Does anybody here run a skidplate on their Miata? I need a little more protection for the oil pan on my Wintercrosser. I know that there are a few different ones out there so I'd like to hear from someone who has one.
Does anybody here run a skidplate on their Miata? I need a little more protection for the oil pan on my Wintercrosser. I know that there are a few different ones out there so I'd like to hear from someone who has one.
somebody else just recently asked me about my skid plate for my rallyx miata. I used a 24"x24" piece of 5052 3/16" Aluminum Alloy.
bent the last inch or so up at a ~45% angle?
It bends up just in front of the steering rack. You might want to see if you have room to bend up a little more.
In the front I use the rear bolts for the stock plastic undertray (if you still have your undertray it might might it a little harder to get those bolts in but you should still be able to with longer bolts) In the rear I use longer bolts where the front lower chassis brace is (94+ IIRC). with some washers to space it down a bit there.
It is mostly just protecting the oil pan. I have thought about building one longer to try to protect the whole underside more and have some mounting ideas there but have not sat under the car and worked things about long enough to even start ordering more metal to try.
Team O'Neil uses 3/16" aluminum plates on the front of all the school cars.
Mine is aluminum, looks to be about the same thickness of the one moxnix posted.
I used some square tubing to make a brace that goes down from where the baby teeth mounted and runs under the grill opening. The front of the plate bolts to that and the rear bolts to some nuts I welded on the subframe. It won't protect against huge impacts but it works for rallycross. Also doubles as the bottom of the radiator ducting.
Whatever you use, have something covering the belts and steering rack. I'm still finding mud in mine! 
I've got skid protection intended for tarmac. It's worked pretty well even when I didn't have a wheel on one corner For the engine skid plate, it's attached at the rear mounting points for the front subframe - the front is attached via a method that wouldn't work with the stock subframe.
Check out ClubRoadster - the slammed crowd actually does a lot of work on skidplates.
I'm thinking about this:
http://www.good-win-racing.com/miata/images/items/Miata_under_tray.jpg
Combined with this:
That Cobalt undertray sold by Moss, Good-win and others is cosmetic only. I'm assuming you're thinking of something with a little more beef to it. It's only attached to brittle plastic, so you'll want to address that as well.
The second option is the one that will protect your oil pan. Although it could potentially cause higher oil temps in the summer.
This is what the front brace I made looks like.
Keith Tanner wrote: That Cobalt undertray sold by Moss, Good-win and others is cosmetic only. I'm assuming you're thinking of something with a little more beef to it. It's only attached to brittle plastic, so you'll want to address that as well. The second option is the one that will protect your oil pan. Although it could potentially cause higher oil temps in the summer.
The second one requires that I raise the engine, which I'm not crazy about.
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