I’m considering purchasing the 2nd generation X plates from Skid Row and would like to hear from owners with them about their installation process and any tips/tricks.

Overall how much time and effort does it take for a DIYS install? Besides the obvious tools, drills, sockets, vise grips, etc. what else would you recommend having around for the install besides a buddy to help?

Having the truck up on a lift would be ideal I assume but I will mostly likely just use some ramps which I would think would give enough room to work with?

Thanks for the 411 BTW Eric at Skid Row says he hopes to have the Gas Tank Skid available sometime in Mid-February if everything goes well.

Having the truck on a lift:

Actually no, because the back 2 plates are too heavy to lift & hold in place, you'll want a floor jack to hold them in place while you bolt them up. You can do this with the truck sitting on the ground. Other than that, it's pretty straightforward. You just need someone there to help you move the plates around, etc.

Yep, we'll be fitting the gas tank skids on our trucks pretty soon here to make sure they fit well.

Good luck and congrats!

don't even bother with the ramps either. If you are skinny enough, there should be enough ground clearence under there for you to install them without. when eric installed mine, there was no jack, ramps or whatever. if you do use a ramp, it makes using the floor jack to hold the plates up to bolt them on much ore difficult.

good luck. they are worth it.

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Synchro (aka Kirk)
Ashburn, VA, USA (suburb of Washington D.C.)
2000 Xterra SE, Alpine Green, Auto, 4x4, ARB, 32" BFG MTs
President: Mid-Atlantic Xterra Club
http://www.maxc.org/members/synchro.htm

I guess this begs the question - how heavy are they all, combined? They'll surely affect (cringe) the gas mileage, and possibly the performance of the truck (by weighing it down). One good thing, they'll lower the center of gravity, besides protecting the soft, naked underbelly.

Great stuff though - and regardless of mileage or peformance concerns, I know I'll be picking up a set of these.

Nice work guys!

I got my set installed by Erick yesterday.

BP: They are havy

but they worth it !

Hmm, that worries me man...I'm supposed to have mine installed Friday on the way to Shamokin (yeah, baby!!! time to test these damn things out) and Eric said he thought it would take 1-1.5 hours. (Oleg, how long was your install?)



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gothamist -- MAXC member
http://www.beatdriven.com/xterra.html

Brian, are you going to be able to order them through the guys who did your boulder bars (All J Products) since they are listed as a Skid Row retailer? Maybe they'd be kind enough to assist in the installation. Heh.

i think it took about 2 hours or so
including time to sharpen dril bit

Sounds like he oughtta buy a new set of drills... ;>

Is Erick at a shop in NJ that you guys go to? If so, I may pay him a visit in the Springtime to get mine hooked up... Does he also do ARBs?

Erick is not in NJ, he is in PA
www.skid-row.com

It is pretty straight forward for anyone to install the plates. If you do not own a set of very good high-speed steel or cobalt tipped drill bits you will need to buy them before you start the installation. A floor jack is a must to help position the plates underneath (at least the rear most ones).

The rear plate is the most involved installation. You will have to drill 4 to 6 holes in your cross-members. I found it best to start at the rear of the plate and work forward. The amount of space you have to drill through the cross-members is minimal.

Keep your bits oiled up as you drill and remember to go slow on the speed for the best results.

Will

Get my SKIDS on Friday,
Eric is great to work with.
Someone with an ARB *AhemmSynchroAhemm* please drive up there to prototype the ARB skid plate. Eric is ready to help us prevent the same fate as PIKA.

That's right parter...
Keep on Rollin Baby
You know what time it is!
- F Durst

I'm going to be at Skid-Row on Friday getting my skids installed, and Eric is supposed to trim my ARB (it rubs the tires) and hopefully measure it up for the skid plate. Hopefully we can get it all done...

Leave Synchro alone, he already had to drive 1000 miles to Georgia (& back) to get the KMA rear bumpers measured up for all of us.

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gothamist -- MAXC member
http://www.beatdriven.com/xterra.html

once the gas tank skid plate prototype is in, i will be up there for all of this. should be in the next few weeks.

so hold your water!!!

