just wondering who makes a good front end skid plate? (without a tubed bumper) i got a 2003 ranger . will an older model skidplate fit on my newer truck?

 

the 1998 mid skid plate will fit up to 2007, and a 2001, will fit up to 2007, however, a 2002 fuel tank skidplate may need a new hole on the driveshaft side mount to fit properly on 04+ rangers. tho youd hafta check to see if the holes match up for the front, two of the holes on my frame rails all the way forward are tapped for bolts, the other two arnot. and then on the cross member their not tapped, tho my buddy just put self tapping scraws in the last time we had the plate off in the front.

 

check ebay, just search for 'ranger skid' without the quotes. I have the shiny polished one, tho its not as strong as the carbon steel, it wont rust AND looks nice.

 

Just make one! This one took me about 6 hours over three nites after work to whip up.Worked great this weekend!

 

im not so much worried bout hitting stuff as i am about keeping crap out of my engine compartment

 

Thats why I made mine. Two weeks ago I was out wheelin and we busted up this shallow pond and were having some fun plowing through it till a big hunk of ice snapped off my power steering lines off my rack and destroyed my powersteering cooler.

 

ouch

 

i know this is a newbie question but were does the skid plate bolt on to?

 

It bolts to where the sway bar used to be and to two brackets I welded to the front frame rails.

 

Hey brian, how about making another one? No diamond plate, just flat steel?

 

Are you willing to live without your front swaybar and weld brackets on your truck?

 

no... bummer. I gotta have the sway bar because 95% of my driving is on the road. Oh well, thanks for getting back to me.