Skid plates

[denisb]

I'm thinking of skidding the underneath of my 04 Sport Trac and modifying my nerf bars.

Does anyone know if Ford had any Sport Trac models that had factory skids that I could pick up at the boneyard, or is it aftermarket only?

Any suggestions/experiance which aftermarket company I should look at or avoid?

Has anyone Modified the factory whimpy nerf bars to actually be able to take more than a snow bank without bending?

Denis

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Sssssllllllliiiiiiddddddeeeeeerrrrrrrsssss

 

[jujuss07]

dixon bros. has skid plates i think. but you would have to mod them cause they're for the rangers.

rock sliders should do the job too.

 

[jujuss07]

this might fit...http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/...340/Pr-p_CATENTRY_ID:10000019910110968340..it says it goes to 03 but i dont know if there are any differences. i have an 05 and i wonder if it will fit..

 

[JohnnyO]

I did all the work for you already. From my old thread for the fuel tank:

Part numbers:
2L2Z9A147AA Skidplate (1) $270.39
W505444S436 Bolt and Washer (2) $7.86
W506434S436 Bolt (1) $3.15
W506526S426 Bolt (1) $13.03
W520113S436 Nut-Hex (1) $ 2.28
W520834S426 Nut-Spring (3) $12.06

To answer your question, Sport Tracs never came with a factory fuel tank skidplate, only the transfer case. This is a piece made of SMC which is quite stout. Job 1 and Job 2 plates are different, an '04 would be a Job 2.

It is possible to adapt a Ranger factory front skidplate, or www.dixonbrosracing.com has one that replaces the whole front bumper and no one will fight you for a parking space.

 

[denisb]

www.dixonbrosracing.com[/url] has one that replaces the whole front bumper and no one will fight you for a parking space.

I kinda like that idea!

 

[JohnnyO]

Here's a pic of my skidplate. This is the factory Ford Accessories unit.

this might fit...http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/...340/Pr-p_CATENTRY_ID:10000019910110968340..it says it goes to 03 but i dont know if there are any differences. i have an 05 and i wonder if it will fit..

It will fit but the Superlift plate is not real big. It bolts to the crossmember under the front diff and basically covers the diff and some of the steering. www.millersfabrication.com had a nice front plate for Rangers but somebody else said that they did not respond to any emails and their Ranger unit will not fit a Trac anyway. It is possible to shorten a factory Ranger front plate and make it work, but it is not real stout. There is a member project at www.mysporttrac.com on how to do this. Dixon Bros. site does not have a pic but chances are it looks like the big honkin' desert racer unit like the Ranger and F150 units shown.

 

[denisb]

Hmmm, looks like plastic. How much mor rpotection would it give youif it's plastic? I don't want to knock down your skid plate, I'm just wondering how solide it might be/is?

 

[JohnnyO]

It is very thick, probably 1/4". I wouldn't worry about protection. Also plastic tends to bend and flex back whereas steel tends to bend and stay bent. SMC (Sheet Molded Compound) is what they make a lot of boat hulls out of nowadays, much tougher than plain plastic or fiberglass.
If you look at the molded-in brackets, that's how thick the whole thing is.

 

[denisb]

Cool, thanks for the pic, it gives me an idea of where to start if I decide to fabricate myself.

 

[JohnnyO]

There's a few more pics on my Cardomain site, page 11.

http://www.cardomain.com/id/johnnyo

For other sliders and things, shoot Johnstone a PM. He got some of that stuff fabbed up I think.

 

[Flounder]

Here's a pic of my skidplate. This is the factory Ford Accessories unit.

What's the Ford part number for this? (I know there's a right and wrong number--the wrong being for the 01-03 Sport, I believe). If Ford still has these, I'd be interested in one.

 

[JohnnyO]

What's the Ford part number for this? (I know there's a right and wrong number--the wrong being for the 01-03 Sport, I believe). If Ford still has these, I'd be interested in one.

Part numbers:
2L2Z9A147AA Skidplate (1) $270.39
W505444S436 Bolt and Washer (2) $7.86
W506434S436 Bolt (1) $3.15
W506526S426 Bolt (1) $13.03
W520113S436 Nut-Hex (1) $ 2.28
W520834S426 Nut-Spring (3) $12.06

Originally I ordered the part number listed in the Member Project, but that was for either a Job 1 Trac or an Explorer Sport 2 door. Regardless, it didn't fit. Me and the head tech at the Ford dealer (good dude ) did some prowling on the parts computer and that's what we came up with. Those are the Ford part numbers directly off my invoice. I just got it last year, so they should still have them. Heck, Ford might be happy to get rid of them now.

 

[Flounder]

Thanks! I'm going to make some calls.

 

[becker69]

I'm thinking of skidding the underneath of my 04 Sport Trac and modifying my nerf bars.

...
Has anyone Modified the factory whimpy nerf bars to actually be able to take more than a snow bank without bending?

Denis

Denis, to address your question on the factory side-steps... no. They are very poor structurally and because they hang from the pinch weld they are not good for too much abuse.

I would totally agree with MountaineerGreen and would tell you to get some sliders made... they are one of the singlemost best mods I have done on my trac and they supremely help with the negotiation of breakover angles and other PIA issues with the long wheelbased Sport Trac. I had mine completely fabbed from stolen, er, uh borrowed schematics from a Toyota Tacoma fabricator... and with some changes had them done for ~ $350. I know they can be made for even cheaper depending on your application. I love them! And after wheeling quite a bit with them on... my gas tank skid plate is untouched (which kinda sucks considering the $180+ put into it ).

 

[becker69]

Here's a pic of my sliders.

 

[denisb]

Thanks Beck,

You wouldn't happen to have pics of how and where you mounted those on the fram would you?

I'm thinking of doing something similar, but using 1X2" square tubing that way I might be able to sort of cap off the top of the sliders with my factory bar. Making them functional yet stock. The frame on these is pretty high into the body, but I think it might still work with the 1X2" tubing. Another option I thought of is a slight body lift to bring the frame closer to level with the bottom of the rockers.

As for gas tank skid, My buddy's got a scrapped 'Yota that still has a skid plate on it. It looks to be about the same dimension tank, so I might try to use it someway somehow.

Denis

 

[MountaineerGreen]

My sliders:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173649

May give you some ideas.

 

[becker69]

Evan's got some really nice sliders, and in person they look practically factory made . With mentioning Toyota's I was referring to my use of their aftermarket supply that Explorer's don't have-- I used some Taco. slider examples to model mine after. I'm not sure how much you need the clearance but you might be hurtin' for height if you keep the OEM sidesteps and put 1" tube under it... as the factory ones are already so low with a stock set-up. The 1" BL might not be a bad way to go for you.

Alot of my point of view is from a wheelable set-up, and I trashed my side-steps before I got rid of them... (FWIW; I was really surprised at how heavy the stock pieces were and I probably only doubled the weight of them with the sliders).

 

[denisb]

I like your designs and ideas. I really like Mountain Green's and they pretty well look like what I had thought of doing. Since my truck is still fairly new I probably won't be rock climbing for another couple of years......well not planned rock climbing anyway.

I hunt and fish and every so often I tend to go the extra mile.....or 10 down the logging roads. I've only had the truck for 7 months now and have had to jump on the running boards to straighten them more than a couple of times.

This is why I figured if I add a 1" X 2" inside the existing board (it kinda looks like it might fit but haven't measured yet), get rid of the factory mounts that tend to bend if you sneaze at them, and use 2'X 2" tubbing to runn back to the frame, it should at least make it a little stronger.

This will probably be a winter project but I definately will post pics when I'm done. Hope no one has copyrights on their designs.