Looking for suggestions on skid plates...

I've looked at the ford ones and they don't seem to protect the front of the engine.. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.

here's why:
I was on the way to the funeral home to make arrangements for my father in law (who died that morning), following two bmw x5's when we needed to do a u-turn over the long grass medium to get around a traffic jam. The two x5's make it fine, but my 4x4 got something thrown up into the engine belt cutting the belt. It was a tough belt (it lasted another 240 miles) before it finally let go.. (all told the truck had close 700 miles on it that day.. ) but I would like to think that a 4x4 truck should be able to a u-turn over a 40 ft grass medium. Especially getting my goat was that the bmw's had no problem.

So I'm looking for good skid plates for the bottom of the truck that will protect the front of the engine and prevent foreign objects getting into the belt again.

Any good third parties/aftermarkets that anyone would recommend?

thanks!

 

Most of the 3rd party ones will cover pretty much about the same amount as the Ford factory ones cover. About the only way you'll get what you're looking for is to have one custom built. Though if you have any fabrication experience its a breeze. Just use some 1" round tubing for a frame and then put plating in for the skid plate. That will make for a super beefy plate. The plans I have for my Ranger trail truck will be similar to that. Cept I'm gonna use 1.5"x.25" wall tubing (same material my cage will be made from) and then I'll have prob .125" plating for the centers. This will cover the tranny, transfer case, and gas tank.

 

H&M motorsports Vista, Ca; about $800 said and done. powdercoat is extra (about 100-200 depending where you go)
You can fid people to do this work cheaper, but look at what quality of work they do, you get what you pay for

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sweet truck bruddah. which island is phakuu beach on?

 

ROADARMOR makes a serious kick *** bumper, with an armored skid plate and quad fog light cutouts designed into it.

I have pics, but they would not attach.

 

The 4-wheelin in HI looks a lot like CO from those photos.

 

Alright, you caught me, the pic is from Mosquito pass. I guess you know the trail.
Regarding the RoadArmor. It is super beefy, and has really nice work. You won't get any approach angle advantage however. It really matters what you are looking for.
The bumper I have (see above) has the frame rails cut back to accomodate the best approach angle I could get. the frame rails are then boxed shut and tapped. the bumper has a box section fabbed to slide over the frame and then bolts onto the newly tapped box end of the frame. Super strong, and it is not a welded on bumper either.