TRX250R.ORG
Workshop => Body and Controls => Topic started by: Piney0 on February 02, 2014, 11:12:55 PM
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I have a couple of skid plate questions. I'm looking for some underside armor to protect the powdercoating some and I have a few skid plate questions.
Are all years interchangeable?
Who's making them? I see AC Racing and Armadillo ones on ebay, anyone else?
Anyone make their own? looks like something I could produce from a flat sheet of metal.
What about swingarm skid plates, I have an '86 swingarm, do these interchange too?
Just looking for some options. Thanks.
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I have a couple of skid plate questions. I'm looking for some underside armor to protect the powdercoating some and I have a few skid plate questions.
Are all years interchangeable?
Who's making them? I see AC Racing and Armadillo ones on ebay, anyone else?
Anyone make their own? looks like something I could produce from a flat sheet of metal.
What about swingarm skid plates, I have an '86 swingarm, do these interchange too?
Just looking for some options. Thanks.
If you're looking for an 86 swinger skid I have a new in bag PRM one. I think the chassis skids are all the same though, I have an AC and it has yet to let me down.
-Brett-
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I'd love to chime in on this. Note that what I have right now contradicts what I'm writing.
Any type of aluminum or steel skid plate will "stick" to obstacles such as rocks and such. Even though they are strong and take abuse pretty well they still stick. Now HDPE (high density polyethylene), the same material on cutting boards and ski/snowboard park boxes, is something to use. It is lightweight, doesn't show too much abrasions and slides the best. This being said, it's not the strongest material unless you increase the thickness. Increasing the thickness not only increases weight but also reduces ground clearance. A side note is that I've also heard of the HDPE being heated up and molded to contours. This would be slick up front of the bike.
Now something to consider if you're bashing this skid across rocks a whole lot would be to use about a 11gauge aluminum sheet against the frame and then the HDPE attached to it. This would increase strength and provide that slide you need. Check out a lot of the rock crawlers. More so the moon buggy's and stuff. I have done a lot of research into this due to my obsession a few years ago when I was into rock crawling and was designing a complete tube chassis. Pirate4x4.com is a good site to check out.
This all being said, I was at Troy's one night and he showed me a skid on one of his quads. I believe he said it was a trx450r skid plate that was trimmed down to fit. Looked pretty decent.
This all being said, I might see if my full ac skid will fit on my wife's 88 frame and just fabricate myself a skid. I don't smash my quad on rocks just yet but I definitely feel ya when you don't want to scratch up the freshly powdered frame. I hope this helps give you insight and some options.
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Gt Thunder makes a poly skid that a lot of XC racers use. I think it's $25 or something close to that. I had a local machine shop make one out of aluminum for me and it cost like $50. Really it's all personal preference. Do you like to fabricate/have it fabricated or do you want to buy something. I'm refering to the belly skid, the swingarm is a different story.
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The Gt Thunder ones are nice, and cheap. Not real thick but plenty enough to get the job done. They also curve up at the front for added protection, and yes, the 450r ones will work!!
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I love fabbing. Although, $25 is cheap. I'll look into the gt thunder skids. I do have to say that if I like it and my wife likes the poly skid, I'll be selling my AC full skid. It's in great condition.
Edit: Just looked at their site. Nothing there. I've read that using the 450 on and trimming would work. I think I might custom make. (Wondering if I get the white one if I could dye a design or something into it)
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I love fabbing. Although, $25 is cheap. I'll look into the gt thunder skids. I do have to say that if I like it and my wife likes the poly skid, I'll be selling my AC full skid. It's in great condition.
Edit: Just looked at their site. Nothing there. I've read that using the 450 on and trimming would work. I think I might custom make. (Wondering if I get the white one if I could dye a design or something into it)
It's there.
http://www.gtthunder.com/models/450R.htm
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(http://i1347.photobucket.com/albums/p701/samw450r/IMG_8860966824087_zps1e3154d6.jpg)
Gt thunder's.. you need to trim off about 4-6inches off the front.
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Sweet. That looks slick. Does it wrap around the sides? I hope not since I don't want to have that trough effect.
Does it bend upwards towards the bumper?
