trans skid plate question

So, is this thing supposed to be flat, or curved like this? I realize the front and rear edges are supposed to be angled, but what about the main body of the plate? I'm assuming it should be flat, but I wanted to ask before I started wailing on it with the BFH.

 

mine is flat!

 

It was flat originally. I'd leave it - it's just going to get bent again.

 

its just right...the edges get mashed easy enough id leave it

 

The only minus side of leaving it like that is that the back is also bent up leaving the D18 emergency brake drum even more exposed. If you weld a 1.5 or 2 x 1/8" strap-angled out about the same as the cross member-along both sides, it makes them significantly stronger. Just make sure the right side doesn't get in the way of the driveshaft.

 

Please don't show that to my Jeep! The one on it is a freaking pretzel! But I think Flat is the way to go. I will be replacing my old one with a reinforced flat one soon!

 

Flat again, it shall be! I don't plan on bashing it up, or anything else on the ol' girl. But what's all those holes for? Big holes, little holes, threaded holes, lotsa holes.....

It's funny, my Jeep didn't have a skid plate, I bought this from a member here. But my crossmember has these neat hex nut-shaped holes where the plate bolts to. Methinks some Bubba musta tore the skid plate right off of it once upon a time. I mean, come on....ripped the nuts right through the crossmember? Jeeze, that wasn't necessary.

 

Get an 82 degree counter sink and sink the holes for 3/8-16 flathead allens. I welded some heavy nuts to the top of the cross member-makes things a lot easier to get off and the heads do not get hung up on the rocks.

 

Mine came with a spacer between the skid plate and the cross member from the factory.