After installing the Tuff Country lift, the factory skid plate was not going to work any more.    I decided to try to make another one, since I had such good luck with the first skid plate I did.      The new skid was going to be a single piece, and would go all the way from the front protecting the bottom of the radiator to the crossmember by the transfer case.   At the transfer case cross member, it would join up with the Skid Row transfer case skid.    My thought was that a one piece design would make it stronger and also help tie everything together.

I will call this the first attempt, as I am not really happy with the result.   I will explain more after you see what I did!

The first step was to get some cardboard and get a mock up of what I wanted the new skid plate to look like.

Once I had a cardboard "scrape plate", I was able to order the metal.
Here you can see the cardboard mock up and the metal plates next to it.   I went with 1/8th inch steel.   It is heavy, but I should not have any problems with it breaking or bending too bad!
The first piece of the scrape plate had 3 holes drilled in it to bolt up to the stock front scrape plate mounting holes.   I got new slightly longer grade 8 bolts to replace the factory ones.
Here you can see it bolted in place.  
I then used a jack to hold the lower plate in place.  I could then move it to get the front plate to line up so that I could tack weld the 3 plates together.   Before I do that, there was another issue to deal with.
Two of the steering rack mounts are lower that the bottom of the new Tuff Country subframe.   I had to make a provision for them or the scrape plate would not mount tightly to the subframe.
I had to cut a hole in the center of the plate for one of the mounts.  I was going to start it with a hole saw, but in the heavy steel it was not going to work.   I drilled a few holes, then used the sawzall to make the hole.   It takes a few minutes, but it works!
Here it is with both holes cut.
With the rack holes cut, I was able to drill the mounting holes.   I did three mounting bolts in the subframe.
Now I had to cover the 2 rack mounts.   It would be nice to have a way to bend the metal, but no such luck!   My solution was to make this cover for the hole and weld it in place.
I welded it on both sides to make it as strong as possible.
Here is what it looks like from a side angle.
For the second hole, I built it up with a scrap piece of steel.
Then a second one to cover it.

Once it was all in place all the seams were welded.

This is one of the things that I am not happy with.  I always like to try to do things myself with simple tools so that others can see what to expect when they do it themselfs.   This is one place that could have been done in a better way by someone with more fabricating skills and equiptment.   My main concern is that these areas will hang down and act as a catch when you are trying to slide over rocks.   
Three holes needed to be cut in the front of the plate to access the 3 bolts that use the front factory holes.   Instead of using the drill and sawzall again, it was time for the torch!
Here it is getting a test fit.   You can see the three front bolt mounting holes we cut.
It was not time to completely weld all the seams.

So, I already said that I am not happy with this design.  The two areas that we had to make work for the steering rack are going to be a problem on the rocks when off-roading.   I did not finish the plate as I had planned and make it go to the transfer case cross member.   Instead, I have decided to start over on a new plate.   

This plate protects more than the factory one, but not as much as I want it to.  

Another factor is the weight.  I knew it was going to be heavy, but it is heavier than I imagined and very hard to get on and off!

For the second design, I am going to use a front scrape plate from DMI Scrape Plates, like the one that I did the test fit on a while back.   It will take care of the front, then I will go from the bottom of it to the transfer case crossmember.

Until I get it done, I will use what I have.
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6-7-2004