Engineered from the ground-up to incorporate features and improvements guided by years of feedback and experience, our HD Engine/Transmission skid plate for the SuperDuty platform offers an extraordinary amount of confidence to SuperDuty owners. Robust construction, user friendly install, and simple vehicle service all help to elevate the reliability and experience of taking these excellent trucks into the backcountry.
PROTECTED ELEMENTS
This skid plate protects the engine, transmission, oil filter, gas/diesel catalytic converter(s), trans heat exchanger & lines. If you've got a diesel, we offer an optional diesel oil filter guard; the diesel oil filter can be accessed & replaced from the side, and the guard does not need to be removed for oil changes.
CONSTRUCTION
The standard in-use weight of the SuperDuty platform begins around 8,500lbs and grows from there. Unlike IFS vehicles which tend to sit lower, slide over objects, and which have multiple crossmembers to support skid plates, solid axles tend to be very different; these long wheelbase, heavy, solid-axle trucks tend to slam hard onto objects, and have long spans without any structural members to mount to. For these reasons, this application demands the use of a reinforced steel structure with extensive forming and internal support; aluminum, while a little lighter at face value, simply lacks the material characteristics to provide adequate protection in this application.
Made to protect the most critical - and critically exposed - parts of the Ford SuperDuty trucks, this skid plate is manufactured from laser cut & CNC formed 3/16" steel plate. The belly of the skid plate is kept smooth and is angled slightly upwards at the perimeter to allow a smooth approach & departure over objects and to prevent snag hazards. The internal structure is extensively braced to tie the skid plate together as a single homogenous assembly.
The mounting points engage against the OEM frame crossmembers to produce a coupling action; under impact force the internal beams transfer the impact load vertically and rearward into the frame crossmembers; in this manner the mounting bolts carry little to no load under impact.
FINISH
The skid plate comes powder coated in our light-texture black for a durable finish.
Install: Installation is simple and uses factory holes on the 2020+ trucks; on 2017-19 trucks, you will need to drill one hole into a crossmember with easy access. All mounting hardware comes supplied.
Engine Service: Changing the engine oil & filter is kept easy, with a generous oil drain port and easy access to the filter on both gas & diesel models. The oil drain for the engine is exposed by removing the access cover, and the filters can be accessed from the side of the skid plate. A Fumoto/drain valve is highly recommended as it keeps the draining process much cleaner, and on the gas trucks the drain tends to splash against the OEM trans heat exchanger, making for a messy process on a stock truck.
To change the transmission fluid & filter, the skid plate would be removed so that the trans pan can come off.
Notes:
- Fits all powertrains
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All Trucks:
- Aftermarket Deep Engine/Transmission Oil Pans: This skid plate offers a large center space for the use of aftermarket oil pans. While we cannot guarantee the fitment of all aftermarket pans, most pans which sit no lower than the base of the OEM trans crossmember will work with plenty of clearance. Contact us to confirm fitment if you have an aftermarket oil pan.
- Fitment w/ Suspension: These skid plates are compatible with OEM/Tremor and Carli suspension systems.
- Fitment w/ Any Aftermarket Parts: Our design allows a lot of room for integration with other aftermarket parts, but due to the number, variety, and continuing innovation of new products on the aftermarket, however since we cannot test fit all possible aftermarket parts combos & as other companies make rolling updates to their products, it is always the users responsibility to test fit (and regarding suspension, to cycle between full bump and full droop) all aftermarket parts to ensure compatibility.
2017-19 Trucks:
- The OEM transmission crossmember one these years lacks one mounting hole needed for this kit. One hole needs to be drilled for install - this is in a very convenient location, and is fast and easy to do.
- Aftermarket oil pans for the 6R140 transmission may require modification of two small tangs on the skid plate.
