ABNTGR
Elite Explorer
- Joined
- August 6, 2014
- Messages
- 24
- Reaction score
- 1
- City, State
- Colorado
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2009
I finally figured out, and built, a skid plate of sorts for my 09! First off, my goal was to protect the radiator, lower hose and trans cooler lines from getting damaged since they decided to put the damn thing so low. I’m no extreme off road driver and I have no grand illusions that the truck is a rock crawler. But I do like to venture down the roads less traveled and having this set up give me some piece of mind….and I’m pretty sure it has already saved my rear at least once.
I also wanted something easy and inexpensive that could be taken off when not needed.
I started with the Curt front received hitch. I ordered it from Home Depot, they had as good a price as any, and returns are super easy….the first one I had to take back because the bracket/mounting tabs weren’t square and I couldn’t get it around the outside of the frame rail. Once I got the second one it went in no problem. Part: Curt #31545 (this for sure fits an 09), about $200, Home Depot.
The next piece was an ATV winch mount plate that fits in the 2” receiver. This is the key to the whole set up. The male portion that fits in the receiver is just the right length to go in backwards, which is the key to my design. Part: Extreme Max 5600.3084 Universal 2” Receiver Hitch Winch Mount for ATV, about $30-50 available on Amazon, WalMart and other places.
The last piece was a 7"x20” piece of 1/2” cutting board material for the actual skid plate. I had read a lot of post all over that this material in practically indestructible….and slick, so rocks and debris will slide off it easily. Besides that, I don’t have the tools for any kind of metal fabrication. Part: Sam’s club had one big enough for about $9.
I cut the plastic to size and bolted it to the winch plate and that was it. Now I just slide it in backwards, secure with a hitch pin and there you go, a functional, light duty skid plate that does what I need it to!
The added bonus of this set up was I also now have a front recovery point….and I can push a trailer in to a tight spot if needed!
The hitch fits just right in that I was able to keep the air dam in place. However, I did have to trim off the bottom of the plastic ‘cover’ that wraps under the radiator.
Clearance is affected just a little bit, and only in the very middle of the truck. But again, I’m not doing the Rubicon in this thing!
Enjoy!
Front View (If i posted the pics correctly!):
Underside with just the receiver.
With 'skid plate' installed:
Various views of 'skid plate' and winch plate:
I also wanted something easy and inexpensive that could be taken off when not needed.
I started with the Curt front received hitch. I ordered it from Home Depot, they had as good a price as any, and returns are super easy….the first one I had to take back because the bracket/mounting tabs weren’t square and I couldn’t get it around the outside of the frame rail. Once I got the second one it went in no problem. Part: Curt #31545 (this for sure fits an 09), about $200, Home Depot.
The next piece was an ATV winch mount plate that fits in the 2” receiver. This is the key to the whole set up. The male portion that fits in the receiver is just the right length to go in backwards, which is the key to my design. Part: Extreme Max 5600.3084 Universal 2” Receiver Hitch Winch Mount for ATV, about $30-50 available on Amazon, WalMart and other places.
The last piece was a 7"x20” piece of 1/2” cutting board material for the actual skid plate. I had read a lot of post all over that this material in practically indestructible….and slick, so rocks and debris will slide off it easily. Besides that, I don’t have the tools for any kind of metal fabrication. Part: Sam’s club had one big enough for about $9.
I cut the plastic to size and bolted it to the winch plate and that was it. Now I just slide it in backwards, secure with a hitch pin and there you go, a functional, light duty skid plate that does what I need it to!
The added bonus of this set up was I also now have a front recovery point….and I can push a trailer in to a tight spot if needed!
The hitch fits just right in that I was able to keep the air dam in place. However, I did have to trim off the bottom of the plastic ‘cover’ that wraps under the radiator.
Clearance is affected just a little bit, and only in the very middle of the truck. But again, I’m not doing the Rubicon in this thing!
Enjoy!
Front View (If i posted the pics correctly!):
Underside with just the receiver.
With 'skid plate' installed:
Various views of 'skid plate' and winch plate:
