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Here are some answers to questions we hear often....
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Q: Why do I need skid plates?
A: Even mild offroad use can cause serious damage to the underside of a vehicle. Skid plates are used to prevent damage to the expensive underbody parts of your vehicle such as your engine, transmission, or transfer case.
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Here's an excellent example of why skid plates are needed by anyone going offroad.
A farmer called recently to purchase one our Tacoma transfer case skid plates. While he doesn't offroad recreationally like most of us do, he needs skid plates just the same. Why? Because while driving through a field he hit an irrigation pipe that was sticking out of the ground. It literally tore the transfer case right out of his truck! We're not sure how much the repair cost, but we're certain it was significantly more than the cost of the skid plate that could have prevented the damage.
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Q: Which skid plate should I get first?
A: If your vehicle came with skid plates, you should get skids that your vehicle doesn't have and then upgrade later. If your vehicle doesn't have any skids, we recommend that you first protect parts that will leave you stranded if they get damaged, such as your oil pan or transfer case. On longer wheelbase vehicles we usually suggest protecting the transfer case first since it can be more easily damage due to the break-over angle a longer wheelbase vehicle has.
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Q: Why not make skid plates from lighter weight aluminum?
A:If you're building a competition vehicle where every pound counts, aluminum makes sense. Unfortunately, aluminum tends to gouge more easily than steel, and from our experience doesn't hold up as well in the long run. Quite of few of our customers have replaced their aluminum skid plates with steel ones because the aluminum skids didn't last. Why not buy steel skids to begin with?
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Q: Can I change my oil with the skid plate installed?
A: We make every effort to make sure that you can perform your regular maintenance without having to remove the skid plates. However, it probably won't be as easy as it was before the skid plates were installed. This is part of the price you pay for the protection you gained.
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....and some responses to statements we hear now and then.
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Myth: I have a suspension lift. I don't need skid plates.
Reality: Every vehicle that is taken offroad should have skid plates. While a suspension lift gives you room for larger tires and increases your ground clearance, you're just as likely to damage important parts of your truck. The reason is simply that once the lift is installed, you will have the ability to run tougher trails with bigger obstacles....and if you're like EVERY offroader we've ever met, you will.
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Myth: I don't run rocks so I don't need skid plates.
Reality: Even folks who play in the mud should have skid plates. First off, you never really know what's buried in there. Second, skid plates help to smooth the underside of the truck. This not only helps over rocks, it helps you get through mud, snow, or whatever you're 'wheeling through.
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Myth: If a skid plate bends that means it failed.
Reality: We design our skid plates to be as strong as possible because a strong skid plate protects better and lasts longer. However, that doesn't mean that they can't be bent. Skid plates are meant to protect other more expensive components from damage and may sustain damage themselves in use. If a skid plate is hit hard enough to bend it, you can rest assured that whatever it was protecting would have been damaged by the impact. As long as the skid plate provided protection, it didn't fail.
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Here are a couple of other thoughts to consider....
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In most cases, a skid plate should have a buffer between it and whatever it is designed to protect. While this isn't always possible, it is preferable. If a skid plate is bolted directly to what it is supposed to protect, the impact of every hit it takes is transmitted to the component that was supposed to be isolated from those very hits. That's one of the reasons Skid Row doesn't make a small oil pan skid plate that attaches to the oil pan like some of our competitors do. Besides, what's going to protect your transmission or exhaust system?
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As obvious as this may seem, a skid plate should be bolted solidly to the vehicle in order for it to take the abuse a really fun trail can dish out. Even the best adhesives won't hold for long with the vibration, temperature extremes, and oil contamination that an engine can create. An oil pan skid plate that falls off after one hit isn't a bargain, even if it's free. Look at the picture below. What's going to protect your engine over the next rock?
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We use only the best materials and our craftsmen are the best in the business. We know that you want protection that works and is dependable. We also know that part of your fun is working on your vehicle yourself. So we make sure that our skid plates are tough, but not tough to install.
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