ARB UVP/Skid Plates Opinion

[Climber_Diver]

I had similar issues with the plastic bumper. I made some modifications and it’s better than it was, but it could certainly integrate better.

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...-work-with-arb-skid-plates.70168/post-2181395

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[DrewPeakoc]

I had similar issues with the plastic bumper. I made some modifications and it’s better than it was, but it could certainly integrate better.

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...-work-with-arb-skid-plates.70168/post-2181395

It looks like the gap is 2-3 inches with the plastic bumper. Your fix makes it look a lot better though. There's no way these plates are meant to install with either factory bumper-I don't care what the dude from ARB says.

 

[Lcubed]

It might, but the ARB bumper looks ridiculous. It's massive and I don't get into anything that requires a bumper like that. I'm not into buying stuff that won't get any use.

having had one of those massive ARB bumpers on a previous vehicle, the ARB is definitely not necessarily pretty, but as a winch platform, it's really well designed and tough in all the right places..

of course, you're trying to frankenstein your armor kit...

 

[DrewPeakoc]

having had one of those massive ARB bumpers on a previous vehicle, the ARB is definitely not necessarily pretty, but as a winch platform, it's really well designed and tough in all the right places..

of course, you're trying to frankenstein your armor kit...

I don't think I'm trying to Frankenstein anything. I bought the skid plates thinking they fit decently with the factory equipment; mostly because it doesn't mention the need to mate up with the ARB bumper or the gap that they apparently expect to be there or that they plate will stick out from the bottom of the bumper. From the pictures, I thought that the front lip of the ARB plates bolted right up behind the lowest part of the bumper.

Plenty of other skid plates transition smoothly or, at a minimum, don't press into the bumper when tightened down. If I were to take a big hit, my bumper will definitely take damage too just because of how it sits against it.

As it may be a good platform for a winch, I don't like how it looks and it's way too much bumper for my needs. I never even considered it and if I knew that the skid plates only fit with that bumper, I never would've bought them.

 

[Mikerider]

might look more integrated with the matching ARB front bumper

This, the ARB skids are meant to integrate to the ARB bumpers not the OEM bumpers. I really like the skids they offer a great balance of weight, protection and cost.

I ended up bending the forward lip up on my skid plates to better fit my bumper.

with the forward lip bent up:

Before bending up the forward lip

 

[DrewPeakoc]

This, the ARB skids are meant to integrate to the ARB bumpers not the OEM bumpers. I really like the skids they offer a great balance of weight, protection and cost.

I ended up bending the forward lip up on my skid plates to better fit my bumper.

Yup. Dropped my plate off yesterday after ARB wouldn't take the return because I don't have a brake to bend it.

Did you have to cut anything or was the bend enough to clear everything? Steel bumper?

 

[Robs]

So I just installed the ARB skid plates and I'm not impressed. The quality seems fine, but the fitment and final look is terrible.

I reached out to ARB just to make sure I didn't get the wrong plates or somehow installed them wrong. According to ARB, everything is in correctly and this is look the look they were going for.

What do you think? Am I being too picky or do they look as bad as I think?

I saw a video from Sarah n Tuned installing that skid plate set up and did not appear to have a gap or overhang. This pic doesn’t really show it but perhaps you can see the video and decide

 

[DrewPeakoc]

I saw a video from Sarah n Tuned installing that skid plate set up and did not appear to have a gap or overhang. This pic doesn’t really show it but perhaps you can see the video and decide

I saw this video. It's the angle. From straight on and under it looks flush. The steeper the angle, the worse it looks.

 

[DrewPeakoc]

Fixed.

Thanks for all the input and mostly agreeing that the design isn't great (for oem) and that I'm not just too picky.

I like the plates. Just frustrated with the lack of this description and then with the response from ARB.

I figured that this post would help anyone know what they are getting into if they're considering these plates.

 

[cgv]

What did you do to bend yours up under the front of the bumper?

I had the same setup (mod bumper + ARB skids) and actually thought it looked good with it the way it was. Unless your looking at it standing 5 feet away, the fitment didn't stand out to me. Now that I have my new bumper, there is a little gap now, which I don't mind. I may leave it, fill it with a thin light bar, or bend it up like you did.

 

[DrewPeakoc]

What did you do to bend yours up under the front of the bumper?

I had the same setup (mod bumper + ARB skids) and actually thought it looked good with it the way it was. Unless your looking at it standing 5 feet away, the fitment didn't stand out to me. Now that I have my new bumper, there is a little gap now, which I don't mind. I may leave it, fill it with a thin light bar, or bend it up like you did.

I had a local metal shop grind off the nuts and then bend it to fit behind the bumper.

 

[Reidt131]

I had a local metal shop grind off the nuts and then bend it to fit behind the bumper.

Any idea if you could use the stock mod bumper bash guard with the rest of the arb parts? Would the front edge of the engine skid be unsupported?

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