MDB Fabrication custom radiator skid plate

[The Roadie]

Mike Barton came through in a HUGE WAY with my second custom radiator skid plate. First one was also custom due to my unique one-off bumper from a local fabricator before Mike got into the bumper business. But it was aluminum, I bashed the bejeezus out of if in three years, and I had to retire it when I got a 2" body lift and had the bumper relocated 2" higher up.

Mike had me take all kinds of measurements for my unique situation, sent me a CAD drawing I printed up here in 3' X 4' size and cut out and taped to cardboard and I verified the template worked. It arrived two days earlier than predicted by Fedex, and I was able to install it today with DirtyBacon's help.

Would have been an absolute plug and play install except for my massively bent-up lower radiator mounts. Lots of levering, tugging, malleting, and sledging to get them into a semblance of rectilinearity so the plate could be jacked up into position. Only held on with the two bumper nuts and two front crossmember bolts at the moment, but that's enough to wheel with. Nice work, Mike!!! Thanks!!!!

Showing the precision tab cut work that mates to my bumper bolts, and how the 45 degree angle mates up with my bumper's leading edge:





Some of the repaired mangling:

[NC_IslandRunner]

Work of art Mike, damn nice!

[djthumper]

Nice!

[bartonmd]

That's awesome, Bill! With good measurements, the printed CAD drawing template to make sure it was OK, and the actually doing and shipping it, I don't think we could have asked for it to come out better!

Thanks again!
Mike

[Trail X]

Fits like a glove. Looks great!

Bill - you mean you've been wheeling with your radiator exposed since you got the bumper matched to the body?

[The Roadie]

Bill - you mean you've been wheeling with your radiator exposed since you got the bumper matched to the body?

Yah. And the factory radiator skid shield has been off as well. Except that I bashed each of the radiator mount metal brackets sometime, I could claim that the great tightrope walkers don't need a net. I've been extra careful, but I've also been extremely lucky. Ever since I broke my Icon coilovers and especially when I was out of work for that 15 month stretch, I have not done much hard-core rock stuff. Do what I say ... not what I do.

[fishsticks]

I would just drill out those holes in your radiator support. Maybe put some flat stock behind them to reinforce. I don't know that you're ever going to get them bent back straight enough.

[The Roadie]

I've discovered this feature about flat stock that's thin enough: if it's bent, bend it back, but overshoot. Do that for 3-4 times and it falls off like you wanted in the first place. Who needs a plasma cutter when you can work fracturing in your favor?

Heck, if my work schedule keeps up, it will still be in THIS condition when I next take it off to change the oil.