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shinysideup2
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I thought they were both around $700 ?
Thanks for the info. I may change course towards BDS too.
Off-road in '17 EL 4WD - steep, rutted climbs (videos - link fixed)
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Thanks for the info. I may change course towards BDS too.
Munkiebunz3
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Oh, I forgot to mention that RCI skid plates don't have the one for the fuel tank. I heard yesterday the expedition also came in the ssv (police) and had full skid plates. If true, nobody else does fuel tank skids and that might be an option. I'm slowly building up my rig. A lot of the parts acquisition is some fabrication too. The RCI skids don't fully bolt on w/o issues since they are for the f150 but happen to have similar mounts. There are cutouts for the exhaust but it will still clang unless you have a couple thick washers at the rear of the transmission skid.
I had not heard about the clank issue with the RCI plates.
You are correct in regard to the fuel tank skid plate you can get the one from the SSV. You will also need the 3 fuel tank straps from the SSV as they have the studs to mount the plate where ours do not.
7L1Z-9A147-D Skid Plate
Fuel Tank Straps:
front: 6L1Z-9054-AA
center: DL1Z-9092-B
rear: 6L1Z-9054-BA
There is also a side protector for the tank.
AL1Z-9K014-A
The fuel tank skid plate is thick plastic. I think I’ll have it LineXd for some added protection.
Still not sure on a transfer case skid plate option.
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Munkiebunz3
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I'll look into possibly my motor mounts going bad then. If I don't have those washers it rests on the exhaust. Currently it does a single clang upon startup .
Trainmaster
Old School Member
I ordered the Ford skid plates for my 2008 from Tasca. They had a free shipping deal so the three cost me about $350 with the hardware. As Black said, the fuel tank plate is heavy plastic. The engine plate and the transfer plate are steel. Not very heavy, but they'll stop gravel and rocks and wood that kicks up.
All SSVs had all three skid plates and if you are lucky you can find them at a junk yard.
The regular length Expedition tank plate only has two straps and you can swap the straps without dropping the tank. I had all three plates on in less than an hour.
All SSVs had all three skid plates and if you are lucky you can find them at a junk yard.
The regular length Expedition tank plate only has two straps and you can swap the straps without dropping the tank. I had all three plates on in less than an hour.
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How do you like the front hitch? Looks like it mounts up and out of the way pretty well. I'd like to get one for moving my boat in and out of the RV gate on the side of the house, where I have to navigate a low retaining wall and pool pump. Was it easy to mount up?
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shinysideup2
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For gas tank skids, I'm thinking about fabricating one myself (and use the SSV straps - thanks @Black for the part #'s). The design looks like we would just need to be able to cut, bend, and drill through thick plate steel. No welding or tricky bend patterns. I'm generally handy, but haven't done a lot of fab work. I put down my first weld last week. It was ugly. I need a LOT of practice (and time on YouTube).
Looking at photos on RCI's website, it looks like the transfer case skid plate may not fit because it appears Expeditions have an additional cross-member just behind the transfer case that the F-150's do not have (or have in a very different position). This also means that the transfer case might be less susceptible to damage since it sits between the 2 cross members that jut downward. This is also my greatest concern when it comes to breakover angle for our Expeditions as it juts down pretty far in exactly the wrong place.
Here's a photo under my 2017 EL 4WD with the "extra" cross member in the center of the photo. That's the one I don't see on the F-150's.
Looking at photos on RCI's website, it looks like the transfer case skid plate may not fit because it appears Expeditions have an additional cross-member just behind the transfer case that the F-150's do not have (or have in a very different position). This also means that the transfer case might be less susceptible to damage since it sits between the 2 cross members that jut downward. This is also my greatest concern when it comes to breakover angle for our Expeditions as it juts down pretty far in exactly the wrong place.
Here's a photo under my 2017 EL 4WD with the "extra" cross member in the center of the photo. That's the one I don't see on the F-150's.
There are two things I would be mindful of when fabricating my own.
1st being weight since the straps are already supporting 33 gallons of gas or about 200 pounds.
We’re talking a pretty big steel plate so all that weight will be held by the straps as well.
Gas tank straps tend to be fairly thin. And certainly not as strong as bolting to the frame like most skid plates. I would go as thin as possible for my steel or use aluminum.
2nd is that it appears from the diagram I posted that the portion of the skid plate where the holes for the studs are indented up so when the nut is applied from the bottom the nut and stud are not exposed. I’d be somewhat concerned about a rock or other obstruction shearing off the nut and stud if it was exposed.
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shinysideup2
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@iaazan. Yes. It was very easy to mount. I ended up NOT cutting the fascia, but I did remove the air dam. It works as designed. Only thing I didn't think about is if the trailer is tall, you can't see around it like you can when you're hooked up to the rear hitch (with rear view mirrors). Your boat might not be too tall, as long as you can see over it. I ended up only using it for navigating my 10' tall travel trailer through extreme angles in tight spaces where the long wheelbase of the EL would not allow backing the trailer in.
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