Coming Soon: IAG Rock Armor Skid Plates

On the Fuel Skid Tank it says:

" This rugged skid plate offers greater protection by adding a cushion of space between the skid and the tank."

How is this achieved? Are their brackets you have to install directly on the gas tank? Most skids I have been seeing the gas tank rests directly on the skid plate without any brackets holding the gas tank in place.

The fuel tank skid plate includes 2 thick brackets that wrap around the fuel tank and mount directly to the frame. The skid plate itself then mounts to those brackets, creating a pocket of space between the plate and the tank. It is not a ton of room as we didn't want to lose too much ground clearance, but enough that even if you somehow manage to bend the 3/16" steel, it likely will not impact the plastic fuel tank.

Dantastic said:

On the Fuel Skid Tank it says:

" This rugged skid plate offers greater protection by adding a cushion of space between the skid and the tank."

How is this achieved? Are their brackets you have to install directly on the gas tank? Most skids I have been seeing the gas tank rests directly on the skid plate without any brackets holding the gas tank in place.

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You need to update your design as you have bunch of design issues common to other brands. Engine skid needs to allow access to the lower control arm bolts. These come loose and you don't want to pull the front skid and engine skid to tighten a bolt. Also access to the inner tie rod is extremely restricted.


Your design is missing a few things, transmission mounts need to be boxed in all directions and beefier.


Metalcloak tried the same thing with more steel at the crossmember and it didn't work. It moves shearing the front skid plate bolts.


Same issue here.


Your fuel tank skid seam is in a bad spot, but it might work.

Snacktime coming in with the HEAT!

RC Bronco said:

Snacktime coming in with the HEAT!

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All this would be very apparent with actual product testing.

Dantastic said:

On the Fuel Skid Tank it says:

" This rugged skid plate offers greater protection by adding a cushion of space between the skid and the tank."

How is this achieved? Are their brackets you have to install directly on the gas tank? Most skids I have been seeing the gas tank rests directly on the skid plate without any brackets holding the gas tank in place.

Click to expand...

wait , what? waisted space is waisted ground clearance as far as I'm concerned.

Snacktime said:

You need to update your design as you have bunch of design issues common to other brands. Engine skid needs to allow access to the lower control arm bolts. These come loose and you don't want to pull the front skid and engine skid to tighten a bolt. Also access to the inner tie rod is extremely restricted.


Your design is missing a few things, transmission mounts need to be boxed in all directions and beefier.


Metalcloak tried the same thing with more steel at the crossmember and it didn't work. It moves shearing the front skid plate bolts.


Same issue here.


Your fuel tank skid seam is in a bad spot, but it might work.

Click to expand...

Appreciate your feedback and would like to address some of your points!

While hard to see from that bottom shot, the LCA bolts are accessible on both sides, front and rear. While you can't get a full-size impact in there, if they come loose on the trail you can access them with standard hand tools.

For the inner tie rods. You're absolutely right. But at the end of the day, we felt as much coverage as possible was more important than accessing the inner tie rods. If you are replacing one trail side, you are already having a bad day. 4 more bolts to remove a skid plate for better access is likely not a major concern for most people. It certainly might be for you and that's perfectly fine.

Can't necessarily argue your point about the transmission skid plate brackets. While our testing has shown that the current design holds up extremely well, making improvements is always part of the game.

The transfer case skid is supported by the fuel tank skid as well. Once installed these two essentially become one "unit" adding additional stability and resistance to deflection and bending.

We have done testing, and are quite satisfied with our skid plates' performance but by no means will we ever stop making improvements so we truly do appreciate your comments. That's why we have our own fleet of Broncos that we use for testing as well as a number of different local clients that we go out and test with. Ultimately you seem to be very happy working with Talon and I hope you continue to enjoy wheeling your truck, regardless of whose skid plates, lights, winches, or whatever products you are using!

BigMeatsBronco said:

wait , what? waisted space is waisted ground clearance as far as I'm concerned.

Click to expand...

I wouldn't call it "wasted" exactly. Spacing it down slightly allowed us to do the boxed tube support, adding strength. We are talking a fairly small amount on one of the highest points already. So dropping it down really just brings it level with everything else that is already down there. If you wouldn't have cleared it with the trans or transfer case, you wouldn't have cleared it with the fuel tank anyway.

Sweet truck by the way! I saw the thread you posted when you started it but never went back to see the finished product. Looks like it turned out great!

IAG Performance said:

I wouldn't call it "wasted" exactly. Spacing it down slightly allowed us to do the boxed tube support, adding strength. We are talking a fairly small amount on one of the highest points already. So dropping it down really just brings it level with everything else that is already down there. If you wouldn't have cleared it with the trans or transfer case, you wouldn't have cleared it with the fuel tank anyway.

Click to expand...

I like the tank being strapped and being able to remove the skid without dropping the whole tank. Better than the factory design.

IAG Performance said:

Appreciate your feedback and would like to address some of your points!

While hard to see from that bottom shot, the LCA bolts are accessible on both sides, front and rear. While you can't get a full-size impact in there, if they come loose on the trail you can access them with standard hand tools.

For the inner tie rods. You're absolutely right. But at the end of the day, we felt as much coverage as possible was more important than accessing the inner tie rods. If you are replacing one trail side, you are already having a bad day. 4 more bolts to remove a skid plate for better access is likely not a major concern for most people. It certainly might be for you and that's perfectly fine.

Can't necessarily argue your point about the transmission skid plate brackets. While our testing has shown that the current design holds up extremely well, making improvements is always part of the game.

The transfer case skid is supported by the fuel tank skid as well. Once installed these two essentially become one "unit" adding additional stability and resistance to deflection and bending.

We have done testing, and are quite satisfied with our skid plates' performance but by no means will we ever stop making improvements so we truly do appreciate your comments. That's why we have our own fleet of Broncos that we use for testing as well as a number of different local clients that we go out and test with. Ultimately you seem to be very happy working with Talon and I hope you continue to enjoy wheeling your truck, regardless of whose skid plates, lights, winches, or whatever products you are using!

Click to expand...

I respect your statement and I have voiced my concerns.

Good prices on the pieces, at least for someone like me with not greatly demanding needs. Waiting to see the LCA skid video install. Appreciate another option compatible with the BD and BL LCAs.

I'm just wanting to add to what already comes on the Badlands - you could probably do well to offer a list of parts that compliment the factory plates, maybe even a bundle deal
I know that's something I would strongly consider.

It's a question of what you use your Bronco for too, these may well interest to peopled who don't do crazy rock crawling, but rather mild to moderate.

IAG Performance said:

The fuel tank skid plate includes 2 thick brackets that wrap around the fuel tank and mount directly to the frame. The skid plate itself then mounts to those brackets, creating a pocket of space between the plate and the tank. It is not a ton of room as we didn't want to lose too much ground clearance, but enough that even if you somehow manage to bend the 3/16" steel, it likely will not impact the plastic fuel tank.

Click to expand...

So does that mean when installing it you don't have to "drop" the tank like other fuel tank skids or I am I just misreading it haha.