80 series front bash guard - homemade

[Chris]

Now, I hope Karl won't mind me posting this, but as much as I desire one his most excellent steering arm guards, buying one for me would be akin to JW buying a ready made diff!! With a garage full of steel, tools and a burning desire to make stuff, I set about making a front bash plate this weekend. It's very different to Karl's and no, I am not selling them It's 6mm plate and there is also a rear bracket not shown here yet. That stop the plate bending, or being pulled off when reversing in deep stuff.

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The holes do make it lighter. It really did weigh a tonne. And they allow cooling air. I did mesh them over but it look horrible.

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Brackets (ooh, slots! I love slots)

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Offered up

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Sorry about the quality of the pics, but not having an underwater camera, I had to resort to the iphone. Not sure if the water is on the inside or the outside. Even the ducks are beginning to complain.

Chris

 

[chadr]

Yet another lovely homemade bit of kit!

You really must stop showing off now....the "talentless masses" i.e. people like me, are getting fed up!!

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Very slick Chris, had to be some slots on it somewhere

 

[TonyP]

Very nice Chris.

 

[adrianr]

Another top tough piece of kit from you and your workshop!

 

[Chris]

Thanks chaps. Jon, actually, instead of the big holes, I nearly slotted it diagonally but then thought that 3 meters of slot cutting would probably be above and beyond.

Chad, really sorry mate. Not showing off you know, just staggered at how some of this stuff is turning out. Some chaps have been there done and turned the T shirt into old rags by now. I am a relative newcomer. Before Lil BLue, all I had in the garage was a socket set and some old tims of paint. I used to watch Scrapheap Challenge and dream of being able to make stuff. It has only been a few years. Seriously, get yourself a welder, an angle grinder and drill and you can do some of this for yourself.

What I am going to have to focus on is getting that really professional finish to things. Ok, it's not bad but most of it would never pass for a 'bought one' eh, Gary.

Chris

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

You know you're still allowed to join up two holes with your angle grinder to make long slots don't you, we won't think badly of you for not milling them

 

[Andrew Prince]

Great work, Chris! Looking forward to having a good look at it at Lincomb Out of interest what size nuts/bolts have you used to bolt it on?

 

[Chris]

Not when you have run out of slitting discs Jon. And the plasma was having an 'off' day too.

Chris

 

[Red Oktober]

Excellent as per usual Chris

 

[Chris]

Sorry Andrew - we must have posted at the same time. Missed your question. Well, the two front holes mount onto the towing eye points along with the front winch bumper so I had no choice but to go with 12mm x 4. The rear mount is petty beefy and made from 50 mm equal angle and some 12mm flat. There is an adjusting slot between the two naturally which is held with 2 x 10mm bolts. The main purpose of this is to withstand compression if I hit the trailing edge. No point having a big plate if all it does is crumple into the steering arm it's designed to protect. However, when you reverse up in thick goop, it's easy to rip a plate off. OK so mine has pretty good ground clearance on its 37's, but it's possible to get stuff lodged in there. At present the mount is held to the cross member by 8mm bolts into the same threaded holes as the original tin plate was mounted to. There is a small kick in the back of the plate so that in deep mud it should tend to climb rather than dig. There are other assorted holes under there which I may pick up on once it stops RAINING.

Chris

 

[Matt Wright]

I agree with Chad! But your point is well noted : get off my bee hiney and get welding..
Gulp

 

[Chris]

I didn't mean you! Jeez, no one will be safe if you get cracking! Hey one day when you are here I might get chance to give you some lessons. That is if you pull your finger out and pass me the right spanners when I need 'em We always seem to run out of time.

I might upgrade my welder at some point - so there might be a good one going. You need a garage!


Chris