Skid Plate question

[DaveT]

I just installed front hydrulic brakes on my EZ-GO cart. (Jakes Brakes) and now I have the master cylinder kind of hanging down a bit from the frame. The Jakes kit really works well and stops the cart on steep down-hills here in SW PA. I use this cart for hunting so steep muddy or wet downhills are "the norm".

Now, I would like to install some type of skid plate to protect the master cylinder. I've posted pics of the cylinder below. Any ideas or thoughts would be helpful.

This is my first cart so....."brain-storm" away please. BTW....if for some reason the front brakes fail....they are not inter-connected with the factory rear...with the exception that the master cylinder is connected to the brake peddle. So, if the front goes...I still have the rear brakes.

 

[matt75]

Without being there looking at it I would say to start with a piece of 1/4" plate a little larger than the master cylinder and weld 1'' angle to it in the corners so they will line up with 3 or 4 mounting points on the frame. Weld mounting tabs on the ends of the angle so you can bolt it to the frame for easy removal incase you need to service the brakes. I can see it in my head but thats about the best description I can come up with. Good luck.

 

[DaveT]

Matt,

Thanks for your input. I was thinking somewhat along that line....but bending the "plate metal" to bolt to the frame.

But I like your idea better as it would be much simpler to weld some angles' on the frame, then just bolt a skid plate to the angles'.

Thanks for your input!

Dave

 

[matt75]

Like I said you can bolt the angle to the frame and weld the angle to the skid plate that way when you remove it the angle does not get in the way of tools needed to work on it. If you welded the angle to the frame and bolted the skid plate to the angle you may not be able to turn a wrench with ease because the angle is still there.

Crap I think I just confused myself.

 

[DaveT]

Wait....i think I have it now.....if I weld the bolts to the wrenches....then attach the angle's to the frame with the welded bolts, then I would always have the wrenches, unless I needed them for something else....and then I would have to take off the skid plate....unless I welded the skid plate to the welded wrenches, but that could make the wrenched more difficult to use.....but I would still know where these said wrenches were.

Yes.....I understand it completely.

Ummm.....thanks.

Dave

 

[gornoman]

...now take all that welded stuff and put it in a large vise....

...suspend the cart above the vise....

.....spin the cart in circles above the vise so the bolts can thread into the frame....

.......be sure to remove the vise before driving, DUH!!!!


But seriously, keep in mind that the brake pedal itself is gonna bottom out on the trail before anything else does.

 

[matt75]

Great tips Gorno.

 

[DaveT]

I know the orginal pics are gone.....but here are the pic's of my new skid plate....and pics of my front brake bleed screw "protectors."

 

[matt75]

Nice job

 

[JRay]

Nice job there Dave. Good fab skills.

 

[OlBoy]

Nice work and well worth it!