for cheap (it was in the scrap area) and it was brand new, not rusted at all.
 
iamsparticus

iamsparticus

Take your Rig to the Edge
Location
Ogden,Ut
I make poly urethane plastics and im not sure what durometer the uhmw is but i think if you went with 5/8s thick and braced it by bolting angle iron to it and then welding it too the frame it would be very stout. we made a large 3 foot wide oil pipe coupler that actually wore out the pipe it was so hard and the coupler was plastic
 
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