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Skid plates?

33K views 60 replies 29 participants last post by  Sather 
#1 ·
The underside of the PM is pretty exposed to debris. With some minimal dirt road (crappy BLM roads) travel I have already dinged up some things under there and almost put a hole in the oil pan (or is it the transmission oil pan?).

Does anyone know of a heavy duty skid plate that is available for the PM?
 
#8 ·
I wanted to bring the string back to the top and ask if anyone has found anyone that manufactures skid plates for the pro master?

I've been underneath and looked at various potential mounting points to manufacture my own and it would be best to start from the main bumper reinforcement and work your Way back .

Someone posted very nice photos when he made himself a front bumper while he was putting lights in the grill . While I have no desire for a front grill guard or for extra lights in the grill or a better front bumper it did expose all of the internal structure behind the bumper to see where you could start a mounting point for the front of a skid plate system. Unfortunately it did not solve any of the problems of rear mounting points .

Obviously the point is to protect the exhaust manifold and all of the oil pans, while not reducing ground clearance any more than absolutely necessary. Any ideas or advice would be appreciated, thank you.
 
#9 ·
We have made one of these skid plates. 1/4" 6061 Aluminum for strength and weight. If we bring them to market the cost will be about $700. We are not sure if Promaster owners will be interested at that price. What do you think?
 

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#12 ·
I'm impressed, it looks good!


I have a couple of things...


First, cost is reasonable. I know what I can bring one from Europe for, albeit they were downright snitty about it because they made it for European vans, not for the Promaster, with either it's diesel or gas engine, and they made no bones about being insulted that I would "alter as needed" the product to fit or add the required cutouts for the gas engine in ours. After speaking with others in the automotive trade that deal with many European folks, that's an affront to them to "alter" their products, after they spent the time, effort, and pride in what they do to make it. I can appreciate that. BTW, their's was made from 16Ga stamped steel, if memory serves.



Second, the purpose of our skid plate is the "trail roads" that have two tire paths with a high center section that grass and other weeds grow in. So that debris getting in those ventilation holes and up against the exhaust manifold IS to be an issue. Been there, done that, so has everyone else that remembers the first days of catalytic converters with the perforated heat shields, and ranchers trucks catching a hay field on fire. Grass in the shield was the problem.



Finally, an observation we found the hard way. We drove our Promaster down 4 miles of absolutely gooey muddy road last fall, for the first time. At 10mph it was all we could do to keep it on the road. I immediately headed for the car wash returning to town, and spent 4 cycles washing mud from underneath, because washing off WET mud is MUCH easier than dry mud. All of the effort went underneath with me on my hands an knees in the wash bay, and I sprayed up front underneath, too. LITTLE did I know until a week later, when we took the van for an oil change, the mechanic asked me if we had driven the van into a muddy ditch, because the lower of the two radiator fans was blocked from running due to mud tossed by the wheels. I still cannot understand how that happened, geometry-wise, and would not believe it could had I not seen it for myself.



I must then ask myself why Chrysler removed those two plastic sections of "skid" plate from production models and only left the one side piece in place??



SO...think about those things also in your design. while allowing proper ventilation, strength, and any other factors.



To date, we're still driving VERY carefully off paved roads. Keep us posted on your design and progress, and THANKS for posting!
 
#13 · (Edited)
A European made Ducato plate, couple of year old pic. Vancompass, I like yours BETTER, IF the front mounting points hold upon impact with those high centers on trail roads we see. The European model has more mounting points up front. Are they more solid with more mounting points, I don't know, you've disassembled, I have not, you tell me.
 

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#14 ·
I love the idea!
KOV I think once said don't try to turn the PM into a Unimog (me paraphrasing drastically) or something to that effect
but we continually get on roads we shouldn't.
I think I'll spend the $700 locally at my favorite welder, and I think he can do it for 1/2, plus it will give me an excuse to
visit that shop again---they love it when I walk in the door. Same guy who did our diamond plate interior trim work.
 
#17 ·
Perfect combination of intelligence, education, interest and experience. Its the skillset we wish our Promaster techs all had!
 
#19 ·
#19 · (Edited)
Fit Rv made a post on their page about a engine guard. 1/8 steel, access holes for oil changes, designed to fit over the second alternator (i assume thats something you can add aftermarket?) It has a number of holes in it which could be smaller or cut with a grate pattern to prevent small gravel kicking up (in my opinion), but they are there for temperature control in the engine compartment which i understand.

I'm waiting for an email back from the builder (edge motor works) to learn cost and shipping.

http://www.edgemotorworks.com/e-guard

https://www.thefitrv.com/rv-tips/promaster-alternator-coverskid-plate-the-final-version/
 
#20 ·
Please update us with what you hear.

I have a related but possibly naive question: if a complete skid plate is too expensive, is it a wise idea to "simply" armor the crucial bits; the bits that could leave you stranded (the 2 oil pans)?

