RCI Skid Plates

[5280tunage]

First, I want to say I don't work for these guys and I'm not compensated in any way to say this. I merely like to share good products that I actually have experience with. I just received this flyer this morning. Just in case anyone was thinking about it. I personally love the cat guards! Wish they had them when I originally bought the kit. But I will say, I did have to buy a 90-degree angle grease fitting for the zerks on my sway bar. A little more complicated but well worth not losing a Cat.

​

Holiday Savings and Special Offers Continues​ With only a few more days to the New Year, it's time to stock up on all things body armor while there's still time. RCI Off Road is still going strong with the biggest sales of the year! This sale ends 12/31/2022, so explore all RCI products today!

 

[zeg5000]

Had these installed on my 2019 Limited at a 4x4 place in Lakewood CO (RSG Offroad)..they removed the front air dam (thank goodness that ugly piece of plastic crap is gone!) and it basically bolted on EXCEPT for the connection between the front skid plate and the transfer case plate. There are no corresponding holes in the frame as there are on the F150 but they were able to drill a couple new holes in one of the plates and bolt them together. Looks great and no rattles or other problems. No issues with oil changes either. I bought the complete set except for the fuel tank protection. And yes - you will be really happy with this.

I did the exact same thing as Peter L and based on his recommendation, had RSG Offroad in Lakewood, Colorado do the install... no issues whatsoever, and 100% recommend.

One additional point - I purchased the separate fuel tank skid plate plus the fuel tank hanger straps from RCI... it turns out the fuel tank hanger straps for the F150 are significantly shorter than the straps required for the Expedition so they won't work. The OEM straps for the Expy are part numbers jl1z9054f and jl1z9054h, so debating whether to buy these or return the F150 straps and fuel skid altogether.

 

[Mack207]

RCI is having their sale now. 15% off engine skid plate. Anyone installed these recently? Is it a bolt-on now, or is drilling still necessary?

 

[eugene11]

RCI is having their sale now. 15% off engine skid plate. Anyone installed these recently? Is it a bolt-on now, or is drilling still necessary?

Yeap, I've ordered a set and it's coming slowly box by box to Canada. First, I was sent a wrong tranny plate from powerboost f150, replaced, then my engine plates set came in and the 2nd piece had no bend for steering rack, asked them to ship a correct one.
Once I solve that freaking puzzle and crawl under the truck then for sure I will take some pictures.

 

[Flying N]

(for 2019 Expe Max) I don't mean to beat a dead horse here, but in reading through all of these posts on the RCI skids (full skidplate) I am stil a little confused. I called RCI, and they were nice, but couldn't confirm which set of F150 skid plates will fit as they have not done one of these themselves. In the readings of most all these posts, some here say the '09-'14 fit, while others say the '15-'23 are better, but both took some (minor) mods). Yet there is another post that indicated the '15-'23 front (engine) skid fits best, while using the '09-'14 transmission, transfer case and cat skids, and that this combo bolts right up. I am sure RCI would package that combo up if it works best.

Obviously I would like to peice together a solid kit that bolts up directly as possible. I come from Jeep rock crawling world and beleive that amor is one of the best mods, and few mods that will/can pay for themselves by help keeping stuff form getting damaged. (then lockers, winches, lights, etc.) I am not doing the rock crawling/heavy offroading in the Expe, but will go offroad some, and there just isn't any real protection under these which makes me a little uncomfortable. Which have you all found fits best?

 

[5280tunage]

@Flying N - Here's the best I can say. I actually last year had a 2020 loaner and just for grins, I took a look underneath it. Frankly, I could tell just even from my pictures that I posted on here, some of the holes in the front crossmember aren't necessarily even in the right places. I'm not sure why, but it seems there's some variability even in these platforms. 2019 and 2020 were supposed to be essentially identical.

So i'm not defending RCI at all, I think that they specially designed these kits to work on the F150's, and for a while there was enough synergy between the F150's and the Expy's that it worked well.

For my use case, on a 2019 the 15+ F150 kit worked fine. I modified the front mounting brackets but you don't HAVE to. The biggest thing is to make sure you get the 2nd plate that has the extra bend in it for added clearance from the steering rack. My front plate is actually from their 09-14 kit. but others have used the full 15+ kit just fine.

For me, the Cat guards are huge, that was an add-on for me, they have had some sales recently where they are included, those are huge. Great thing to have!

 

[Flying N]

@Flying N - Here's the best I can say. I actually last year had a 2020 loaner and just for grins, I took a look underneath it. Frankly, I could tell just even from my pictures that I posted on here, some of the holes in the front crossmember aren't necessarily even in the right places. I'm not sure why, but it seems there's some variability even in these platforms. 2019 and 2020 were supposed to be essentially identical.

So i'm not defending RCI at all, I think that they specially designed these kits to work on the F150's, and for a while there was enough synergy between the F150's and the Expy's that it worked well.

For my use case, on a 2019 the 15+ F150 kit worked fine. I modified the front mounting brackets but you don't HAVE to. The biggest thing is to make sure you get the 2nd plate that has the extra bend in it for added clearance from the steering rack. My front plate is actually from their 09-14 kit. but others have used the full 15+ kit just fine.

For me, the Cat guards are huge, that was an add-on for me, they have had some sales recently where they are included, those are huge. Great thing to have!

Thank you.

 

[Flying N]

@Flying N - Here's the best I can say. I actually last year had a 2020 loaner and just for grins, I took a look underneath it. Frankly, I could tell just even from my pictures that I posted on here, some of the holes in the front crossmember aren't necessarily even in the right places. I'm not sure why, but it seems there's some variability even in these platforms. 2019 and 2020 were supposed to be essentially identical.

So i'm not defending RCI at all, I think that they specially designed these kits to work on the F150's, and for a while there was enough synergy between the F150's and the Expy's that it worked well.

For my use case, on a 2019 the 15+ F150 kit worked fine. I modified the front mounting brackets but you don't HAVE to. The biggest thing is to make sure you get the 2nd plate that has the extra bend in it for added clearance from the steering rack. My front plate is actually from their 09-14 kit. but others have used the full 15+ kit just fine.

For me, the Cat guards are huge, that was an add-on for me, they have had some sales recently where they are included, those are huge. Great thing to have!

Did you use the transfer case skid as well, or just the engine and transmission?

 

[5280tunage]

Did you use the transfer case skid as well, or just the engine and transmission?

I did the full package, and upgraded later with the cat guards. Those weren't hard to retrofit, just some pretty tough steel to drill through, had to run to harbor freight and get some throw away bits.

 

[Flying N]

I did the full package, and upgraded later with the cat guards. Those weren't hard to retrofit, just some pretty tough steel to drill through, had to run to harbor freight and get some throw away bits.

Thanks. They didn't think that the transfer case skid would fit with the independent rear suspension. I presume you didn't have any issues with the fit there either?