Synchro



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Synchro (aka Kirk)
Ashburn, VA, USA (suburb of Washington D.C.)
2000 Xterra SE, Alpine Green, Auto, 4x4, ARB, 32" BFG MTs
President: Mid-Atlantic Xterra Club
http://www.maxc.org/members/synchro.htm

Just wanted to say, I was up at Skid-Row on Friday getting my skids installed, and Eric took some more measurements for the gas tank skidplate, as well as measuring up my ARB for a skid plate design. We'll see what comes of it...

p.s. Got my ARB trimmed back as well, so far so good.

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gothamist -- MAXC member
http://www.beatdriven.com/xterra.html

What are the dimensions of the plates, is it possible to make your own if you have acess to steel working machinery? I would like to try my hand at working on it myself first.

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Eric Miller
University of Chicago
Also from southwest MO.

You can certainly make your own plates...just don't expect any of us to go and measure our plates so you can avoid supporting one of the few aftermarket manufacturers who actually has a product that they support specifically for the X. If you really want to reverse engineer them, stare at the pics on the website, then stare at your truck for a while.

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gothamist -- MAXC member
http://www.beatdriven.com/xterra.html ---> moving to http://www.4x4LO.com

i will mesure them for you

the front one is XXX inches by XXX inches
middle one is a bit bigger
the last one is longer by XXXXX inches




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Ok, ok, sheesh, I didn't think it was that big of a deal. I was just trying to see if I could do it myself. I didn't mean to cause such a problem. I understand that Skid Row is a company that many people on here like, and many know the owner, but I have access to steel working machinery and I thought I could save $300 by doing myself.

Anyway, how is that different from making your own skid plate blender? I mean, I would be happy to buy it from skid row, but I live in MO. I am not inclined to drive to PA to get plates, or ship them and pay that as well, when I have a steel company that I could get to do it for free. No different than anyone else would do if they had the means. Plenty of people have made their own parts on here, even when there was a company that was supporting the Xterra aftermarket market.

Besides I am not going to get them now, probably not until mid-summer. So maybe then I will feel like putting up three hundred+ dollars for steel that I have sitting around in the factory.

[This message has been edited by Kafka213 (edited 03-03-2001).]

After just completing the installation....my suggestion is to purchase the last section from skid row (I think they call it the transfer case plate) at the bare minimum. That is the most complex of the three with bends and attachment points etc. The others are a little more simple in design.


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Thanks. I have looked at the web page and I think that the factory can do them all. However, when I do put them on, I will purchase the plate you suggested from Skid Row. A compromise has been reached.

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Eric Miller
University of Chicago
Also from southwest MO.

Just put on the three set of Skid-row plates.
The instructions were very good as they
pointed out the "gas tank skid bolt".
That was the only problem that took the
most amount of time.
I was concerned about cross threading it.
(like the instructions say)
There was something that didnt look right
after I got past that.
When I put in the spacerblocks at the rear of the plate/cross member.
The "tank bolt" looked like it also needed
a spacer.And there was no more spacers.
so I took it back out and put some washers in..which ment fighting with it for another
20 min`s..But I got it..and They sure cover the "tender spots" well.
Now to test them..

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Odd. The instructions were very clear on the risk of x-treading the bolt, but I unbolted the two forward tank bolts and everything went into place without a problem. Why did you need a spacer in that location?
I've been told that all "bolt on" installs need to be modified to get 'em to fit. I needed to remove some of the forward edge of the rear most plate to avoid overlapping. I also had to add washers to the last plate in the exhaust cross over point area, my exhaust was hanging a little too low.

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Odd. The instructions were very clear on the risk of x-treading the bolt, but I unbolted the two forward tank bolts and everything went into place without a problem. Why did you need a spacer in that location?
I've been told that all "bolt on" installs need to be modified to get 'em to fit. I needed to remove some of the forward edge of the rear most plate to avoid overlapping. I also had to add washers to the last plate in the exhaust cross over point area, my exhaust was hanging a little too low.

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Odd. The instructions were very clear on the risk of x-treading the bolt, but I unbolted the two forward tank bolts and everything went into place without a problem. Why did you need a spacer in that location?
I've been told that all "bolt on" installs need to be modified to get 'em to fit. I needed to remove some of the forward edge of the rear most plate to avoid overlapping. I also had to add washers to the last plate in the exhaust cross over point area, my exhaust was hanging a little too low.

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