EMPI Buggy Skid Plate Mounting

MyBlueBuggy · Post by **MyBlueBuggy** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 6:24 pm

How are you attaching your EMPI skid plate to your buggy? I ask because I am trying to come up with an alternative mounting set-up.

The rear mount is supposed to be attached to the engine case using the through bolt and L-Brackets. I really don't like this for a couple of reasons. One is the obvious stress to the case created when the plate contacts whatever you happen to bottom out on. Second is the vibration transmitted to the rest of the car if you are not using a hard mount set up.

There is a middle attachment point that uses the solid mount that is obvious to me.

The front of the skid plate has a bracket that is supposed to be bolted or welded to the pan?

Of course nothing really lines up right and modifications are expected but if I have to modify one thing I might as well do it all and do it right.

BuggyBob · Post by **BuggyBob** » Thu Jun 10, 2010 2:13 am

Tom, If you are using an original manx bumper, using the l-brackets seems to be the only way to hold the skid plate up.
However, I have seen skid plates supported with flat strap coming down from the shock towers and bolted to the side of the skid plate.

MyBlueBuggy · Post by **MyBlueBuggy** » Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:45 am

Bob,

My bumper is a baja style bumper modified to fit my buggy. I have temporarily mounted the skid plate the way it's designed but it doesn't fit as well as I'd like and it will need some ingenuity to get it to fit the way I want it to. It looks like I may have to run a cross bar off the bumper and weld some tabs in for nuts and bolts.

5150bossman · Post by **5150bossman** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 3:44 pm

Definitely DON'T attach the skid plate to the motor in any way. If you hit something hard, you could crack the case. I attached our skid plate to the bottom of the tube bumper that comes off the frame horns. Just drilled through and ran some carraige bolts. Has worked fine for about 4 years. Unfortuneately I don't have a picture to show you.

Lee-Hoffer · Post by **Lee-Hoffer** » Wed Jun 16, 2010 3:42 pm

The bracket for the front mount can be welded or bolted on. I bolted mine on. I welded the bolts onto the front of the skid plate so I can easily remove and install the plate while leaving the bracket in place.

I welded the nuts for the middle mount to the rear trans mount so I don't have to get a wrench in there. Just use grade 8 bolts with anti-seize on the threads. The rocks don't bugger up the bolt heads too much.

I have a Baja style engine cage (also Empi, I think), and the skid plate comes up to it if everything goes together as it should. You can weld tabs to it and use those as your mounting points. I had already ceramic coated my engine cage, so I bent up a piece of flat stock that goes over the two tubes and sandwiches everything together with four carriage bolts.

I can take pics if you like.

Lee