False equivalents and mischaracterizations between steel and aluminum armor and skids, and semi trailer manufacturing and off-road armor and skids make the world go around?
What do I have? Help me spend money
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False equivalents and mischaracterizations between steel and aluminum armor and skids, and semi trailer manufacturing and off-road armor and skids make the world go around?
Fair point on the comparison. What makes it go around is a person individual preference of aluminum vs steel. Some prefer steel, some prefer aluminum. Therefore some manufactures make produce both to get a portion of the market for what each prefer.
Which gets us into the realm of what forms these preferences. Are these preferences formed through accurate information? A preference formed from accurate information is not equivalent to a preference formed on inaccurate information. And nor should they be treated as equivalents.
Probably a lot of things, experience, one’s perception, input from other people and their experience, etc. It was a question and I gave my preference along with an admitted poor example. I don’t see this much difference then one who prefers all-terrain tires compared to mud and snows, or some other type tire. I prefer mud and snows, I don’t have any analytical information or data, it’s what I prefer, same as I prefer steel skid plates. Either way a skid is certainly better then no skid
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I think a lot of the issue with aluminum comes from two places. One, designers who don’t understand the material and copy their steel (very forgiving) designs to aluminum (more unforgiving to poor design).
Also, people don’t understand the real reason aluminum armor is so good. Yes, it’s lighter, but it’s also very resistant to bending in comparison to its ultimate strength. Steel will bend and stretch a TON before it fails. Which means it can deform into whatever it’s trying to protect (maybe a problem, maybe not). Aluminum doesn’t behave the same way. It springs back, most of the time. I’d you do bend it, you should probably replace. It’s a subtle difference, but I prefer the strength to return to shape property of aluminum, vs Steel. Especially for armor, which is typically protecting steel parts. Do we want the armor to bend along with our oil pan and tub corners?
Also, use the right type of aluminum. 3000 series is very soft. 6061-T6 is way stronger. Nemesis industries makes corners out of 5052. It’s quite a bit “weaker” than GenRights, which are 6061
Also, people don’t understand the real reason aluminum armor is so good. Yes, it’s lighter, but it’s also very resistant to bending in comparison to its ultimate strength. Steel will bend and stretch a TON before it fails. Which means it can deform into whatever it’s trying to protect (maybe a problem, maybe not). Aluminum doesn’t behave the same way. It springs back, most of the time. I’d you do bend it, you should probably replace. It’s a subtle difference, but I prefer the strength to return to shape property of aluminum, vs Steel. Especially for armor, which is typically protecting steel parts. Do we want the armor to bend along with our oil pan and tub corners?
Also, use the right type of aluminum. 3000 series is very soft. 6061-T6 is way stronger. Nemesis industries makes corners out of 5052. It’s quite a bit “weaker” than GenRights, which are 6061
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Thank you everyone. Does the T-case skid I have look standard hight? There’s a rubber spacer in the middle of the skid. I’ve never really looked at a stock one to know difference. Current skids were put on by PO
OP
I’ve seen you pics and am
In similar areas. You go 1/4 or 3/8 aluminum? I’m to impatient to wait on Savvy, UCF seems to be 2nd best. Was only planning on getting nine skid but debating full replacement
Our Savvy skids are 3/16" thick. That is the only available choice.
UCF aluminum skids are design copies of their steel skids. If you have followed other steel vs aluminum threads you know it doesn't work like that, which is what makes the Savvy TJ product line unique in its design for the material used.
In general, I'll take the weight savings of aluminum armor which is always realized over the slight strength advantage of steel armor which is almost never realized. However, there are places where steel is preferred such as boat sides and the Savvy sliders. The key is to use aluminum in the proper grade and heat treat as much as possible and steel as little as possible.
OP
I did read something about that but I as hitting information overload at that point. Something about the bends? I know everyone here are big savvy fans, I just can’t get behind sending a company that much money with customer service that’s documented to be that shitty. Do you have a recommendation for anything else or are you Savvy or nothing?
I don't care if something is Savvy or not. What does interests me is the design. If I had to figure out another skid that wasn't Savvy, I might look into a similar custom bent angle plate design that was thick enough to not need the steel support structure beyond maybe a rear stiffener and then build my own crossmember with a trans mount.
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Savvy delivered our UAM in 14 days of order and we ordered during EJS
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And emailed to let us know he was at EJS and would ship upon return.
Once shipped email and tracking was received.
Still waiting on the engine skid and we will see.
It looks like part of you skid is welded to the frame and it attaches your arms. How will you do a full replacement without replacing the arms?
You could get more belly clearance if you went with a full replacement. UCF isn’t “amazon” fast with their shipping but probably better than savvy.
How is it possible after 12-15 years of education about aluminum, the proper alloys, fabrication methods, and design that we still have to deal with this much ignorance?
This is a 5/16" 6061 T6 aluminum belly skid that was on my rig and drug over 1000's of rocks in Johnson Valley.
If aluminum is soft per your assertions, then how do you explain the rock scratches that go all the way from front to back without tearing the skid in two?
Must be part of the same batch of folks who have never spent any time on the forums in the last 10-15 years trying to learn anything useful.