How to make Nero/Fazon skid plates

[72Z15SS]

Started making skid plates/mud guards for my Nero and Fazon. Have the first one roughed out, now to duplicate the other one.

First made a template.



Next was tracing the template onto the material I am using.



Next, I heated along the line with a heat gun until it was pliable. Then made the bend along the line using 2 blocks of wood.



Then I dry fitted it on the rear A- arm and squared everything up where it needed to be.



I'll post more pics when I do the front, then come up with a mounting set of pics.

 

[72Z15SS]

Rears are done. Not easy getting the bend the same but the nice thing about this material is you can reheat it and fix it.



Front ones are finished. Now on to mounting them... This part might take a while!









The material I used is 3/32" Kydex (.093mm as it was listed on Amazon) smooth on one side and textured on the other. Cut out on a band saw and heated using a Wagner heat gun from Lowes.

 

[WoodiE]

Nice how-to @72Z15SS and the results looks great. I'm certainly going to have to give this a try!

How are you going to attach them to the truck? Just screw into the A-arms?

 

[72Z15SS]

Nice how-to @72Z15SS and the results looks great. I'm certainly going to have to give this a try!

How are you going to attach them to the truck? Just screw into the A-arms?

Thanks WoodiE! I'm going to use screws in the front and probably use a similar attachment like the T-Bone stuff. I have some blocks I made to fit inside the A-Arms. Made them out of stuff called Nylatron. Very hard stuff! I bought some to use on my snowblower attached to the skids because of it's wear resistance. Thinking about changing all my mud flaps to these. I have enough material to do ALL my Arrams.

 

[72Z15SS]

Fronts are mounted. I wont be putting screws in the front unless I see a need for them. I like the clean look the way they are now.

 

[72Z15SS]

Rears mounted... finally done, and decided to put the stock body back on.

 

[72Z15SS]

Well, after doing my Nero with the skid plates, I decided to re-design the ones on my Outcast. I think I'm going to do a couple more sets for the Kraton and my other build. The fronts are low so they clear the body under compression.

 

[72Z15SS]

If any of you out there enjoy fabricating stuff, this material is a dream to work with. I only use simple tools to make these and it's very rewarding!
I use a small band saw to cut out the shapes, a heat gun to soften and bend it, a dremel to smooth out sharp edges and a drill for the holes. If you mess up, just re-heat it, and rebend it. But the old rule of thumb is to measure twice and cut once. I did mess one up drilling holes, but only once, and have made several.
Search "Kydex". I bought 5 sheets of .093 on Amazon for under $20.00. They are 13x15" sheets and so far I am only starting on my second sheet.

 

[72Z15SS]

Finished doing this on my Kraton. Very easy once I had the templates...

Fazon is now finished. I used the same templates from the Nero so it took a lot less time.

 

[NITROMAN2000]

Thank you for sharing this with the ARRMA family

 

[72Z15SS]

Thank you for sharing this with the ARRMA family

My pleasure. Might inspire someone else to try it and save some cash as well. I spent about $30 on materials and still have 3 sheets of this left! I just need more screws to finish my other Arrmas.

 

[72Z15SS]

Finished another set for my parts Kraton...

 

[72Z15SS]

Put a bumper I fabricated on the Nero. The fasteners are temporary until I get the black hardware and countersink the holes. The 2 pieces are glued together for added strength.

 

[WoodiE]

So when do you start mass producing and selling these @72Z15SS?

 

[72Z15SS]

So when do you start mass producing and selling these @72Z15SS?

I need to come up with a way to make them all consistent. I was seriously thinking about it though.
The bumpers need a re-design to make them my own and less like the others: AND to appeal to the Arrma community so they look good. This is a tough crowd here WoodiE...

I've been woodworking the past 2 days. Made a vacuum table to use to make my own bodies, and built a small ramp for my Son and I to use when we go out for some Father and Son R/C bashing.

 

[WoodiE]

This is a tough crowd here WoodiE

That they are and whatever you do - don't make them by order.

They look great man so I hope the best for you, I know I'd buy a set.

 

[72Z15SS]

Heres my latest fabrication. Still need to drill and countersink the holes, then make 3 more for my other Arrmas.

 

[Cater4anytink]

Rears are done. Not easy getting the bend the same but the nice thing about this material is you can reheat it and fix it.

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Front ones are finished. Now on to mounting them... This part might take a while!

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The material I used is 3/32" Kydex (.093mm as it was listed on Amazon) smooth on one side and textured on the other. Cut out on a band saw and heated using a Wagner heat gun from Lowes.

I made some skid plates mate not as good as yours but it does the job..I'm liking that kydex never heard of it before

 

[72Z15SS]

I made some skid plates mate not as good as yours but it does the job..I'm liking that kydex never heard of it before

Nice job Man! Keeps the bottom of the arms from wearing down. How are they working for you? I did this after running my Outcast and scuffing the arms on a curb. Oh no, can't have THAT going on... Again, just me being anal.

 

[Cater4anytink]

Nice job Man! Keeps the bottom of the arms from wearing down. How are they working for you? I did this after running my Outcast and scuffing the arms on a curb. Oh no, can't have THAT going on... Again, just me being anal.

Lol..they definitely do the job but I think end of the sway bar might be hitting the mud guards,il just mark the area heat it up an push something circular into it to shape it. There's a company the makes mud guards and they have round inprints on them know I understand why!!