What are skid plates? I have 2000 Ranger 4x4. Where on my truck would I find skid plates? Thanks in advance.

 

Skid plates are most often metal, sometimes hard plastic, and in rare instances and usually left to off-road racers carbon fiber or kevlar. They are located on the underside of the vehicle most typically just in front of the cross-member extending forward to the front bumper, below the transfercase on some, below the fuel tank, below the rear axle etc etc. They are there to keep debris such as rocks from flying into vital components and damaging them when going off-road. They also allow a truck to slide over large objects instead of getting stuck because that boulder you tried to drive over decided to log itself firmly between front bumper and cross-member bringing your dreams and aspirations of becoming 4-wheelin king of the hill to a grinding halt. In short you should be equipped with them if you do a large amount of off-road heck raising but if the only 4x4 action you see is because it snowed the really have no use.

 

thanks for info. I propose that they rename them "underbody protective plates" or "vital component armor" or something. "Skid plates" is misleading to newbies like me. I thought they did something if you skidded.

 

Your 2000 probably has lots of skid plates...especially to protect the radiator. 2000 was the ONLY year Ford did this (except for the new FX4 trucks). You are lucky if you have a 2000 Off-Road package!

 

yeah i have the 2000 off road package. there is a huge metal plate thingy underneath the radiator that i guess is a skid plate. i like that it also doubles as an easy visual to see if anything is leaking too.