For those of you who have been following this thread: http://mnsubaru.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26803 I've got a template now, and can start making these for the 02-07 Impreza/WRX/STi. I know that some of you are anxious to have a plate before the Ojibwe Forests Rally on Aug 22-23, so I'm going to try to move fast on at least an initial batch. What they will be: 6061-T651 Aluminum in 3/16" (0.190"), providing coverage from the radiator core support in front to the rear of the engine crossmember in back. Side-to-side coverage will be from frame rail to frame rail in the front, tapering to fit between the frame rails as they get lower. They will be a solid flat sheet, no bends, no holes beyond the mounting. The rationale behind this is to keep the costs low and turnaround quick. Because the plate won't extend in front of the radiator core support, they won't be prone to "shovel-nosing" like some of the other plates without a lip (like snbrd4evr's). In the rear, a bend is really only necessary for ground clearance if you continue the plate under the transmission, which, while of some value, is not as big a deal as you would think, because the transmission is 2-3" higher than the oil sump, and thus pretty clear of anything short of a basketball sized rock, which is going to make life miserable regardless of what you've got for a skidplate. I had talked about perhaps making a plate out of the softer, cheaper 5052 Aluminum, but especially in a 1/8" application, I'm just not comfortable with the idea of using it. Pricing: 3/16" plate - $130 However, here's the deal. If I can get 6 pre-paid orders by the evening of 8/7, the price comes down $15. If I get 8 pre-paid, it will come down $20. So, for example, if I have: The short time frame is so I can have these ready and out to people before OFR. I can certainly make more later if there is more interest. Prices are for plates picked up from south Minneapolis. Shipping is likely to be pretty steep on these due to the dimensions, so I'd prefer to stick with pick-up only. Delivery to Firestone could probably be arranged if someone is willing to be the middle-man. ---------- 0. Bullwinkle, MY06 Impreza (Prototype) 1. retreif MY04 (paid, picked up) 2. Pbedroske (paid) 3. Mekham (paid) 4. Scuba Steve (paid, picked up) 5. MrMcMonkey (paid) Others: - putz - won't clear header - Flatline - headers? waiting to find out In my ideal world, we'd have a total of 9 people beyond the prototype, just because that works out with the least scrap. Paypal to [email protected], $115 + $4 (to cover paypal fees), and please include your screen name! If we get to the 8-person mark, I'll refund the extra $5 with the plate. If you'd rather mail a check or deliver it to me, PM me for more info, but please hurry. I'll be picking up the material on Friday morning, so to get the discount you need to get me the payment before then. Let me know the MY of your cars too.
Prototype waiting to be mounted: Mounted on Bullwinkle's WRX: Here you can see how it overlaps the frame rails on the sides, which means even at the outer edges it would take a monster impact to get past the plate. Here I was trying to show the clearance to the oil pan (about 3/8"), but it doesn't really show. You can see there's a pretty good gap below the stock exhaust manifold, however. And here it is on the car on the ground after a test drive. Bullwinkle's car is dropped about 1" from stock (for a WRX).
Well, for only an extra $20, I'd like one of the 3/16" plates. Let me know if you want to cut a prototype and test fit.
I would HIGHLY recommend the 3/16 thickness. I turned a 1/4 inch 6061 plate into a pretzel at Ojibwe 2003 on my Group N WRX.
To be fair, you've probably pretzeled more parts than the rest of this site combined For competition I wouldn't go with less than 1/4" either.
Also- if anyone wants a fire-retardant & oil resistant pad to put between their plate and their oil pan, let me know and I will get it to you for CHEAP and ASAP. I will just need to know the distance between the two and the size of the pad you want. We put one on our skid plate with some construction adhesive so that gravel or a rock didn't get stuck there -hit a bump - and hole in oil pan.
Have the prototypes been tested for fitment with aftermarket header? If it clears a MadDad header without spacers, I'm in. The oem splash guard clears, but it has bends.
No. I'm heading out to pick up the material for the prototype in a few minutes. If you want t try test fitting on your car some evening this week, I'd be willing to do so. The plate is essentially a straight line from the radiator core to the engine crossmember. So if you take a straightedge and run it from those points, you'll get a good idea of what will/won't clear. If it's a close thing, the front, rear, or both of the plate can be spaced down to get more clearance, but the more it's spaced down the more likely it'll catch on something in the front or reduce ground clearance in the rear.
Now that I have a sheet of 6061 sitting next to a sheet of 5052 in my garage, it's painfully obvious that my Primitive plate wasn't 6061, and was most likely 5052. That makes sense with what Paul told me at the time I ordered, that their original plates were 6061, but they changed to a different spec when they started adding the bends (because forming 6061 is a PITA, for the same reasons it makes a stronger skidplate). So, these plates don't offer quite the coverage area, but what they protect (the engine) they will offer stronger protection.
I would like one for my Impreza but its a 95 body. And I've got a 2.2 liter. Ohh yea if its possible, I want it in a 1/4"
I'll look at a GC/GM fitment at a later date, but every skidplate I've seen for those models has had some (relatively) complex bends, and I suspect there's a reason, so they might be beyond my "garage manufacture" capability.
Those pics look great. The 6061 at 3/16" is very very strong...and you can't beat the price! Looking forward to getting mine permanently mounted!
Can I make a comment? I feel it would be more beneficial if the front of the plate was say 2-3 inches longer and had a lip on it.
Buy the Primative plate. I think the first post in the thread explains why it is the way it is. http://www.writerguy.com/primitive/skidplate/skid_details.htm
04 WRX - I will pay after I get home from work. Curious, how are you cutting these? Is it possible for me to Dremel out holes like the Primative ones for Oil filter and plug access? I am not a metallurgist, so my knowledge of hardness and cutting/bending aluminum is limited.
Vector enlightened me that any wood tools should work well on this Aluminum. The dremel would probably work, but I agree that a hole saw would be easier/better.
You can make the comment, but it'll be ignored. :biggrin: This plate design fits flush with the bottom radiator support. No way you're going to pretzel it from the front unless you demolish the bottom of your radiator and subframe.
^IDK about that. Kelly managed to pretzel his pretty good, and I think that his sat pretty flush to the rad support. I posted pictures in other threads.
^human ingenuity and chance have no bounds. What sort of hardware will be required to mount the plate? The primative site states 8x1.25 8.8 grade bolts with 13mm hex head zinc plated are supplied with their kit
Kelly had a first gen primitive plate. It extended about 3" in front of the rad support, and also did not have an upward bend. As you can see from the pics, this plate design does not extend in front of the radiator support, so it's going to be virtually impossible to catch it on anything, unless you bend that support first.
Alrighty Mr. Smartiepants. I know what 1.25 and 13mm are but what the hell is 8.8 grade? Do you think zinc plated is the way to go? Do you know where to source said bolts?
Vector knows the specific bolt sizes. The rears need to be a little longer as the plate doesn't sit perfectly flush in the jackplate.
Mark-Is this deal exclusively for only gravel Rally drivers or can Tarmac drivers join the fun as well, how about non Subaru's?
the sheet metal shop at my work place say the plasma cutter is ithe quickest and easiest way to cut 6061...LOLzzzzzzz (they said they would do it for me for free!!)
