Tire sources? 2" lift on 17s (1 Viewer)

[r2m]

r2m, I've never considered Delrin for protective parts. However, motorcycles use them for frame sliders, so why not on our vehicles? Would you need to machine a block of Delrin to make a skid plate in the right shape? The cost of the raw material and the manufacturing might make it cost prohibitive?

I'm curious how Delrin rock sliders would perform when put to the test. Would it flex too much, and eventually fail? Seems like you've given this some thought, so I'm interested in more details!

One can use either Delrin (Delrin is a proprietary name by DuPont who designed it) or polypropylene, both materials are very durable, chemical resistant,lighter than any metals (even aluminum), extremely high impact resistant and lubricious (slippery) for sliding over trees, rocks and anything else.
As far a mounting, there would be very little machining involved. It can be purchased in sheets of varying thickness (probably 1/2" would work) so basically just cut outs as needed and through holes for the fasteners. One should be able to just lay out flat sheets across the bottom with some simple mounting brackets.
A good place to get an idea of whats available is McMaster-Carr.
Here is the link to polypropylene material: McMaster-Carr
And this will take you to Delrin: McMaster-Carr
As an R&D engineer McMaster-Carr is go-to source. They have everything... Albeit one can find better prices if time is taken to shop around.
This is something that I plan on doing when I get some discretionary funds and time in the future.

 

[Ol Yeller]

I had UHMW skid plates on my 3/4 ton dodge, worked great. Any local plastics shop shoul carry it.

 

[r2m]

I had UHMW skid plates on my 3/4 ton dodge, worked great. Any local plastics shop shoul carry it.

If they worked great on that heavy of a vehicle, then think about how they'd work on a a GX!

 

[SWECER]

With all due respect there are not any armor products (read: skids, bumpers, sliders, etc.) that will or should ever be cast. There are several reasons:

• To try and cast a skid plate, the mold would be far too large for most companies to build AND to pour. Also with such thin material such as skid plates, bumpers, etc, it would be near impossible to get the material to flow the entire length of the mold.
• Casting provides a very brittle part. Brittle meaning that it will not handle impact, such as the vehicle coming down and landing on a rock after rolling over it. It would shatter into a million pieces. This is due to the fact that the molecular structure of cast parts are not aligned so there is no "grain" to the metal. With no grain, the part will easily break or shatter. Also a reason to not use cast aluminum rims.
• When any metal, e.g. aluminum, steel, stainless steel, iron, copper, brass, bronze etc. is extruded and forged, it aligns all the molecules in one direction which provides a "grain". This grain is what allows a metal to bend and not crack and break or the ability to be pounded on and not shatter or tensile strength to be pulled and stretch and not break.

One thing I would really like to see and I've expressed this at least one other time in this forum is if some one would make aluminum bumpers and Delrin or polypropylene sliders! That would get our rigs back to being close to factory weights and help increase our MPG and even off road abilities! Someone is already making aluminum bumpers for the 100 series Landcruisers!

Thx!
I was a bit quick there I guess... I should have added a question mark after "The Rival ones are cast alu"?
Anyhow - My post was mostly a result of frustration as I got the feeling my new investment wasn't any good as I thought it was cast alu.

Now, after reading your promising reply I went to the parts (still in garage) and checked again, after removing the protective plastic from shipment. Yes - after checking properly I can say it only LOOKS cast on the surface as it is really rough in texture (see photos). But of course it's only the paint. Right?

I'm really a novice in this, and have just recently started my build of a rig

 

[r2m]

No problem being a novice, we (me) have ALL been there and I still don't think I know as much as I'd like!
I doubt that it's painted, but either clear anodized which is a MUCH better coating process than paint or just bare metal. Since Aluminum doesn't rust or oxidize, generally it doesn't (and isn't) need to be painted/anodized unless for the following reasons: color preference or there is "hard" anodizing which adds a little more strength to aluminum.
If you're not familiar with materials, e.g. metals, polymers, etc. do some research before purchases to see what the product is made of and then look up that material and see if it meets the needs your product was designed for.
Regarding fasteners when bolting things onto your vehicle, always use either stainless steel nuts and bolts or if fastening something to the undercarriage, drive train, etc. use Grade 5 blots (they will have three raised lines, like the Mercedes star on top). For nuts I always use nylon insert nuts also known as aircraft locking nuts. They will never rattle loose.
Try to avoid materials that will rust or are weak.
Hope this helps add to your knowledge base!

