Home Brew Quarter Panel Protection

[98XJROKS]

I've always wanted a set of Quarter panel guards, but like everyone else, I couldn't figure out how to get that contour with heavy guage steel. I decided that 10 ga. worked for me and alot easier to contour to the body panels..

Here are pictures of the finished product. All and all I'm pretty happy with them and it only took me a couple of hours to do.

 

[Mosephus]

Looks Good, how do you think they would take a hit?

 

[XJLI]

nice- i gotta make me a set this summer.

 

[slcpunk74]

Looks Good, how do you think they would take a hit?

A lot better then 16 ga. indeed

What do you plan for the tail light?

 

[98XJROKS]

A lot better then 16 ga. indeed

What do you plan for the tail light?

The way I see it, it is better than the factory skins...even if it isn't 3/16th it's good enough.

My plan is for tail light housings and then when I build my rear bumper, I'll finish it all off with quarter gaurds..

 

[playwithit]

I believe THOR uses 10 gauge now.

 

[kujito]

Every time I see armor like that, I wonder how about bracing it to the frame rail. I scored a bumper with wrap-around wings. Kinda like the end caps in the pic, but steel formed to the body shape. I'm thinking about cutting a round hole in the 1/4 panel and running a piece of tube from the frame to the 'wing'. Just an idea I had; haven't looked at it that hard yet.

 

[userbmx1315]

any pics of the process?

 

[slapshot]

how did you go about forming the contour?

 

[98XJROKS]

Ya know I had a small window to get the project done and worked straight through it, so I didn't take the time to document the build process...

a) I made a blank out of cardboard, including the fuel door
b) Traced them out onto the sheet of steel.
c) Cut them out with the plasma cutter.
d) checked for fit
e) Found a large telephone pole, placed the guards vertically and with a ratchet strap and a rubber blow hammer formed them to the contour.
f) Rechecked the fit.
g)marked and drilled the mounting holes, counter sunk the tapered heads with a large drill bit and drill press.
H) cleaned up the edges.
I) drilled the holes into the body panels.
J) put a circle of RTV sealant around all the bolt holes and monted them up.

I bought the steel at Metal Mart $27 (10 Ga steel)
The Hardware at Cal Ranch $18 (5/16 tapered, flat top allen heads)

One thing to concider; I have a bolt in hard rock cage and thank god I did. Had the cage been welded in, I would have been screwed. I had to completely remove the rear hoop in order to access the rear panels to bolt it in.

 

[veedubshafer]

but I like my damaged 1/4's

 

[98XJLimitedNateWV]

What size sheet of steel did you start with? 3'X3'?

 

[WHEELMAN]

Very nice job there. Are you interested in making some money on a set? I have a 99 so you can just copy yours. I'd do it myself sounds easy but I'm confined to a wheelchair and that would make it take a long time. If you want to work something out shoot me a PM. Thanks and again nice work.

 

[Eric85]

Looks great, using the telephone pole is a brilliant idea!

 

[veedubshafer]

ya know come to think of it I think my 1/4's are probably the only panels that arent mangled atleast a little on my rig .... the right rear though took a hard blow from the bottom upwards crashing down on a rock and it actually made a small crinkle up near the roof - that was a very fun day though!

 

[98XJROKS]

What size sheet of steel did you start with? 3'X3'?

(2) 12"x36" sheets work, however I used a single sheet for both.

 

[law.74]

You'll need some sort of side marker/signal/reflector to pass safety.

 

[Timber]

Just cut/drill some holes so the lights shine through. I had a cop buddy check mine out and he said I'm good to go. There's even a 1" hole for the reverse light.

 

[98XJROKS]

You'll need some sort of side marker/signal/reflector to pass safety.

Yeah, I'll do that when I decide what looks good. I was thinking about cutting out some bitchin little sculls or something with the plasma later on.

 

[Deadman 94 xj]

Looks good. It's about the easiest mod out there. It blows my mind that people will spend 400$ for a couple pieces of steel.