PTFE for skid plate material

[CRaSHnBuRN]

I see alot of people using UHMW for skidplates and stuff like that, but what about PTFE (teflon)?

I need to build a skid plate the gas tank on my 4runner, and due to a last minute design change, we're scrapping some small sheets of 3/8" thick PTFE here at work. Would this material work to skin the gas tank skid frame? It sounds like it should slide good, but I'm not sure how it may hold up to impacts

[TxCruzr]

If it's free get it and just brace it from the backside. Also wondering why people don't use delrin. Does it gouge easier or too expensive?

[uglyota]

my guess would be that ptfe would gouge too easily and Delrin would crack. Isn't PTFE tape made by compression? But hell, it's free give it a try, if it doesn't work replace it with UHMW-PE. Aren't there dozens of threads on pirate about it?

[CRaSHnBuRN]

my guess would be that ptfe would gouge too easily and Delrin would crack. Isn't PTFE tape made by compression? But hell, it's free give it a try, if it doesn't work replace it with UHMW-PE. Aren't there dozens of threads on pirate about it?


I'll most likely give it a try since its free. I searched pirate, and there were a couple of threads mentioning using it because of how low the coefficient of friction was, but I haven't seen anyone actually do it. Most likely this has something to do with the fact it costs more than four times what UHMW does.

[robertf03]

It sounds like it should slide good, but I'm not sure how it may hold up to impacts

Do you need to borrow my entc 206 izod impact testing lab report? :gigem:

Screw it, just leave whatever is on there and stop following the pirate flavor of the month fad. Shouldn't you normally plan all this stuff out ahead of time before building something that is 100% custom?

[BMFScout]

I'd go buy a bunch of cutting boards at wal-mart and hot glue them to the underside of your truck. It should slide real good then! :gigem:

[uglyota]

Do you need to borrow my entc 206 izod impact testing lab report? :gigem:

Screw it, just leave whatever is on there and stop following the pirate flavor of the month fad. Shouldn't you normally plan all this stuff out ahead of time before building something that is 100% custom?

months ahead of time it was full bodied and streetable :D

[jerryg79]

I'd go buy a bunch of cutting boards at wal-mart and hot glue them to the underside of your truck. It should slide real good then! :gigem:

:gigem:

[CRaSHnBuRN]

Do you need to borrow my entc 206 izod impact testing lab report? :gigem:

Screw it, just leave whatever is on there and stop following the pirate flavor of the month fad. Shouldn't you normally plan all this stuff out ahead of time before building something that is 100% custom?

Damn, I can't even remember that class anymore, other than I think Price taught it back then.

As for leaving whatever is there there, thats the problem, there is nothing there to protect the gas tank, and I don't like the idea of trying to clean 20 gallons of gas up off the trail. I was just going to build something out of 1/4" plate, but didn't like the idea of all the extra wieght

http://tamor.us/members-rigs/albums/Build-up/100_0475.sized.jpg

[mudtoy67]

I think you're going to have to have that 1/4" plate to support it. I don't think the PTFE by itself is going to be able to support the weight of the truck without something backing it up. From what I've seen I thought the people using UHMW are adding it to the outside of an existing steel plate skid.:confused2

[TxCruzr]

truck looks good, i like it, rear looks a little high, might be pic, if it's just a skid for the rear gas tank, go for it, it won't see the abuse that the tranny/tcase skid will

[TxCruzr]

...I thought the people using UHMW are adding it to the outside of an existing steel plate skid.:confused2

since when have you been able to think :confused2 a lot of them build a framework behind the uhmw to support it.

[CRaSHnBuRN]

truck looks good, i like it, rear looks a little high, might be pic, if it's just a skid for the rear gas tank, go for it, it won't see the abuse that the tranny/tcase skid will

I dropped the rear down to help the shackle angle and to level it out some. I don't think I would use this material in a heavily abused area like a t-case skid, but for the gas tank skid I think it will work fine. Its pretty well protected by the springs and rear axle.

[mudtoy67]

since when have you been able to think :confused2 a lot of them build a framework behind the uhmw to support it.

So the UHMW is by itself, no base?

[CRaSHnBuRN]

So the UHMW is by itself, no base?

yes, but normally only in thicknesses greater that 1/4" and with short spans like 10" or less

[TxCruzr]

what he said

[eight]

I could use a sheet for a big cutting board.

[DRAGOONRANCH]

what are the rough dimensions you are making this? If it gets too big, make sure to put a cross brace or two in the middle and it should be fine.

[CRaSHnBuRN]

what are the rough dimensions you are making this? If it gets too big, make sure to put a cross brace or two in the middle and it should be fine.

the bottom of the skid for the gas tank would be roughly 36"x15", but the pieces of this material I have are only 29"x10". At this point I think I may go with my original plan of building the skid plate out of 3/16-1/4" material, then skinning the bottom of it with a couple of strips of the PTFE

[sasquatch]

the bottom of the skid for the gas tank would be roughly 36"x15", but the pieces of this material I have are only 29"x10". At this point I think I may go with my original plan of building the skid plate out of 3/16-1/4" material, then skinning the bottom of it with a couple of strips of the PTFE

how much of this will you be able to get

[CRaSHnBuRN]

I finally grabbed this stuff tonight after giving it a few days just to make sure they didn't change their mind and decide to use the stuff. I have 4 pieces, all about 10" wide by about 28-30" long and 3/8" thick. I'm really surprised at how heavy this stuff is. I think those four pieces weigh nearly 40 lbs. Its been covered with anti seize and oil, so its not much good for cutting boards which is what everyone else was eying it for. It will clean up, but not enough that I would ever want to put food on it. It does seem to bend a little easier than my UHMW cutting board, but it still seems pretty solid. I tried cutting it with a knife and the damage was comparable to what the knife did to the cutting board. Since its free I'm going to give it a try.

[DRAGOONRANCH]

now your major expense will be hardware to fasten it to the skidplate. what's your thoughts on this?

[JeepPhisherman]

Elmer's.

[KrazyKarl02]

Elmer's.

No, if this skid plate follows the rest of the truck he is going to want something he can unbolt in the next month and completely change. Elmers would be too permanent....

[CRaSHnBuRN]

now your major expense will be hardware to fasten it to the skidplate. what's your thoughts on this?

countersunk screws. Its allready has 5/16" countersunk holes about every 4.5" on the perimeter of the sheet

[DRAGOONRANCH]

I figured, would be counter productive to have bolt heads sticking out. We used to use something similar on the bottom of one of our hay cutters that would drag the ground. It is good stuff, the granite at katemcy (165.5lbs/cub.ft. BTW) may be a little harsher than a coastal patch. ;)

[davido]

Chances are you'll never touch the bolt heads on the side. I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just put 4 - 5 on each side so you'll have one to give. And don't make them inside the frame, where they'll be hard to get out.

1/4" steel makes a good splate. :)