I think I might have to pick one up and fab a swingarm skid to match
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(http://i1347.photobucket.com/albums/p701/samw450r/IMG_9024967403955_zps3082c057.jpg)o it's completely flat...I dont remember a bend up front either, but I can look tonight.
As far as rear skids...I've always been partial to prm's
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They mustve heated and bent that 4" up on the one I had, the bend was pretty much 4"
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Mine came out flat. The part that I heated with a lighter browned a little.
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I'm probably going to measure my frame and purchase 1/4" HDPE and cut it and mold it to exactly how I want it. No extra bolt holes or anything.
I want to somehow dye it with a design. Maybe our site name!
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I don't think it came with any holes at all. I added them to drain the oil and for mud/water/snow evacuation. Maybe a design that says "this side down" or something.
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I work as a chef, ill just bolt cutting boards to my chassis
-Brett-
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here is the akidplate i made from UHMWPE:
(http://forums.trx250r.org/vbulletin_imports/77_442_2017-04-18_9558.jpg)
john
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here is the akidplate i made from UHMWPE:
(http://forums.trx250r.org/vbulletin_imports/77_442_2017-04-18_1223.jpg)
john
That stuff looks like the shit. Come to think of it, uhmw was the stuff that was preferred over hdpe.
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Thanks guys, very informative. I am digging the plastic idea myself right now. That UHMWPE material looks interesting, but I think I'll probably end up going with the GT Thunder one. Can't beat the price.
Where I typically ride, the skid plates won't see too much action. A couple of fallen trees to cross and maybe some train tracks. The biggest rock around here is maybe 1" round but I'm going to Hatfield McCoy in the summer, and want to be prepared.
Brett (http://trx250r.org/member.php?u=177) - Thanks. I'll hit you up in PM about the swingarm skid plate.
Pricecheck (http://trx250r.org/member.php?u=250) - Good looking on the Pirate 4x4 reference. Great site, been a member there for years.
sameltoe (http://trx250r.org/member.php?u=52) - In that picture, what is the shiny metal object that the plastic looks tucked behind up front?
Anyone have a good suggestion on where to look for bulk HDPE or UMHWPE if i was to make my own?
Once again, Thanks for all the input.
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I work with hdpe all the time. Its food grade. I make all kinds of stuff with it. We use mostly 1/2" at work so no bending the stuff I have. Flat pieces no problem. Hdpe will take a beating. A hard hit will do nothing to it. The same hit would dent aluminum. Not to say its invincible. If you hit it hard enough it will crack. The thinner the piece the more prone it is to crack.
UHMWPE has more flex to it and not as prone to cracking as hdpe in the event of a hard hit. UHMWPE will not slide as much as hdpe. I would think UHMWPE would grip more then aluminum. For XC I personally would choose a hdpe skid over UHMWPE. Unless the course is rocky and for sure I would be landing in hard objects. In this event I would choose UHMWPE.
I ride mostly MX and still ride with my AC kick up belly skid. Its not all that needed but it gives me piece of mind.
All this stuff can be bought at a plastic shop. I just picked up 2-1/2"x4'x8' and 2-1/4"x4'x8' sheets. Total was $1150. I'm sure its cheaper in your neck of the woods. Buying scraps would be best.
Any type of saw will cut this stuff. Table saw, skill saw is what I use the most. A Router can be used to knock down the sharp corners. low even heat will bend it. Bend beyond your desired angle. This stuff does not like to change form. Once bent hold in position until it cools.
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I've looked on ebay for 1/4"x12"x48" uhmw and have been coming up with prices around $50. I believe 1/4" will be plenty strong in our application. I did measure the quad. 12" will cover the width and be plenty to work on bending it up front.
I've also been a member on pirate for a while. Not sure if I still pay $20 a year or not. I'm pricecheck on there as well. Spent many many hours on that site.
I do agree that the gt thunder is the best price and only requires minimal trimming. I just like having the option of having that front guard. I've read about basically heating up your bending surface (metal) and shaping your piece to the desired bend. Then you let it cool. For $50 I might experiment. Oh, and this price also included black colors.
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My front bumper has a skid plate built into it. But the gt thunder skid goes all the way to the front. It has no holes in when you get it. I used the rear factory holes, 2 rubber coated conduit clamps and that front center bolt in the bumper skid. It's held up plenty good and doesn't make the noises like the the aluminum one I have on my 450r lol
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The more and more I read about yours sameltoe, the more it sounds good. I don't think the front wrap up is needed.
