School me on skidplates

[Roofus]

To OP, you re on right track IMO as you re weighing your useage plans; smart move !!

Thanks! We’ve done a lot of off-roading and travel/camping. I’ve already got 16k miles on a May ‘22 delivery if that gives you some idea. No problems so far, but I’m planning out a Shenandoah/Allegheny Overland Loop run and we’re doing an overland with a group in NH next year that will be moderate to above moderate difficulty. So I’m just thinking ahead about some extra protection.

Tranny and lower control arm protection is where I’m leaning so far based on what I’m reading and hearing from you guys.

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[chtucker]

IMHO- Skids should come before a lift. If you have a lift kit, you still have vulnerable parts, just a couple inches higher. Picking and choosing what might be damaged is a guessing game. I am a big believer in doing it once. FInd a complete skid system and do it before you go. Steel, aluminum, thicknesses, UHMW, mounting hardware all are considerations.. Price does come into play as well. Cover as much as you can.

 

[Callelk]

Most of the aluminum skids are from 5052, and because aluminum weighs so much less than steel it is possible to go to 1/4" plate for skids. Its not all about tensile strength when it comes to skids.

True, which is why I mentioned yield strength, impact resistance, and sheer strength.

 

[LanceIto]

I really like the Talon Garage skids. I have the badlands so I plan to just add their transmission skid and it fully covers the junk cross bars that I have bent to hell.

https://talonsgarage.com/products/ford-bronco-transmission-skid-plate-2021-2023

 

[sportcoupe]

Talons Garage skids. Their transmission skid is compatible with factory skids. Best part is they actually have them in stock (Texas). None of this 2-8 week lead time crap.

 

[5GENIDN]

"Aluminum has more tensile strength..."

I don't think you know what tensile strength means. The tensile strength of aluminum starts at 40,000 psi. Steel tensile strength starts at about 70,000 psi.

Really... Maybe you do not know what I know.... And just maybe I know a lot about tensile strength and the stress strain curve.... I can tell you that "tough is the largest area under the stress strain curve.... and probably the MOST important measurement for a protective plate to be placed under your vehicle. I can also tell you there are lots of alloys, and they are all different. But by and large aluminum has more tensile strength. Most aluminum alloys are not as strong as steel. Steel is considerably more rigid and "stronger".. But I can stretch most aluminum alloys better than I can stretch most steel alloys steel.

Actually I should have been stating ductility... and as many have pointed out probably not the most important figure to pay attention to... BUT It does mean that the plates can be useful even though they are going to probably get bent up where the steel probably are not... Unless you find some in a thickness and alloy that will hold up the weight and striking force you will be subjecting them to. There are pros and cons to every one of the options.

 

[AZSky]

All done....

 

[timhood]

What do I need in what scenarios? Me? Mostly overlanding, NPS offroad trails, NFS roads, some entry-level rock crawling (East coast, not really a thing where I am).

Ground clearance matters most. I have never contacted anything on NPS/NFS-style roads. The only time we've impacted is when doing difficult trails. The reality is that unless/until you do trails with significant obstacles, the skid plates are just mental peace of mind.

That said, I would start at the gas tank and transmission. But keep in mind that driving technique can get you over a lot of substantial obstacles without contact.

Over 20 degrees roll, 18+ pitch, coming down a rock ledge on three wheels and no contact with any object:

 

[chtucker]

Really... Maybe you do not know what I know.... And just maybe I know a lot about tensile strength and the stress strain curve.... I can tell you that "tough is the largest area under the stress strain curve.... and probably the MOST important measurement for a protective plate to be placed under your vehicle. I can also tell you there are lots of alloys, and they are all different. But by and large aluminum has more tensile strength. Most aluminum alloys are not as strong as steel. Steel is considerably more rigid and "stronger".. But I can stretch most aluminum alloys better than I can stretch most steel alloys steel.

Actually I should have been stating ductility... and as many have pointed out probably not the most important figure to pay attention to... BUT It does mean that the plates can be useful even though they are going to probably get bent up where the steel probably are not... Unless you find some in a thickness and alloy that will hold up the weight and striking force you will be subjecting them to. There are pros and cons to every one of the options.

I hit a rock with my 1/4” 5052 aluminum engine skid which was backed up by steel brackets and it was covered in 3/8” by UMHW. I drove home. The edge of the UHMW was chipped slightly, a few gouges and the edge of the aluminum plate was deformed. A skid that didn’t have the properties of aluminum would have likely caused more damage than good.

 

[omi205]

Depends on how much you want to spend. Im about to replace my entire under body, minus the gas tank, with RCI steel. This video helped in the decision process between aluminum vs. steel.

Are you interested in buying a full badlands underbody kit ? No damage.

 

[5GENIDN]

That is a great video! and a good reminder to me that what type of skids are best for you is also greatly influenced by how you wheel. He is using his skids as a fifth wheel so to say. He expects to be on them as part of his approach.

I wheel differently. My previous vehicles have been set up differently and my bronco will be as well. My skids are a security feature. I don't want to use them. I do, but I try to take lines where I am off of them. Like he said about his jeep on 40's... he hardly uses those, probably because of the clearance. I would suggest that the proportional distance between his low point clearance (bottom of axle/suspension) relative to the clearance of the skid may have a significant roll to play in whether he is constantly using his skids or not.

 

[chtucker]

Depends on how much you want to spend. Im about to replace my entire under body, minus the gas tank, with RCI steel. This video helped in the decision process between aluminum vs. steel.

Are you interested in buying a full badlands underbody kit ? No damage.

That guy is a tool. Did he drag his wife's 4Runner for 5 miles at 20mph.

 

[omi205]

That guy is a tool. Did he drag his wife's 4Runner for 5 miles at 20mph.

But why? He seems to show pretty reasonable argument with evidence and history. I mean it's visible and on camera. Not many other skid plate reviews can do the same. So why are you discrediting so harshly? Do you just not like that he said aluminum is not as strong as steal? or do you have something a bit more constructive to provide to the group that can help others on their skid plate decision making process. Cheers.

 

[chtucker]

But why? He seems to show pretty reasonable argument with evidence and history. I mean it's visible and on camera. Not many other skid plate reviews can do the same. So why are you discrediting so harshly? Do you just not like that he said aluminum is not as strong as steal? or do you have something a bit more constructive to provide to the group that can help others on their skid plate decision making process. Cheers.

Yes, I have used both steel and aluminum skid plate in Montrose, The Rubicon, to Moab. Aluminum skids that are formed with a clean sheet design and not mimicking a steel skid and that are lined with UMHW function better than steel. They deform on a severe hit and tend to bound back, they absorb the impact and don’t transfer it to mechanical parts, and they don’t corrode. I have run steel on my TJ, aluminum on my FJ and now aluminum on my Bronco. The aluminum on the FJ are not ideal because the DESIGN was lacking, not the material. The steel required constant touch up so that they didn’t rust. The aluminum/UMHW skids I have now allowed me to run 7/8 rated trails at Sand Hollow with zero issues. No metal scraping noises, no scratches in the skids, when I hit a rock at 30+mph my front diff and oil pan were saved. I am still using the UMHW aluminum skid. My front factory steel bash plate was trash and needed to be tossed. I am now running an aluminum bash plate as well.

 

[LanceIto]

I am also looking at Metalcloak. That gold is bada$$!!!!!

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