I put "simply" in quotes because many times my "ideas" turn out to be unfeasible...
 
#32 · (Edited)
I was checking out on installing driving lights and noticed that there was no plastic cover on the driver side an also noticed that huge dimple in the oil pan ? I thought it had been damaged until I noticed this thread. Also thought the dealer took off the driver side skid plastics too ? so I assume there is just the passenger side plastic under cover and none on the driver’s side ?
 
#24 · (Edited)
Oh cool, got an email:

"Hi Daniel,
Yes we are still making the E-Guard for ProMaster.
The price is $590, and shipping is a flat $90.
I am travelling this week, but would be able to ship next week.
Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Thank you,
-Gordon White"


Was hoping for a price closer to $400, but its never cheap to make. I'm going to clarify installation: bolts into existing points, etc.

*my one hang up is the large holes they cut in for airflow, good thing in their intent, and i definitely like the large access for the oil plug. But the rest of the holes i wish were a tighter grid pattern, keep the smaller rocks out. gonna see if they can address that. If not i know i personally can weld in a mesh screen, but nicer not to drop $680 and then modify right off the bat.
 
#25 ·
Update on the engine guard,
Gordon called me and we had a great conversation. A couple points he wanted to clarify is that what he sells is -not a 'skid plate'- it's intended to deflect sticks and rocks and the like getting kicked up in to the engine. Not to put the full weight of the van into a boulder, or scrape across high points in a 4x4 road, as 'skid plate' would perhaps imply. Although, in my -personal- opinion, having this installed would be far better for you if you did scrape over a boulder, even though it's not heavily designed for that.

The guard http://www.edgemotorworks.com/e-guard sells is based off of a part made in Europe. Edge Motor specifically made this guard to accommodate and protect the second alternator that can be installed. This design does reduce your ground clearance by maybe an inch (the bulge for the alternator, so if you don't have that 2nd alternator, that would be an unnecessary loss in clearance). They also designed holes to get engine temperatures back to stock levels and a properly located engine oil plug access.

Edge designed mounting hardware to adapt to the American PM (all mounts an bolts included), Their guard mounts directly to existing points, no fabricating or drilling required. Gordon did say there were a couple mount points at the bumper end that may need to have the plastic guards that are on the van opened up a little to make it easier to install.

The metal is a 1/8 mild steel, powder coated.

Gordon was awesome and we are working something out for me to get one without the bulge fabricated in (i don't have the 2nd alternator and no intent to get one), will update on personal experience once i have it.
 
#28 ·
that is definitely a perk being local. Shipping is gonna make this more costly for me being up in oregon.

In full disclosure, the one we are working out for me is one of the european engine guards he has leftover in storage,(i assume they bought a couple for r&d) but with their mounts and hardware. If i want air vents and oil pan access hole i will have to cut those in myself, I build metal sculpture and have a plasma cutter so that's easy. I could fabricate my own guard, but long clean lines and precision metal working isn't where i am best suited, so i'm trading money on this part to gain more time for working on other aspects of the van.

when i say i make metal sculpture this is me: DBmetalArt.blogspot.com you'll see why 'clean' work isn't my thing. I could... but it takes much more time, like alot more for me and the result still isn't as quality.


Elfix, i will definitely post pictures and an account on how it installed. Gordon was great to work with... may be worth a call, he might set you up with some diagrams?
 
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#29 ·
Super art and I like that you sent us the link so we can go there and keep the forum “clean” I did and wouldn’t have missed it for anything. BTW I doubt you need the skid shield. It is a good way to feel good and under some circumstance I suppose it might do some good.
 
#31 ·
^ Thanks! i've been doing it as a hobby since 2005, but last year marked me jumping in and trying it out full time (part of the reason getting the PM, work and travel rig)


Thanks! glad you liked it, i wasn't sure about sharing the link, but since i don't sell anything online i figured it was safe enough. By "clean" you mean not posting photos on the forum and jsut a link?


We do get off the beaten path on more than one occasion... there is one particular trip in the bus: maps said gravel road, unmaintained gravel road, looked alright, some iffy spots but doable for the first half hour, then it turned into a full blown 4x4 road. No way we could have come the other way, but as it was we were traveling down most of the gnarliest dirt we made it, long and short of it, i sometimes get myself in some tight spots. I was leaning towards the Nissan NV as it seemed like it may be more up to a little roughing up, but the interior of the PM wins out (and lets face it, the PM looks the best out of them all). Will have to take some extra thought to where we travel, an engine guard would give me some peace of mind on rougher roads.
 
#33 ·
We live in Quebec, Canada, very far from California. We have a RV built by Panoramic, on a Promaster 3500, 2016 without second alternator. Is somebody available to give (private email) me some measures to do it, by myself, the skid plate. I don’t want to sell to anybody just have the informations to do it. Thank you very much, apologize for my poor english, but we speak French in Quebec City.Regards.
 
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