UHMW-PE Slider/Skids? (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Sep 22, 2008
Threads
47
Messages
728
Location
Bentonville, Arkansas
So I cut my driver's side rocker panels out and I'm waiting until I move to Colorado to do the passenger's side, considering the pain in the rear Guam has been on fabrication. I started thinking outside the box and searching for new armor ideas, and I came across the slider/skid idea with UHMW polyethylene that some guys are running on jeeps and buggies. I know our vehicles are much heavier, but why can't I slap some 1" think UMHW-PE bolted to the body where my rockers used to be and just slide over rocks? It seems this stuff slides really well on rock. Any thoughts?
 
My thought is you should be the pioneer and try it. Then post up the results. Could be interesting.
 
Nice idea, I dont know if there is a weight factor involved, I would assume if it was that awesome all skids be made of it! Give it try and let us know!
 
I suspect 1" thick UHMW PE will be more expensive than steel channel and since it is solid there may not be much weight advantage. Since you have already cut out your rockers, you are now relying on the slider to spread the force of impact across the body rather than concentrating it in one area. I think for the additional strength and the price you are better off with steel. I do think UHMW PE is a great material and it would be an intersting experiment. I have a piece bolted to my spare tire as a skid plate when I drag my tail over a rock - it is impressive stuff.
 
You don't have to weld it and if you get it in black, you don't have to paint it. It is way lighter than steel, and if the design worked, would dissipate the impact fairly well and let you slide off rocks with ease. I'll post pics up when I try it.
 
as a passing fad, it worked pretty well on the belly pans of our rock buggies. but for all the cost and work it wasn't a whole lot better than just plain steel for strength and just plain sliding off rocks.
 
Thanks for the info upside down. I'm always looking for folks to chime in who have experience with materials. So you would say it's not worth it? The stuff seems so easy to work with though.
 
The stuff aint cheap.
and it will flex alot under the load of an 80 and I think that your rocker area will get pushed up into your doors.
 
I think blunt impacts are the issue here...front tires dropping off a step sort of thing...I think the material would work to slide easily down things where the initial contact is controlled, but it can't absorb a traumatic, blunt contact by itself....If anything, I would think attaching this stuff to an already present steel slider would be the way to go.
 
The stuff aint cheap.
and it will flex alot under the load of an 80 and I think that your rocker area will get pushed up into your doors.
^this

for a belly pan to ease sliding over rocks with a metal skidplate to bolt to, that is really where you will see a benefit. i did see a brief toying with the idea of guys 3/4 diameter sleeving their round tube rock sliders. but the cost was substantial. and just not worth it imho.

where i saw the biggest benefit was that you could almost single handedly push a rock buggy that was hung up on its belly pan with minimal effort. that stuff was very slick.

but too expensive to be worth it. i may still put a 2x3' chunk under my buggy tcase, but that will be just a cutting board repurposed from the dollar store.

that said, i don't really know a lot about the 80's. i am new to the world of cruisers. i came frome the world of 4runners and mini trucks. and those rocker panels certainly needed extra steel support. the uhmw plastic would not do that.

i hope this helps.
 
When I build the little slider/ramps in front of my rear frame lower control arm mounts I was thinking of putting this stuff on it.
Might have to try it out considering that this point on the 80 is a major hang up point.
 
I had made up a skid plate for my tacoma using 1/2' uhmw. Like others have said it will not take point loads very well without an underlying structure. It is bendable (I usined a heat gun and ratchet strap) and will hold the desired shape but will also be more prone to cracking at the bend. It is also more likely to crack in cold temperatures.

For sliders I would weld in a rectangular/square tube then mount the plastic to the slider surface. To mount I found countersunk allen head bolts worked well. I went one step further and used the big washer little washer trick to make the contact area a little bigger than just the bolt head.

D
 
Did anyone ever try this? I was thinking of using 3/8 to 1/2 for a skid plate/guard between my ARB bumper and the rail under the radiator. Just something to fill the gap. I also need the Slee AC dryer skid plate.

Does anyone else make ready made front skid plates? Anyone have pics?

Zach
 
I had bolted some small (3"x16"x.5") strips to the front rails of my ranchhand bumper on my 05 to push people out of the way without marring paint too badly / getting caught up. It worked pretty well.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom