Skid Plate underbody panels for Gen II Prius

I just finished installing my lift kit this past weekend and I'm happy with the extra ground clearance! Definitely looking into skid plate options next. It's too bad that BT Tech Skid Plate isn't available any longer. Wish there was a template around to recreate it!

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How hard would it be to make our own out of aluminum without heavy duty tools for bending it?

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if the aluminum isn't really thick, it shouldn't be that difficult. if I was wanting to make a skid plate, I'd use the oe plastic panels as a template, and use some of the original mounting points, then use cardboard to extend the template to the front of the subframe. if someone wanted to steal a big street sign and bring it to me I'd be happy to attempt a prototype, but no way I'm paying for a big sheet of aluminum.

 

Bet there are a bunch out there in the wild. I still have a new unmounted one collecting dust, which I had planned on using as a template.

Yeah, I priced out various sheets of material and thicknesses awhile back and couldn't see anyone paying over material cost for a finished product, but I could be wrong. Maybe a thinner gauge metal and or priced over $300 it might work. Will have to start looking for large sheets at the recology centers to use for prototyping an improved/updated version.

 

Congrats, Terry, on the lift! Which kit did you use?

As for bending thick plate, some people make cuts at the bends to make it easier.

Traffic signs are only 2mm thick usually (less than 1/10"). I've read most rally plates are 3/16" (4.7mm) with some now 1/4".

The radiator, to me, seems particularly vulnerable, and of course, the oil pan. I'm thinking about some kind of tubing/pipe to protect those areas in particular, but I am totally inexperienced in this area :: shrugs ::



One other thought has been some sort of composite - fiberglass over aluminum, maybe?

 

I put on the BT skid plate with the separate plate for the bumper. The bumper plate really liked to get hung up on concrete parking curbs. You would have to lift the front of the car and push it off the parking curb.
It finally got taken off and pitched.
It was going to get ripped off anyway.
Ive got the TRD suspension kit on mine and it lowered the ride a bit so I like having the skid plate, there is a lot of fragile aluminum under there and a ton of crap in the road.

 

Nice to know. Guess I won't be installing the separate bumper plate anytime soon then.

 

You ca try it, my Prius is lowered by 1” in the front with the TRD suspension. Just watch those parking curbs. It you hear it scrape don’t put it in reverse, put it in neutral and get out and look if you have gone over. It’s easy to lift up and roll back. It didn’t happen that often. Of course when the wife was driving she went over a tall one with rebar sticking up. Got out of the store, put it in reverse and that’s the last time the plate was seen. She didn’t even know it ripped off.

 

Can You repost this pic? Thanks in advance

 

Is this the 40mm tema4x4 kit?


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Found another image.



@dpower curious if your original bt skid plate came with the left/right wheel well 'wings", seen mounted above.

My unused plate didn't come with such, and was curious if they were mission critical to the installation.

 

this very intriguing! Absolutely you should bring this by.

 

I just tried to order the skid plate and it seems they are unavailable anymore.


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Well that sucks, and thanks for the heads up, guess demand isn't what it use to be. Wonder if the gen3 plate is still available. After looking at the mounted gen3 product image I want to know what those "Red" fasteners are, or where to source those at.

I still have a secondhand (unused) BT skid plate laying around, and my idea was to use it as a template to make a couple prototypes from, but it appears to be missing those two "vertical supports" (image above) and the mounting hardware, like the black "clip on" nuts(?)

If someone had the vertical support pieces, that would make the project a bit easier. Could even try to redesign the plate and have it attach elsewhere under the gen2, even if it increased the size/cost of materials and shipping.

Would also be great to figure out a quick release fastener/mounting option, but that is probably pushing it without additional help/input.

 

I was looking under mine the other day and plotting ways to add extra protection, I'm glad I'm not the only one and can reference these pictures to make my own.

I think i want to integrate a brush bar as well but balancing extra clearance and protection with not ruining the factory aerodynamics is a tricky dilemma

 

[QUOTE="I still have a secondhand (unused) BT skid plate laying around, and my idea was to use it as a template to make a couple prototypes from, but it appears to be missing those two "vertical supports" (image above) and the mounting hardware, like the black "clip on" nuts(?)

If someone had the vertical support pieces, that would make the project a bit easier. Could even try to redesign the plate and have it attach elsewhere under the gen2, even if it increased the size/cost of materials and shipping.

Would also be great to figure out a quick release fastener/mounting option, but that is probably pushing it without additional help/input.[/QUOTE]
make some templates from cardboard for the side plates, and if you don't have the tools to cut, bend and drill them, I'm sure you can find a metal shop that can do that from your templates.

 

If you want to send that unused plate over to NJ im happy to work on the templates and have my local shop come up with the side pieces. I just finished installing the PriusOffRoad lift kit that I helped mock up for the Gen2's. Too many problems with the Tema 4x4 plastic kits. Heres my install.

 

Got y’all an update. I’m getting a price from them on shipping to the US. They said they’ve been getting a lot of requests.




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Well you can forget getting it from them...they quoted me over 500.00 to get it to the USA for the part and shipping.


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Any developments in the skid plate department?