Flat belly skid plates

[Rugård the Ranger]

Has anybody on here found/built any flat belly pans to protect the whole undercarriage?
A lot of trails around me are being clear cut and branches keep getting kicked up under my truck. I feel it’s just a matter of time before they hit something important, so I’d like to get everything protected.

 

[sgtsandman]

I have found nothing like what you are looking for. Heck, I can't even find individual skid plates, other than factory, for the transfer case and the fuel tank. I have a feeling that anything other than the front skid plate will have to be custom made. I would recommend that you get it made so you can access the oil filter and drain plug if you decide to get one made.

 

[Shran]

I built some for my Explorer. It's impossible to be totally flat because of how the t-case is clocked but this should give you some ideas. I'm not aware of anything you can buy off the shelf.

You can see the section I cut out and dropped down to accommodate the t-case.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I'm thinking of trying a chunk of this stuff to extend my front bumper skid plate down past the bottom of my radiator.

Amazon.com: ABS Black Plastic Sheet 1/8" x 24" x 48” Textured 1 Side Vacuum Forming : Industrial & Scientific

Amazon.com: ABS Black Plastic Sheet 1/8" x 24" x 48” Textured 1 Side Vacuum Forming : Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

 

[4x4junkie]

Here's the one on my BII


Like above, I couldn't put it all the way flat against the frame due to needing clearance for the t-case, though I did manage to make the skid itself flat so it doesn't catch on rocks as easily (it's mounted 1" below the frame on 1x2" crossmembers).

I hacked away the original t-case skid because I had already welded a crossmember & mount on it for the rear t-case (the hole in the center being an access port for the mounting bolt). It seemed easier that way than try to locate the mount again on a new crossmember from scratch.

 

[truckfan]

Here's the one on my BII


Like above, I couldn't put it all the way flat against the frame due to needing clearance for the t-case, though I did manage to make the skid itself flat so it doesn't catch on rocks as easily (it's mounted 1" below the frame on 1x2" crossmembers).

I hacked away the original t-case skid because I had already welded a crossmember & mount on it for the rear t-case (the hole in the center being an access port for the mounting bolt). It seemed easier that way than try to locate the mount again on a new crossmember from scratch.

Looks solid. How's the added weight?

 

[4x4junkie]

Guesstimating somewhere around 40-50lbs.
The 1x2" members are 1/8"-wall, the flat plate & mounting tabs are 3/16".

 

[sooperxtool]

Its a shame we're kinda the red headed step children when it comes to aftermarket options despite having millions of vehicles on the road that would have parts commonality.

I do appreciate Affordable's line of parts but I wish they would expand it a bit.

There are also a few nice offerings of long travel front suspension bits but we seem to be forgotten in respect to protection options. I guess its good news for my local offroad shop

 

[sgtsandman]

There has to be enough people willing to buy the product. There have been a couple of companies that offered some skid plates for the transfer case as well as the front plate and stopped because people weren't buying them. It is sad for those of us who want them but there needs to be a market to justify the inventory and R&D expense.

 

[4x4junkie]

It's kindof a catch-22...

The vehicle has to be popular for companies to be willing to make parts for it...
It's difficult for a vehicle to become popular if no one makes parts for it...

It's really a shame... The RBV was such a great platform to build upon. My best guess is Ford's use of shitty transmissions, axles, & engines for the first 6 or 7 years of production gave too many people a bad first impression of the truck... After it finally got good in the early '90s, it mostly went unnoticed (Ford's lack of any decent marketing of the truck didn't help either).

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

James Duff still supports RBV's pretty decently. They have a couple nice bumper options and a front skidplate... and a ton of suspension stuff.

In a weird way I kinda like it though. You follow a Jeep or Taco build thread and it is like a "This Old House" episode about changing light switch plate covers and plugging in a tv. You order this from here and that from there... it falls together and walla it looks just like a third of the trucks on the planet now.