Hefty Fab Works Skid Plates

Yukon Joe said:

Ok, my write up is taking a bit.
Donk, the bottom of the tranny pan to the highest point on the skid plate is about 4". It wasn't easy to measure.
There was 2.5" between the skid and the sway bar.

Yukon Joe
Buffalo Run Support Raptor
http://www.fordraptorforum.com/showthread.php?p=364119

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Thanks man, I owe you a beer!

Skids installed MASSIVE PICS

Hefty Fabworks Skid plate installation for a SCREW:

Using the search button on FRF, I discovered that there was a lack of information regarding skid plates. The Raptor already comes with 4 skid plates installed from the factory. Front Skid (the one that everyone bashes), Engine Skid, Transfer Skid, Gas Tank Skid. Hefty Fabworks offers replacement skid plates for the Engine, Transfer, and gas tank. The transmission skid ties into their replacement skids to offer a complete coverage of all the vital areas of the truck.

First a bit on Aluminum vs Steel. IMHO I think this is a personal choice. There are pros and cos to each. Yes, steel is stronger, but it rusts. I can't stand the sight of rust on my vehicle. I've had aluminum skid plates in the past, and for the type of wheeling I do they perform well. They will gouge and scratch, but ultimately they still protect your rig. Now if you land top dead center onto a rock, you will probably severely dent or even puncture through. But I don't rock crawl in my Rap, so I went with the lighter, less rusty choice of aluminum.

I originally started with installing the transfer skid plate, but my wife intelligently pointed out that the gas tank skid should be installed first since it sit up higher than the transfer skid. She was right, I would not be able to install the gas tank skid after the transfer skid was in place.

Gas Tank skid plate

This hefty fab weights in at 55 lbs.


It is a bi-metal construction of 2"x2"x3/16" angle steel framing with a 1/4" aluminum plate skid and some steel tubular cross bracing. The aluminum plate is bolted to the angle framing. Prior to installing skid, I coated the steel portion with Amsoil MPHD (Thanks Chris). Although the steel is powdercoated, living in the rust belt I've learned that anything extra that can be done to prevent rust should be done.
MPHD coating


Shows the construction of the gas tank skid





The stock skid is a hard corrugated plastic. It is simply removed from the 4 studs that hold it in place.
Stock skid with mounting locations:



Bare gas tank with skid mounts



Once removed, position the hefty skid under the truck with the narrow end towards the rear of the truck. I temporarily placed the skid on some crates. Next I lifted it to the truck, and then bolted it into the stock mounting location. There are a total of four (4) studs. Once one is started, the skid will hang there while the others can be lined up.









Transfer Case skid plate

Next installed skid is the transfer case skid plate. This skid weighs in at a mire 14 lbs and is made from 1/4" plate aluminum.




It offers much more coverage than the stock plate. Maggie clearly disapproves of the stock skid.


This replacement skid also mounts to the original mounting location as the stock transfer skid plate with one additional mounting point added. The transmission skid also utilizes the cross member mounting points (more on this later). The additional mounting point utilizes an existing hole in the cross member with a supplied bolt clip. No drilling required.

Side rail mounting locations:



Cross frame mounting locations:


New clip installed on cross frame


As I was fitting up the transfer skid, I came to realize that the skid has too much coverage. The portion that is located near the gas tank skid was too long. I had to cut a portion of the skid shorter for it to fit. Using my sawzall, I cut about 1" from the edge of the skid.



Now that the skid fit, I had it hanging in place with the mounting bolts very loose.


Transmission skid plate

The transmission skid weighs in at 25 lbs. It is made of 1/4" thick aluminum plate with stiffeners welded to it in a "X" pattern.


This skid attaches to the existing front engine skid plate mounting points and the existing cross member mounting points as the transfer skid. The portion that goes to the transfer skid is slotted to allow it to slide into place while the transfer plate remains. I started by loosening the stock engine skid. The hefty tranny skid is sandwiched between the existing skid and the truck frame. It helped to loosen all 6 bolts on the engine skid. A large rubber hammer helped too. As I was fitting this skid into position, I realized that the transfer case skid was again too long. I could not get the transmission skid to slide into place because the transfer skid interfered with the a break. I once again had to trim about 1" from the edge of the skid.

