Adding skid plates to 2018 Limited with tow package?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

5280tunage

Full Access Members
Joined
Sep 17, 2019
Posts
1,482
Reaction score
863
Location
colorado
@Jeka Sent you a PM on this, but I talked with the guy that's been helping me there, and he expressly concerned that he was bummed by the discussion you had, he is more than willing to help you and yes, they do have kits that work for the Expy's. I can promise you that the craftsmanship of these are way better than the FX4's. I actually crawled under an FX4 at a Home Depot parking lot before I ordered this kit, just to look around. They obviously work fine as well, but I like these more.
 

Jeka

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2017
Posts
76
Reaction score
42
Location
BC
@Jeka Sent you a PM on this, but I talked with the guy that's been helping me there, and he expressly concerned that he was bummed by the discussion you had, he is more than willing to help you and yes, they do have kits that work for the Expy's. I can promise you that the craftsmanship of these are way better than the FX4's. I actually crawled under an FX4 at a Home Depot parking lot before I ordered this kit, just to look around. They obviously work fine as well, but I like these more.
Yeap, I noted that! I will keep this in mind for sure.
I am not in a rush, so can wait a little and do more research on the topic. To be fair, when I asked the guy on the phone about any future plans to make a kit for Expedition, he said no such plans, but he will pass my request to the Design team. I tried to steer our conversation to discuss your experience, but he didn't want to discuss that at all, he just said "Expedition and F150 are very different" whatever that means :)

Wondering how FX4 owner looked at you when you crawled under his/her truck :)
 

Artie

Full Access Members
Joined
Jul 24, 2017
Posts
1,870
Reaction score
1,033
Location
Georgia
I got the same ‘no plans for the future’ line when I emailed them a couple months ago. I’m gonna hang back and watch this thread for definitive developments before I take a chance on $500 worth of steel.
 

5280tunage

Full Access Members
Joined
Sep 17, 2019
Posts
1,482
Reaction score
863
Location
colorado
Yeap, I noted that! I will keep this in mind for sure.
I am not in a rush, so can wait a little and do more research on the topic. To be fair, when I asked the guy on the phone about any future plans to make a kit for Expedition, he said no such plans, but he will pass my request to the Design team. I tried to steer our conversation to discuss your experience, but he didn't want to discuss that at all, he just said "Expedition and F150 are very different" whatever that means :)

Wondering how FX4 owner looked at you when you crawled under his/her truck :)
Ha Ha, the FX4 owner was inside the store... Luckily I was in my crappy clothes and just crawled under, did a few taps on the metal to see how it sounded, and I was OUT.
 

5280tunage

Full Access Members
Joined
Sep 17, 2019
Posts
1,482
Reaction score
863
Location
colorado
Man o Man! So here's my thing, if Tim @ RCI told me that the 09-14' kits fit better than the 15+ kits, then no one has anything to worry about. Mine worked without any major mods, other than a single hole I drilled through the t-case plate. I'm super **** though, so I went ahead and cut the brackets, and drilled another hole for the joint between the 1st and 2nd plates. But really it would work without that. I just didn't want a slightly angled intercooler frame and I wanted more support in the center. Otherwise it was great. Is it factory, no, but it's way beefier.

What I can say, is that I spent nearly $1400 on a skid plate package for my last vehicle (jeep), it was from Mopar, and it wasn't nearly as tough as this. Again, my guess, is that there is a sales guy that is using the same vehicle fitment info that's on their site, and their job is to say nothing outside of that works, for fear of accountability. Tim on the other hand, knew exactly what I was talking about when I sent him pics of the brackets I cut, etc. RCI appears to be a small CO business, I gave them some slack.

FWIW, look at this pic. the thickness, the quality of the powdercoat.
IMG_20200329_150131~1.jpg
 
Last edited:

ExplorerTom

Full Access Members
Joined
Apr 2, 2015
Posts
2,239
Reaction score
990
Location
Colorado
I don’t know what the new FX4 skid plates look like, but I’ve pivoted my Explorer while hung up on a rock on the factory gas tank tank skid plate.

I drug my 2000 EB over a few rocks and its factory skid plates.

The RCI stuff is good, but definitely overkill.

With that said, I have their skid plates on my 2014. But it didn’t have any to begin with.
 

5280tunage

Full Access Members
Joined
Sep 17, 2019
Posts
1,482
Reaction score
863
Location
colorado
Agreed they may be overkill, but they are roughly the same price as all of the FX4 parts, if not cheaper in some places. If it were 2x or more, I would have said no as well.
 

Artie

Full Access Members
Joined
Jul 24, 2017
Posts
1,870
Reaction score
1,033
Location
Georgia
Agreed they may be overkill, but they are roughly the same price as all of the FX4 parts, if not cheaper in some places. If it were 2x or more, I would have said no as well.
I’ll spring for overkill as long as it’s fairly priced. I’d rather have it and not need it and all that. Besides, at the moment my Navigator has zero protection behind the air dam.
 

Black

Full Access Members
Joined
Mar 26, 2018
Posts
1,373
Reaction score
639
Location
Kentucky
I don’t have an 18 so I can’t speak for that fitment.
I have a 16 and the only issue I had was they changed their design but did not change the instructions.
If you mate the transmission plate to the OEM motor plate there is a cutout to slide the OEM plate into.
Initially all trans plates had the slot cut out. They then switched to the slot being slightly lasered and you would knock it out if you were using the OEM plate. The old instructions and internet pics showed the slot.
The powder coating filled in the slight laser etching so I had no clue the slot was there.
I spoke with them on the phone and they walked me right through it.
I have also conversed via email with both Tim and Jeff on multiple occasions and they have been nothing but helpful. Your experience is certainly out of the norm for them.
I missed the Tax day sale by one day last year and Tim was kind enough to offer it to me after talking with them.
They are a top notch crew from what I can tell.
Now wish they were planning a set for the Chevy’s so my wife’s Suburban could get some better coverage but sadly they aren’t.
 
Top