My transmission skid plate install from hell

First off, I was very pleased with the Hefty Fabworks transmission skid plate and there is only two things that I think they can do better. Otherwise this is a well made skid and can't stay enough good things about it.

My first mistake was thinking this was going to be a fairly easy and quick install. I had no idea that I was going to run into issues and to be honest, if I knew what I know now, I am not sure if I would of gotten the skid. In hindsight now that it's on, I probably will take back that comment....

Ok, I ordered the steel transmission skid plate without any powder coating to save a little coin. I purchased the Amsoil MPHD to spray on there instead as recommended as an alternative from Freedom Motorsports.

After I got the skid, I realized that some Rustolem black paint would be wise.
Here is the bare skid plate:


Gave it some paint:


So far so good. After the paint dried, I sprayed the side facing up with a good coat of MPHD. And was going to spray the other side once I got it mounted so I would not get it all over me when installing.

We removed the transfer case skid, easy no big deal. Moved to the back bolts on the engine skid plate and was hoping after loosing the front two bolts that we could slide the transmission skid underneath it and button things up. WRONG this is when my night of hell started (cause I was not prepared for what happened next).

The damn nuts were stripped. I have never touched those two bolts since I had my truck. We were removing them and the nut on the other side was just spinning, both of them! Looking at it now, I see that Noah posted about this:
http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f170/have-you-stripped-your-lower-skid-plate-bolts-32604/#post649915

The broken clip:


We tried the 15mm (not the same brand that Noah mentioned) but just couldn't get anything to hold and eventually from what we could tell, rounded the outside of the nut. We proceed to unbolt the arm across by removing the 4 bolts. Got the skid off but still couldn't get the bolts off.

The buddy I was with had a plasma cutter and after fighting with it too long, we decided to cut a hole in the arm to access the nut.




Got it off. He tried welding the nut clip back but that didn't turn out so well. So we used the ones from the front of the skid to put back on the arm and used the Allen head bolts that came with the Hefty skid plate for the front for now. I do not like those and will work on getting those replaced.

So now we start lining up the three skids plates and get this crap done. Well the transfer case skid plate won't fit against the new transmission skid plate. So he gets the plasma cutter out again and he cuts 1" off the transfer skid and then grinds the cut to smooth out the rough cut.

We finally get everything buttoned up and I spray the skid with a coat of MPHD. Shit took like 3+ hours when it should of taken less than an hour at that. Very frustrating.

Those two things that Hefty can do better. Use better nut clips and grade 8 bolts instead of those allen head ones. And let people know that they will have to trim the factory transfer case skid. If I was doing this by myself and didn't have these tools, I would have given up. I saw on another thread by Yukon Joe that he even had to trim Hefty's own transfer case skid plate to make it fit. So this definitely needs to be improved.

Does anyone have the part number for the factory nut clips that broke on us so I can get a couple more now?

I thought I had read that Hefty had resolved the issue of having to trim the plates to make them fit. It looks like that is not the case, not for your installation anyway.

That's kind of a bummer. I was really hoping these would be a nice clean bolt on mod. Even if your nut clips hadn't caused you issues, you still had to do some cutting to do the install.

Damn. Tough install indeed. I've had that's skid on and off a number of times with the exhaust install and the issues I've had there. Luckily I haven't stripped that bolt.

Did you install the new skid above or below the original engine skid? I'm pretty sure it is suppose to go above.

I agree. I don't like the allen has cap screws that cone with it. I know why they send them. It's so the head is flush with the skid. I eventually replaced with 2"long grade 5 bolts. I went with the milder steel so if I hit one it would bend, not brake.
Also, needed the longer bolts to be able to get the skids back on. Once you use the skid, it doesn't bolt up the same. I've had to use a jack in the past to push it into place.

Over all, I'm still happy to have theses on the truck. Well worth the bit of hassle. All though the stripped nut does suck. Not sure how to prevent that? Perhaps some sort of protectant on the nut/bolt combo?

Yukon Joe
www.RUNRAPTORRUN.com

---------- Post added at 07:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:52 AM ----------

Can you post some final install pics?

Yukon Joe
www.RUNRAPTORRUN.com

The hefty tran skid has to go under the factory engine skid. Otherwise it would not fit flush and it would possible catch on something. On the transfer case skid it would have been nice if it went under the trans skid but then it would not be flush and the factory bolts were not long enough. We had to put that on top. Because of the bend there on the transmission skid, that is why we had to cut the transfer case factory skid. If you use their transfer case skid replacement then looking at their website, it does go under. I might replace mine eventually. I will post pics.

I hate those nuts with a passion....

No job is ever as easy as it should be!

A few that I took during lunch

I have the hefty fab engine skid. It was fairly easy install but the factory nut clips did break too. I had even broke one of the factory bolts too. Great protection for the price.

HAYNES OFFROAD said:

I hate those nuts with a passion....

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Well maybe with us cutting those two holes on top can be a new mod. I can get to that nut a whole lot easier now!

I noticed from factory that the nut is rounded on the corners, stupid.

RDFTS said:

Well maybe with us cutting those two holes on top can be a new mod. I can get to that nut a whole lot easier now!

I noticed from factory that the nut is rounded on the corners, stupid.

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Yea I've never had but hassles with them. On any vehicle I've worked on that has them. Always problems. I always at them....