scary aggressive or scary wtf is that thing ?

BONUS: I left enough at the top lip (that slips into the bumer now) to facilitate a +2" lift. Just think how meaty it will look when this pig is on stilts (someday)... oh if only I had deeper pockets.

Funny thing, total cost of this project = < $40.
sawzall/blades/fuel line was all i bought.
clear drying silicone caulk was in the new house, aluminum plate was from the packaging for some super computer server processor thing for the new intel plant built a couple years back (there is also some angle iron left over that i hope to mount my brush guard with), and bed liner was left over from a previous project.

Even buying the aluminum would still put me under the cost of retro fitting a jeep plate.
All in All, this thing works for me.
Now to get some urban wheelin shots and move to the next project (after Thanksgiving if all goes well).

 

yeah, that one.

glad to see it's now behind you (actually under you) now.

 

It's unigue, built for a purpose & its got that "get out of my way or i'll run over you'' look

 

Very nice! Looks good installed Curtis. Now bring it up on your tour of Canada

 

Glad you guys like it. It's growing on me. You know when you have a grand vision of something and it comes out looking like you attempted to recreate the mona lisa with your left hand? That's how I felt about this. They say you are your own worst critic, but luckily i had Canada to beat me down

It is better on the truck. I think Foxxie said it best: 'built for a purpose' I dunno what the purpose is yet... but when i find it, this thing is ready for it. I was looking back through the shots this morning and realized that i forgot to pull my TC plate and BL it! I threw away the last 1/2 quart or so since there was nothing left to line (i did my jack stands, bug guard, roof rack fin, a set of boots, a mug, in addition to the skid plate.) The one other thing i intended to do, i missed. It's the curse of the tow hooks American style!

Pst! Foxxie! C'mere. Listen you know that grinder you had that helped you through your welding gig? Does he know any thing that can help with this plate?

 

Here are a few new shots now that i have it mounted. I tried out the skid plate in the most common use i will have for it: as a BRUSH RAKE!

BTW this REALLY goes to show you why i hated the previous owner's choice of lights/grille/bumper cover. now it's only 75% as bad as it was... BTW the blackberry vines didnt stand a chance vs. the bed liner!

and lastly a couple more showing the new noes. I'm a fan now. With the brush guard on it will really change that look



Also here is a teaser of the next 2 projects. i have picked out doing the bug guard and safari rack next....
this shows the air deflector, and bug guard post paint
and this is a test fitting...

enjoy

 

that bug defector looks gnarly Curtis! maybe i'll do mine too-be the first in Canada!

 

HOT DAMN! ACCEPTANCE! I forgot what that felt like
It actually looks pretty bad *** IMHO. Plus a half-*** scuff job beat the hell out of proper sanding and an attempted quality paint job. Pretty soon my truck will look like a pretentious hippy a-hole:
Bead liner for a soul patch (plate) mustache (bug guard) and unibrow (air dam on rack).

I built the rack tonight, but did not mount it yet. I think I will only mount 2 small fogs to the rear of it (was going to mount 2 forward and 2 at 45 degrees in either direction on the front). I believe that with the trail lights on the brushguard, the 4 up top would be redundant....

Now, how would i go about running wires inside the cab? I want to run wires from the rack so i can disconnect them when the rack comes down. I know how to wire it in and where i am going to mount the switch and all, what i need is help with where and how to get the wires from the roof INSIDE.
If i go through the top of the lift gate, then i will create a weak point allowing water in. If I drill through the roof and silicone it in (like the light bar on a police cruiser) i'm afraid it's going to look like *** (like a police cruiser being turned back in after the lease is up). Is there an access I can use? i fear this already...

I'm also gonna mount the 3rd cross bar to help strengthen the OEM roof rack. Hoping to give the basket a 3rd contact point. Once I pull the rack down i will refinish all of the bars in undercoat (weather permitting). So with 3 cross bars, that rack SHOULD be able to handle about 450lbs or so.... maybe I'll mount a boat seat up there for bank fishing red neck style... but i digress.

 

What lights are you going to run?

I've been thinking about drilling a hole through the mount for the roof rack and then through the roof below it. That way if you ever decided to seal it, it wouldn't take much to make it blend in on the rack instead of the roof itself.

 

nah, i was just leading you on (gotta keep up the ball breaking), but it does look good on your whip.

as for the wiring, i'm way ahead of you on that. as soon as you mentioned the basket, and wanting to mount lights, i came up with this,.........

remove the factory roof rack system.

on the front driver's side end bracket (the piece that actually mounts to the roof), you'll want to drill a small hole through it. big enough for the wire to pass through easily, but not too big.
now drill a corresponding hole through the roof of the truck, **UNDER THE BRAKET'S MOUNTING POSITION**. make sure they line up with each other.

i was thinking, you could even drill up through the roof, before you remove the driver's front bracket. this way the holes will be guaranteed to line up properly, and this is probably the easiest way to drill through the base of the bracket squarely.
once the bracket has been removed, you could open up the hole in the roof slightly. when you run the wire up through the hole, you can put some black silicone inbetween the roof and that bracket before bolting it back on, and also put some black silicone around the hole for the wires (to seal the hole from the weather). remember the hole isn't going to be much bigger than the wire, so just a little should be needed.
install a weather proof quick disconnect for the lights, and have it tied into the cross bar somewhere, this way the wire is protected, and hidden.

***remember to debur the hole in the roof to protect the wires.***