DHC Off Road Skid Plates

[e7ats]

LiftedAWDAstro
Posted: Mar. 07 2006,9:37

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Ok here they are!

DHC Off Road now has prices for skid plates! These have been tested on both my 98 Astro AWD/4x4 and on Lockdoc's 93 AWD/4x4. The skid plates give protection from the crossmember under the radiator to the transfer case. They will protect the front differential, engine, tranny and transfer case from rocks, mud and whatever else you can throw at them. One note of caution...the aluminum skids will deform under the engine/tranny when used in the rocks. So if you plan to be in the rocks seriously, the I recommend steel although it is quite a bit heavier.

There are 2 choices in materials, 1/4" Aluminum and 3/16" Steel. Aluminum skid weighs approximately 30# and the steel skid weighs approximately 66#. Included will be an angle bracket to mount to the front cross member, 2 brackets to mount under the control arms (these keep the skid from hitting the engine, and all 3/8" Stainless hardware needed for installation. You will be required to drill and tap 8 - 3/8" bolt holes and have a 7/32" allen wrench handy.

NOTE: There will be a hole large enough to allow engine oil changes without having to remove the skid plate.

Steel: Primered and painted Black price is $250 plus shipping.
Aluminum: brackets primered and painted, price is $350 plus shipping.
I can accept credit card payments through Paypal as well as personal checks and cash. I will also install on your van for an additional $50.

Shows what is protected:





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AstroZam
Posted: Mar. 07 2006,11:01

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Step right up folks, don't be shy. The first ten buyers will recieve an invitation to this yrs N.E campout

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Lockdoc
Posted: Mar. 08 2006,7:42

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I gots one! And let me tell ya, it works!


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peter
Posted: Mar. 08 2006,7:54

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And if anyone needs it, it's you, idiot! You couldn't drive properly off-road to save that pathetic existence of yours you call a life..... http://www.astrosafari.com/iB_html/non- ... s/roll.gif

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LiftedAWDAstro
Posted: Mar. 08 2006,10:08

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Well...Petey at least Bill isn't afraid to go off-road!

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peter
Posted: Mar. 09 2006,5:59

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I was jez jokin' 'round, but you're being just plain nasty

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Logan
Posted: Mar. 09 2006,9:22

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Who would want to offroad an Astro? Aren't those, like, MINI vans??

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CD0156
Posted: Mar. 09 2006,10:12

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Peter.. werent you stuc in the mud last time?

And Dean... Yeah, NOW you decide to make those.. Now that I am where there is not a rock within MILES of me!!



For everyone else, Deans work is awesome! He is the one that made the mounts for my front winch mount bumper.. the one that held up to an attack from a rogue Honda CRX, AND has been used REPEATEDLY since my arrival in Florida to pull stupid people out of the sand! I also have a set of his rock rails that helped out drastically at paragon AND come in handy for jacking/supporting the van. (And for starting conversations! )

Happy Trailin!!


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jakepatch
Posted: May 07 2006,1:46

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Not to take anything away from Dean, but if someone could get me blueprints/diagrams of the parts needed I could have them cut out on our laser cutter at work. I also have water jet tables, CNC presses, press brakes, shears, welders, etc.

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rlsllc
Posted: July 09 2006,9:41

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Quote (jakepatch @ May 06 2006,11:46)

Not to take anything away from Dean, but if someone could get me blueprints/diagrams of the parts needed I could have them cut out on our laser cutter at work. I also have water jet tables, CNC presses, press brakes, shears, welders, etc.

OK Dean and or Jake,

I have a clutch pedal. I'm thinking that a brake pedal may be able to be modded to work for the clutch, and it stands to reason that it would be simpler to go that route than to start from scratch. A non Astro pedal may come closer. The real problem is the extensive work that has to be done to the firewall of the van to mount the pedal, seen in this photo (compliments of atljwpepper, 3 years ago):



The original holes look like this:



That set of support ribs is a non removeable part of the firewall, above the steering column, very hard to get to.

I was trying to come up with a bolt in bracket that would fit in between the ribs, and allow the pedal to, well, bolt in. Then you'd only have to notch the ribs and figure out how to put nuts on the bolts.

I'm going to try to mimic the factory setup, as atljwpepper did, but maybe others could benefit in the future.

[SSAstro]

i need one of these for my 2wd bagged van where do i sign up or get specs so i can make my own i've already went through one oil pan this year

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Ok here you guys go. Here is the dimensional drawing of the skid plate used on the AWD's. I do not know if the front steering stuff is in the way or not on the RWD's. Also there is a different cross member for the engine that the AWD's don't have.

The other piece needed is a 2" angle iron 1/4" thick and drilled with the 3 holes for mounting the front of the skid plate onto. It is 12" long and is drilled/tapped for 3/8"-16 hardware. This mount piece will also be drilled to mount onto the stock cross member where the original was welded. More pics will be posted during NECO 2008.

The 4 holes for the trans cross member will be countersunk and also the holes in the cross member will be drilled/tapped to 3/8"-16.

[ihatemybike]

Awesome, yet another project for Grumpy.

[phr1$k37]

WOOW! $50 to install!? At my home!? Ding ding! Sign me up
haha ;p

[ihatemybike]

Hey Dean, been looking at the schematics. Am I reading this right, 43" between the front and trans cross members. Is there no support in-between? Just seems a long distance.

How have these been holding up for people? Is it capable of supporting the weight of the van if you get hung up on it?

[LiftedAWDAstro]

There is a lot of free space. I have had my van as well as Lockdoc's high centered on the skid plate and they hold up fine. The reason is they will rest on the engine. I don't think you could center the van with all it's weight on the skid plate though.

On Lockdoc's aluminum skid plate we added some supports that will hit the frame the lower control arms mount to. This keeps it off the engine oil pan.

[ihatemybike]

I was laying under Grumpy looking at how it would mount and got to thinking about adding a cross member that uses the front diff mounts. Seems a fairly strong area.

Now that Grumpy's AWD works again, I really need to start looking into under body armor. Found a straight, mile long, dirt road by my parents house and ended up doing 50+ mph runs on it. Luckily the road wasn't too torn up and didn't really tax the suspension any, so I wasn't worried about destroying anything. But I know I'm just beginning Grumpy's off road adventures.

[Meterpig]

How can someone get a hold of these now?

[dunedog]

Send a PM to Lifted....(Dean)

[LiftedAWDAstro]

I no longer build and sell these. The shipping cost is just too high. I posted the dimensions so anyone could take them to a local fab shop and have one cut and bent. You then drill the holes and mount the angle iron up front.

[ihatemybike]

On Lockdoc's aluminum skid plate we added some supports that will hit the frame the lower control arms mount to. This keeps it off the engine oil pan.

Hey Dean, any pics of these supports?

[Ozarker]

Great thread! Skid plates are on my list. Thanks

[LiftedAWDAstro]

We didn't take pics of that mod. It basically is a spacer that will hit the frame mount for the lower control arm. You can sort of see where it would be in this pic:

[TroySmith80]

Great, thanks for sharing the plans! Any chance there is an updated drawing with the oil change access shown? Much easier and cleaner to have those holes made by the plasma table at the fab shop, than me trying to do it with a torch.