Skid Plate Conundrum - Enjoy and be Kind

Just finished my access door...here is the reason I refuse to go to the stealership:

Took me 40 minutes to remove the rest of it. Replaced it with the aluminum unit.
Here are the steps I took to make an access door:

• Placed a 'wad' of waxed string into the access, for cap removal. (Fishing line would have worked...but I don't fish.) I wanted to make sure I cut the hole as close to center of the cap as possible, without cutting into the pan structure. You can see the new cap with painter's tape holding the string.
• I then temporarily attached the skid pan, feeding the string through the closest hole. I did not engage the hooks (why ask for THAT frustration) which is why the string does not hang cleanly through the hole. I compensated for that later.

Then marked an approximate location using that yellow crap that wrecking yards use. (Nothing else I could find would leave a mark.) This just gave an idea of location without having to crawl underneath....again.


This shows the approximate location along with the method I decided on for a quick, easy, secure and convenient method to the door. You can also see the lines I would be cutting on. (A silver pencil will leave a faint line if you go back and forth many times, against a straight edge.) There are four 1/16" holes drilled that also clear the underside braces.

Panel cut and holes drilled for hinge and brackets for 1/4" pin and the hitch pin.


Completed......

Was going to put fancy paint w/pinstripes....but...I may be dumb, but I'm not stupid. I used Hammer Tone spray can.
SIDE NOTE: do not be afraid of doing this mod!! Take your time and have fun with it. It will keep somebody from getting "happy" with an impact wrench and over torquing these bolts....!
Gary

 

Great lookin' job! I'd say "if I can do it,anybody can" but being as I went all the way to the 10th grade in school, I may have unfair advantage these days!