 

[BMRisko]

Thx!
I was a bit quick there I guess... I should have added a question mark after "The Rival ones are cast alu"?
Anyhow - My post was mostly a result of frustration as I got the feeling my new investment wasn't any good as I thought it was cast alu.

Now, after reading your promising reply I went to the parts (still in garage) and checked again, after removing the protective plastic from shipment. Yes - after checking properly I can say it only LOOKS cast on the surface as it is really rough in texture (see photos). But of course it's only the paint. Right?

I'm really a novice in this, and have just recently started my build of a rig

View attachment 2017648

View attachment 2017652



View attachment 2017650

That is powdercoated plate aluminum w/ some stamped features. Not cast and definitely not anodized...they should be good to go.

 

[SWECER]

That is powdercoated plate aluminum w/ some stamped features. Not cast and definitely not anodized...they should be good to go.

Thx! Happy to hear that. Looking forward to get it on the car soon

 

[SWECER]

Regarding fasteners when bolting things onto your vehicle, always use either stainless steel nuts and bolts or if fastening something to the undercarriage, drive train, etc. use Grade 5 blots (they will have three raised lines, like the Mercedes star on top). For nuts I always use nylon insert nuts also known as aircraft locking nuts. They will never rattle loose.

Excellent - thx. I will keep an eye open now to check and make sure I get the right quality of bolts and nuts. Always nice to get som new knowledge :-D

 

[r2m]

That is powdercoated plate aluminum w/ some stamped features. Not cast and definitely not anodized...they should be good to go.

Being in the medical device field, we anodize all aluminum for clean room use. Just use to using that process.
It slipped my mind about power coating, which is what 99% of what all aftermarket bolt-on's surfaced with!
Thanks for the reminder!!

 

[BMRisko]

Being in the medical device field, we anodize all aluminum for clean room use. Just use to using that process.
It slipped my mind about power coating, which is what 99% of what all aftermarket bolt-on's surfaced with!
Thanks for the reminder!!

Yea my background is medical implant design and manufacturing. Most of our machined parts were titanium w/ some aluminum and anodizing was our go to "coating" process. Definitely a pretty cool process...

 

[SWECER]

No problem being a novice, we (me) have ALL been there and I still don't think I know as much as I'd like!
I doubt that it's painted, but either clear anodized which is a MUCH better coating process than paint or just bare metal. Since Aluminum doesn't rust or oxidize, generally it doesn't (and isn't) need to be painted/anodized unless for the following reasons: color preference or there is "hard" anodizing which adds a little more strength to aluminum.
If you're not familiar with materials, e.g. metals, polymers, etc. do some research before purchases to see what the product is made of and then look up that material and see if it meets the needs your product was designed for.
Regarding fasteners when bolting things onto your vehicle, always use either stainless steel nuts and bolts or if fastening something to the undercarriage, drive train, etc. use Grade 5 blots (they will have three raised lines, like the Mercedes star on top). For nuts I always use nylon insert nuts also known as aircraft locking nuts. They will never rattle loose.
Try to avoid materials that will rust or are weak.
Hope this helps add to your knowledge base!

Now I finally got time and help to get more stuff on the car... :-D Rival plates are on, and they were a bit hassle to get bolted on due to many other things already mounted (factory mounted stuff, cables, clips, break lines, KDSS etc etc). But in the end - here they are now!

 

[SWECER]

Nice, post up some pics. I'm not sure of the offset but it's a Toyota OEM 4Runner wheel. I'm interested to see that bumper and skids, I don't know if they're available over here. I'd like to get some 150 badges one day if I can find what a 2012 should have outside the US.

...and so we did it Wheels on the car! I will add som more pics here, if I get a separare garage thread started.
Yesterday I went to a garage and had the tires fitted. Now the complete wheels are on! Happy for that!

There was immediately rubbing when I reversed out of the garage and even thought of turning the wheel... But I'm not surprised. I knew it would happen as the "body parts"/mudflaps etc are all on from factory.
I drove half a mile to closest tool store and got a wrench. Took the most urgent flaps of (in FRONT of the wheels). Better... now I can turn my steering wheel 1.5 turns before if rubs (badly...)

This weekend I will modify the inner plastic fender walls with a heat gun, and maybe move a bracket beind those inner walls further back.

Wheels are:
285/70/17 BFG KM3 on Method Race Wheels 17/8.5 with ET0/offset 0 (compared to original ET/offset 30)

Around Christmas the AFN front bumper and Warn winsch will come on. Will make a big difference!

Here are some pics.