I just bought a 2000 Ranger, 4x4. Already has a lot of aftermarket stuff on it, but I think it was used more as a show truck than as a 4x4. I will be using it as a 4x4 and wanted to know about a skid plate. I won't be able to make one myself so thats not an option. Any tips?

 

Ford makes two skid plates for your Ranger (and my 2002 -- same part): stainless and carbon steel.

The stainless one is thin, but tough. However, I've managed to just about destroy mine. Unless you run into a deal, I recommend the heavier carbon steel ones. I don't have part numbers sorry. I got mine used.

Don't get the stupid plastic box that goes under your radiator -- it's pretty useless. You may already have that in fact.

 

I heard ford quit makin them plates...

But Maybe I'm wrong...

I try to get some for my truck....

 

Part # for the stainless front plate is: YL5Z-5B018-AA. Be prepared to pay out the a$$ from Ford though. Check ebay, I got a stainless one for $50.

 

Very good. I think the carbon steel is a better idea -- like I say, 2 years of offroading has totally destroyed my stainless one.

 

I totally agree that the carbon steel is better, but for $50 I couldn't pass mine up. I will do some checking on the part number for the carbon steel plate, I think that just one number is different, just can't remember which one.

 

Me neither, Bill. Doc (another member here) sold me this one, and he bought the carbon steel one for his -- maybe he has the number written down somewhere. I'm getting one made soon from 1/4" steel plate. I work at a steel mill so the materials are free and a guy in the fab shop says he'll make it up for me.

I totally agree though that the stainless one is certainly better than nothing! It's saved my truck quite a bit of damage. It's been a loyal soldier, but it's time for it to retire!

I'd like to have the new one for the Centralia trip in April.

 

hey john could you do me a favor and get pics of mounting points??

 

I think (99% sure) the part # for the carbon steel plate is: 1L5Z-5B018-AA. This number is a front skid plate, but it does not specify 'carbon steel'.

 

Item Number List Core Price Price
1L5Z5B018AA $202.73 $0.00 $152.05

PLT - FR FRT CS/MBR

From firstfordparts.com, there isnt anything listed for YL57-5B018-AA however. The one above is what I'm guessing to be the Carbon Steel, since CS is in the description, don't trust me on that though. $150 seems kind of high to me too.

 

The stainless plate # is:YL5Z-5B0(zero)18-AA. That did show up in firstfordpatrs.com for $158, however the description is the exact same.

 

That's a pretty normal price.

If you look down the first page of my cardomain site, I think you can see where one of the front bolts is -- on the other side it's in the same place. There are 4 bolts total. 2 of them go into existing holes in the front crossmember (the crossmember being where the front of the lower arms fasten).

The other two bolts go into existing holes in the frame. I tink you can see where the one is on my site. I'll get some pictures but my plate is really whacked so they may lack a sense of "proportion", lol.

 

Yeah.... I think your plate has been toasted at this point! Gotta watch out for those iceburgs....

 

lol! Here's the picture of my skid plate mounting, as it once was, lol. I'll post a current pic from this angle later.



I was mistaken about the front part of the mount. There are TWO bolts on each side in the front. Only one bolt for each side in the back.

 

This is where yours differs from mine, John... Mine has one bolt and one plastic clip for the front mount. I'll hafta see if the hole is threaded for the second bolt tho before I have a new plate made.

 

I'm pretty sure both holes in the frame on the front mounts are threaded. Mine too has the plastic retainers in place of two of the front bolts. I suspect that this is the norm for plates mounted at the factory where John installed his himself and used a real bolt instead of one of the plastic retainers..

 

Im stylin i got that Plastic box... :tear: it looks like my coolers and shyt are falling, and it's kinda funny how Ford put "ribs" on the plastic to make it stronger... i so want the Carbon Steel plate, that plastic box of mine takes a beating, and there's no slope on it, so I can't slide over stuff.

 

why not make ur own? some 1/4 steel should fit the bill

 

Yeah that would work..... I got a 4x4 sheet for 40 bucks..... I had to make some radio mounts. It was FUN let mt tell you trying to bend all that stuff up! Unless you had the proper toold I think you would be better off buying one... Not easy bending up 1/4 into a skid plate (accurately) using a hammer, saw and vise!

 

The holes were not threaded on my truck.

 

Any of them? Or just one set of the forward holes were threaded and the other set wasn't? .. Either way, not hard to fix w/ a tap set..

 

I guess the next obvious question would be does anyone have one for sale?

 

Or you can find really big self tapping screws, as I did/

 

So were any of the holes threaded? If none are on your truck, I'd still be willing to bet they all are on trucks factory equipped w/ a plate. If one set of holes were and one weren't, then I'm willing to bet that mine aren't either and I'm mistaken..

 

Mine did not come with a skid plate... John has my first plate.. The holes were tapped on my truck