DIY skid/cat plate

Hey guys! I'm almost finished making my own skid/cat plate, just have to weld the flat bar on the side and drill some cooling holes, used a 4x8 piece of 3/16 steel that I cut in half, so the entire skid plate is 4ft long and covers both the front and rear cats. (front skid is coming soon with the extra 4x4 plate) and I was weighing my options on coating. I figured there are 3 options here.

1. Powder coat -$150
2. Spray paint -$50?
3. Roll on or spray on bedliner -$75?

While I'd like to powder coat it, I do a good bit of off roading and driving gravel roads, If it gets scratched, I'd have to touch it up with spray paint. The biggest upside for me is having someone else do the work coating it

If I spray paint it, it will obviously be the cheapest option, and the least durable, but touch ups will be super easy.

Bedliner would hold up good, but will also gouge on rocks and such, but touch up will also be easy to match

Any opinions on this?

 

Nice work! I would go the spray paint route. I sprayed my valhallas sheild plates myself and it was cheap and actually came out nice. Just make sure to clean well and use a self etching primer then some kind of rust preventative spray. It would go nicely with your DIY spirit with the project. Plus like you said touch ups would be super easy, fast and cheap.

 

Looks great! I just picked up a big scrap sheet of aluminum, so I'm watching. What did the width end up being?
Is there just the 4 bolts holding it up? And is that crossmember by the lower control arms threaded, or did you run all the way through and put a nut on top?

I'd do spray paint too, easy touch ups is a big thing for me.

 

Powder coat is usually nice to have on anything that's not making a lot of contact. I'd say spray paint it and save yourself the time. You can save yourself the time doing the touch ups each time you do your oil change.

 

Thanks for the input! It's been a fun project, it also gave me a good excuse to get a new cordless Milwaukee grinder it took 8 danger dics, I mean, cut off wheels to get the job done.

 

haha nice. still come out cheaper doing it yourself. I hope you were wearing safety glasses though!

 

Agreed! Rust-Oleum or Steel-It in a can from SDHQ will have to be my best bet.

 

It's 4ft wide near the rear of the truck. I took a sheet of corrugated plastic from home depot to pull measurements and make a template, definitely get a long straight edge if you wanna do this, I didn't have one so I had to use a chalk string. All the bolts go straight through the cross members with nylon lock nuts on top, the fronts are 1/2in x 4in, the rears are 3/8 x 4in. I'm still fabbing it up, so ill probably have more bolts and supports by the end of it.

 

Oh hell yes, safety glass, face shield, heavy duty jeans, and a long sleeve. I don't fuck around with cut off wheels. I also had the blade guard and handle attached. Just wish I hadn't left my respirator at home, that dust is terrible for you.

 

Nice, safety first always. Theres been more than one matrix moment for me and those damn discs.

 

I vote roll-on. Spray paint is pretty weak.

 

For anyone interested, I'm in Houston for the next few weeks, I should have everything complete by the end of today or tomorrow. If anyone wants to bring some cardboard, or anything to make a template of my plate, feel free to contact me. I know the guys who make these are really backed up with orders, so for anyone that doesn't want to wait and wants to make their own, just let me know and I'll provide my template. It's not perfect, but it works, and it's a skid plate, something you'll rarely ever look at, so looks aren't that important. I paid $316 after taxes for my 4x8 sheet of 3/16. And it's enough to make full skid plates for you truck. I'm sure 1/8 is even cheaper for those that don't off road.

 

I know this an older thread, but could you post dimensions for your plate please. Im gonna give it a go.

 

A official welcome for your first post.... Welcome to the Tundra forum..

 

could you please post some measurements. Thinking of fabricating one. Thanks