With a newly slim and trimmed transfer case skid plate, I was able to fit everything up and torque it all down.

Stock engine skid mounting points:


Trimmed and slimmed transfer skid plate:


The tranny skid has an access point for the oil plug.


Photos of the final installed product:
Plenty of room below the transmission pan for expansion into a larger pan.




















I am quite pleased with the amount of coverage these skids offer. I would like to give this an easy install rating, but with having to trim the transfer skid to accommodate the transmission and gas tank skid, it definitely increases the difficulty rating. If you had to install any skid on it's own, they would be quite easy. I will call Hefty and provide them feed back. I think they were being over zealous with leaving the inch or two of over hang on the transfer skid. Even installing the transfer skid alone would be fine with this extra over hang and there would be no problems. It's only in combination of the three that I had to trim. If Hefty was aware of the issue, I'm sure they can easily correct it.

In many cases I was able to reuse the stock bolts. Only in the case of the transfer case skid that I had to use the supplied bolting. I agree with Big J regarding the head of the bolts. I would much prefer to have a hex head bolt than a flat head that needs an allan key socket to remove. I may upgrade these in the future, but for now they will do.

Please let me know if you have any questions. I know someone will probably ask about ground clearance. I forgot to get those measurements. At this point, I'll probably have to get them after TRR.

Note to self, need to perform the harness relocation mod. As you can see in my photos, it really does hang down low, it probably even wobbles to and fro... yes it is late..... I'm tired. Thanks for reading.

Later,
Joe

nice write up Joe

Great write up and info! Definitely cleans up the undercarriage.

Nice write up. Makes me want to put these on my truck now.

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Nice write up Joe!

Thanks

Finally got new skidplates plate put on !!! Followed Joe's and Big J's lead going with Hefty Fabworks. Quite honestly, without mentioning names, the other places I considered and contacted weren't that concerned about making a sale. My factory ones were beat to hell. Unfortunately, I already scrapped the OEM ones or I would've provided y'all will some photo evidence. However, I took a few pictures of areas around or behind them, but I don't think pictures convey the beating it's taken. Somethings you gotta see in person.





These are pictures of the holes between the first and second skid plate, where the bolts connecting the two were shoved into.



Tried to get decent pictures of the crossmember under the engine, but do to lack of space while laying under the truck it was near impossible. I wanted to show how deformed it is.



This is the crossmember under the Transfercase. It's taken a sever scuffing.









I didn't replace the gas tank skid. I ordered directly from Hefty and took a set of what they already had completed and got a good deal. They didn't have a Scab tank skid completed, so I didn't worry about it. Appears the damage tapers off as you work back, therefore I'm not sure it'll be necessary anyhow. After more closely examining the damage taken with the factory ones I wonder if I should've went with the steel version though.









Really wanted / needed them to protect my new Performance Automatic transmission pan. It drops down significantly further than stock. Otherwise, I may have taken on building some of my own if time had permitted.



I do wish the skid on my RPG raceline extended further to allow me to bolt it to the engine skid. Moreover, the OEM engine skid was mangled, so would've liked reinforcement on the engine skid as is on their transmission skid.



Also on my wish-list would've been more protection over the passengers side cat .



On an overall note I'm very pleased and think Hefty makes excellent products! Only thing left to do is beat em up a little !!!

I have high flow cat's in the 4 sale thread.

Wilson said:

I have high flow cat's in the 4 sale thread.

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Hmm, I may consider that. I've been looking at buying a set of the Kooks headers, but as I understand it you have to use your stock Y-pipe with the Performance Automatic pan.

no idea I went with SW they came with cat's I really didn't want them so took them off just to see if any difference than off. it's a bit louder mpg the same power not sure I don't feel like dino ing it just for that lol.