Skid Plate?

[Ganudorm]

Ok first of all I'd like to say sorry to bother you guys with so many new threads. I took the plastic undercarriage piece off my bumper tonite that surrounds the fog lights. I'm taking them off tomorow night. A friend of mine noticed that I had an ugly black plastic piece guarding I guess what is the front suspension and axle. He told me I should buy a skid plate and take that off. Good idea or only if I have a lift kit?

[vinniej]

I would. That plastic protects you from mud and not much else. A metal plate is going to protect from rocks and other hard items.

[Wingnut]

I wouldn't bother unless you're going to beat on it pretty hard.

 

I drove my '02 Z71 like I stole it, over some pretty rough stuff, and never had a problem with the stock stuff down there.

[Mark_in_Tulsa]

Ok first of all I'd like to say sorry to bother you guys with so many new threads.

 

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Yeah quit hogging the internet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But seriously that's what we are here for.

 

But a 99 Z71 should have a front skid plate.

 

It did save me once. The road had washed away in front of me, and it went from asphalt to a straight 2 to 3 foot drop. So my skid plate nailed the lip of the asphalt as the front end dropped down. I hit it about 20 mph. Not a thing happened to my truck other than the crap stain in my front seat.

[hoorders]

Ok first of all I'd like to say sorry to bother you guys with so many new threads.

 

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Yeah quit hogging the internet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But seriously that's what we are here for.

 

But a 99 Z71 should have a front skid plate.

 

It did save me once. The road had washed away in front of me, and it went from asphalt to a straight 2 to 3 foot drop. So my skid plate nailed the lip of the asphalt as the front end dropped down. I hit it about 20 mph. Not a thing happened to my truck other than the crap stain in my front seat.

 

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My 2000 Z71 has what I guess they call skid plates..........they are plastic.........I cant see them holding up to much more than water and maybe mud..........no way they would hold up to rocks or an ashphalt pounding...... ...........my 89 Z71 had the aluminum plates from factory.......wish my 2000 did..........

[pm26]

My '06 Z71 has a large factory aluminum skid plate under the front differential and then there is a smaller steel plate under the transfer case.

[5Alive]

The plastic "skid plate" that Ganudorm is talking about is positioned inbetween the front bumper and the aluminum skidplate (to protect the front differential) that pm26 is talking about. So, two different positions/locations upfront are now being discussed... one being behind the other.

[HyperBuzzin]

I thought the "plastic" skid plate type thing also helped with airflow underneath the truck ?

 

Just what I've heard before.

 

A buddy took his off (a different style truck) and said he noticed a slight drop in MPG, and attributed it to the removal.

[redvett]

Removing any of the lower bumper air dam will hurt mileage. The skid plate protects the differental but does not help mileage.

[pm26]

The plastic "skid plate" that Ganudorm is talking about is positioned inbetween the front bumper and the aluminum skidplate (to protect the front differential) that pm26 is talking about.  So, two different positions/locations upfront are now being discussed... one being behind the other.

 

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The plastic part is not a skid plate. It is an engine splash shield and its purpose is only to keep water and mud from splashing onto the engine. It was never designed to protect from contact with rocks or other off road obstacles.

[redvett]

The plastic skid plate in the front is to protect the wireing on the transmission from damage not water and mud from splashing onto the engine. If you do not have a Z-71 you dont have the aluminum skid plates.

[5Alive]

If you do not have a Z-71 you dont have the aluminum skid plates.

 

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I don't have a Z-71, but I definately have the aluminum skid plates. Says so right on the invoice/window sticker, I think it was RPO code NZZ. Anyways, I can see two of them under my SUV... one under the front differential, and one under the transfercase.

 

The frontmost "skid plate" (used in quotes here both before and now, because it really isn't a skid plate, as has been pointed out a few times) is plastic on mine, I've seen the same piece in aluminum, serving as a skid plate.

 

What I would like to get though is the skid plate for the midship fuel tank. I saw one 2001 Suburban that had one (factory mounted), and I've been trying to find another one ever since!

[MS3DALE]

Yea,You do not need to have the Z71 pkg. to have the alum.skid plate.

The Z71 pkg. comes with skid plates,however they are available as a seperate option as RPO Option Code NZZ.

[snoman]

If you are really serious about having and using skid plate as real skid plates, you want steel not aluminum as aluminum while stronger than plastic is not used in a thick enough plate to offer any serious protection (they use it to save weight) A 3/16 th or 1/4 inch plate of steel will take a LOT more abuse that a like amount of aluminum

[Ganudorm]

If you are really serious about having and using skid plate as real skid plates, you want steel not aluminum as aluminum while stronger than plastic is not used in a thick enough plate to offer any serious protection (they use it to save weight) A 3/16 th or 1/4 inch plate of steel will take a LOT more abuse that a like amount of aluminum

 

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The primary reason I asked about the skid plate was because I took my front valance (plastic piece) off the truck that encases the fog lights. I took the plastic piece and the lights off to give me more ground clearance. When I took it off and the fog lights off that plastic piece of garbage of a protector/skid plate showed real bad and it looks honestly ugly. I'm sure it will take abuse eventually so I'm gonna end up buying an aluminum or steel plate.