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The gt thunder one is plenty long. I heated mine to bend and tuck behind a ac bumper.
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Thank you for that tid bit. It looks like that would be the best.
To the original poster, that's my recommendation. It's light, strong, slick, good looking and cheap.
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Just posting food for thought. Factory Honda, oem '87 trx250r, home fabbed, DRD&D, badger lobo, home fab lobo
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j300/Dezsled/d8fb55f15a7a26f3552e61b7d834356a.jpg)
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j300/Dezsled/7c36029e5b28156f9923d55bef3a6aa2.jpg)
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My front bumper has a skid plate built into it. But the gt thunder skid goes all the way to the front. It has no holes in when you get it. I used the rear factory holes, 2 rubber coated conduit clamps and that front center bolt in the bumper skid. It's held up plenty good and doesn't make the noises like the the aluminum one I have on my 450r lol
Want to post some pics of those conduit clamps Sam?
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(http://i1347.photobucket.com/albums/p701/samw450r/20130511_214916-1_zpsafe4bca8.jpg)
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Sameltoe, that looks slick. Too bad I'm still rocking a factory frame. Maybe there are some square clamp things out there that'll work. Overall, I'm going to buy this skid. Maybe two and I'm going to sell my ac full skid. So, if anyone is still wanting to rock aluminum I've got one for sell.
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dezsled, I like your home fab lobo. The relief/drain/access holes look trick as well. Nice job on the welding.
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Woohoo. Scored me a gt skid!!!
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[MENTION=219]Hawaiiysr[/MENTION] Do you know of a way to inject color into the hope or uhmw? I'm really wanting to make a design on it.
I know this isn't the same material but I think I might experiment with a cheap dollar store cutting board and fit color dye and maybe some hot glue. I just don't want the masking material to allow it to bleed too much.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nanowe1tG9g
Update: I went to walmart and bought a cheap cutting board, a brush and dye. I've got acetone here. I tried rit by itself. Wiped away with no luck. Mixed acetone and the same. I just mixed it about 50:50 (rit dye:acetone) and it's very diluted. I'll let it set for about 15 minutes to see if I can get any type of stain out of it. So far this stuff is impenetrable.
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I've been researching this some more. Defanitely going with the GT Thunder skid plate.
I got jealous of the seamless fitment of those conduit straps that are on sameltoe's bike that I started looking for a solution to a square tube frame. I found some moose racing replacement hardware clamps for their skid plates. Looks like it would be perfect when I find what size i need.
http://www.mooseracing.com/products/?productGroupId=1150&productId=114451
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Nice find Piney0! You could always rubber dip those also to keep from maring up a freshly coated frame...
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[MENTION=219]Hawaiiysr[/MENTION] Do you know of a way to inject color into the hope or uhmw? I'm really wanting to make a design on it.
I don't think you can dye this stuff. Its food grade so its designed not to stain. Best idea I can come up with is a inlay of different a different color plastic. You can use a router to cut a design then inlay your different color plastic.
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Hawaii, I tried everything to stain it. It won't take. I briefly thought about an inlay but strength would be a concern for me.
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Hawaii, I tried everything to stain it. It won't take. I briefly thought about an inlay but strength would be a concern for me.
put a big sticker on the bottom so when you wheelie others can see it.haha
john
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Ha! That's probably the only way I can see it working. Unfortunately that'll be worn away quickly. I hate being defeated. I'll find a way somehow.
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I'll brain storm...
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I 4rdered a sheet of 1/4" 6061 aluminum from metalsdepot.com. cost about 60 bucks with the clamps and harware.
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I 4rdered a sheet of 1/4" 6061 aluminum
That's way heavy duty for a belly pan. 3\16" is plenty strong and mucho lighter
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Nice to know I can hit anything and not worry about it
3/16" is a 1/16" thinner, its 6061 its pretty damn light
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Poly skid......
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I also used 1/4" aluminum for mine, either 6061 or 7075(I don't remember). I drilled and nut-serted the frame for attachment. It might add some structural strength also. I made it so the PRM bumper goes over it at the front, so it won't catch on anything. The rear also has a step up to protect the back of the frame.