Alright fellow Ford homies...normally I'd post this under my build thread, but I'll just post a link later. There have been a number of discussions around aftermarket skid plates and I didn't want this to get buried...so here it is.

Picked up a full set of RCI Off-road skid plates. Got the main plates installed today. I've got the fuel tank plate in my garage and the cab steps are in the mail. I'll post updates on those later.

Overall the install went fairly well. I got all parts installed in about 2 hours. Everything fit very well; I'm impressed with the quality of the design.

Some random thoughts:
- The instructions sucked. Bring patience and/or beer. But most of the parts are easy to identify where they go. The front mounting gear was a bit of a puzzle and I had to reuse some OEM bolts. But nothing to worry about. Once I figured that out, I tossed the instructions and just fit by visual queues.
- The skid plates are heavy. I thought about getting the AL versions, but the 40lb savings didn't seem to pay for the huge price difference ($400+ if I remember correctly). I also had big dreams of weighing them against the stock to give you a weight difference, buuuuut...yeah, that didn't happen. I got a short window of just-me time without my "helpers" and needed to optimize it.
- A previous post with a 5.0 owner that had these skid plate said he could still reach the oil filter with the front plate installed. Not so with the EB...there's intercooler stuff in the way. I'll either need to remove the front plate (not happening) or go in from the top of the engine to grab the filter. I "test fit" my arm on the latter and that will be the path I take. It will suck, but I'm okay with that. I just hope the oil drain cut-out RCI put into the plate is located correctly...
- Some feedback on RCI... They told me I'd have to remove the front plate to get to the oil filter, so they got that right. They also told me I'd have to remove the front air dam. Not true. The parts were packaged by "Shipping Gods" and had zero damage from UPS. I almost didn't buy from them as they never replied to two emails from me, but since there are NO other options on the market (well, besides one company in Canada that only posts draft CAD pictures and not real parts) I decided to call RCI directly. Once on the phone, they were very helpful.
- Design Wishlist: I wish the transmission plate covered the cats (make it wider). I wish the bolts had protection around them. I really wish the instructions were better.

 

Agree with everything you said. I changed my oil again yesterday, and so had to remove the front plate to access the oil filter. Easy enough to remove but reinstalling that front plate is a real hassle. My plates are the thick aluminum ones. Getting all three holes (bash plate, intercooler support, and threaded mounting clip) lined up on each side to start the bolts took me a while and a lot of cussing. Surely there had to be a better place to locate those front mounting brackets! It might have been easier if I had four hands and arms but alas, I've only two! I may look at changing something here. I had looked at perhaps accessing the oil filter from the top but my arms are too short and there's too much stuff in the way. If ever I find a remote mount for that filter I'm goin to fix that problem for good. My S-10 Blazer came from the factory with the oil filter remotely mounted right behind the driver's side headlight and that worked wonderfully. Drove that thing for 320,000 miles!

As far as the oil drain opening in the second bash plate - yes, it's in exactly the correct location. If you shine a light up there you'll see the rear of that plastic tray that is supposed to catch the oil from the filter. I use some rather tall ramps so the truck is at a pretty good angle and no oil comes out the front of that tray, only the rear. That opening in the bash plate is big enough that no oil got on the bash plate itself.

I also agree that these plates could be wider, could cover more. I'm thinking the width of the truck's frame would be about right. In particular I see no reason why they couldn't cover those front suspension A-frame mounts. Look at how they stick down in your photos. I have to travel a lot of rocky washes and I'm afraid one of these days I'm going to catch one of those mounts and break or bend something. No reason the bash plates couldn't be a bit wider and shaped to cover those mounts to protect them. At least that way the truck might be able to slide over the rock. As it is now those things would either bend or bring the truck to an abrupt stop.

 

Yes, I completely agree with this. I'd love for those low hanging parts to be covered. I'll take the weight hit...give me a cover so I can roll over a rock and not worry about the scraping sound coming from the bottom.

...still, these are about 500% better than stock.

 

Could you fab an access hatch for the oil filter? Seems that it would be a minor amount of work with a big payoff.

 

I'm sure I could. But it would have to be an awfully big hole to be able to get in and work back there.
However, oil change time on all my rigs I use as an opportunity for a complete and thorough inspection of the vehicle and this bash plate makes that impossible - can't see all those components behind it. I don't mind taking the time to remove the plates, its just that the very front mounts need to be redesigned. Here's a shot of what they look like, same on both sides. That piece just above the bash plate is the support for the intercooler assembly and in the frame is one of those clip-on nuts that the bolt goes in to. That clip is free to move around and so aligning everything is a problem, not to mention I don't like removing the support below the intercooler each time I change the oil. I'm thinking I can run a tap into that hole in the frame you can see in the photo and then fab up a bracket for the bash plate that will let me bolt it to that hole and I'll not have to mess with the intercooler support again.


This bothers me just as much - look at those A-frame supports and how they hang down and how they're shaped - just made to catch on something! I may have to do something about those also.

 

Those supports may hang down, but they are plenty sturdy. Let em bash things.

 

DesertEagle69 - That first picture answers a ton of my questions. The "L" portion of the plate that mounts to the truck under the cooler support has been redesigned on my plate. It's now a two piece design and the "L" has been replaced with a bracket that stays secured to the frame. It still mounts under the cooler support, but in theory the front plate is much easier to remove to access the oil filter.

 

Would you mind taking a photo of that redesigned part and posting it on here? It might give me an idea of how to modify mine.

Thanks!

 

Could you post pics of the factory skid plates? I would like to add something to my non-FX4 but I'm not sure I need to go as far as the RCI setup you have. It does look good though...

 

I'll be under the truck this weekend to install the fuel skid and running boards, so I'll get a pic then...

 

So the RCI skids just goes over the factory or is in addition to?

 

Instead of.

 

Looks great onug

 

onug, what make are your ramps?? Im heading out tomorrow to purchase a set of 12000lb capacity ramps that are 50% off, of the plastic origin such as yours. Are you happy with them and how much actual lift do you get, 4"?? Are you having issues with them sliding out on concrete as some of my friends have mentioned to me but have cured the issue easily.

Thanks

 

They're about 6.5" tall and have Darvic Corp molded in the bottom. I've had them for 6+ years and never had problems with them sliding on the driveway until I used them for these skid plates. Now they love to squirt forward when I'm driving up. Had to put the truck into 4wd and goose it a bit to run the truck up before they could move. I've started looking for replacements after that episode.

Sure wish the weather would hold for tomorrow...I've got the gas tank skid plate and cab steps just waiting in my garage!