Rival Fuel Tank Skidplate Failure… Looking for stronger alternatives!

[Bushmechanic]

What about the the Plastic HDMP something like that over the aluminum. You see these type of applications in the UTV Aftermarket Products. If I get some new skid plates I am going to put my own plastic outside of the aluminum plate.

I've thought of that a bunch of times in the past, and just decided it was over the top ridiculous. I liked the idea, but felt it was just plain going too far.

Recently, however, I've seen HDPE slides integrated into some fairly expensive plates. I can't remember what they fit. It might have been the new Land Cruiser/GX. Doesn't matter.

I still think it's a cool idea.

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[Aemonn]

What about the the Plastic HDMP something like that over the aluminum. You see these type of applications in the UTV Aftermarket Products. If I get some new skid plates I am going to put my own plastic outside of the aluminum plate.

This right here.
https://nextventuremotorsports.com/...anger-raptor-aluminum-belly-skids-7000-series

 

[pasali]

Wow, those Next Venture skids are pretty sweet!
Wish they were out on the market at the beginning of the year when I was building my truck and I bought my Rival skids. They are a lot more expensive than Rival skids, but I guess that’s the price you pay for American made products.
My Rival skids have held up to a lot of abuse in Moab, so I’m not complaining, but if I was building out a truck now, I would go with these for sure.

 

[Deleted member 9968]

I’m sorry you feel that we would not warranty your skid plate .

With any manufacturing defect we have to inform the factory of the failure to ensure this doesn’t happen again. Per our last conversation we mentioned that we would be sending pictures to the factory. Once they give us the ok that this is a one off weld failure a new plate would have been issued. We never mentioned we wouldn’t warranty it…

While this is no excuse for the cracked weld, did the skid do its job of protecting the fuel tank on impact? We have customers that heavily use/abuse our skid plates but at the end of the day they always did their job at protecting the vital components under them.

I’m a certified welding inspector, and this is clearly a fabrication issue. I would issue an RMA for this product. Based on the weld appearance and inadequate root penetration, this joint should have been welded from both sides. Prior to welding, both mating edges of the formed section should be chamfered to provide proper support to the skid lip and improve fusion.


Ultimately, this comes down to missing/insufficient print callouts or a lack of adherence to the specified fabrication requirements by the supplier.

 

[John E Davies]

This right here.
https://nextventuremotorsports.com/...anger-raptor-aluminum-belly-skids-7000-series

That is cool engineering, but not a cool design - it will allow practically no airflow through the parts, your drivetrain will run hotter without a doubt. And no drainage at all!

It is for people with deep pockets,

• Easily Make It Like-New: Ever need to clean up the bottom of your Ranger after years of tough trails? Just replace the UHMW and your skids will look like new!

It will require tens of hours of labor to remove all those fasteners, hopefully they are blind aluminum rivets, because screws will be seized up…. There is no way to visually inspect the metal between the plastic layers - It will trap moisture there which can corrode and weaken and you would never know it. But maybe your overheated tranny and engine will drive that water out ;(

This product is fine for a full race truck, but not for any daily drivers.

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

 

[Aemonn]

That is cool engineering, but not a cool design - it will allow practically no airflow through the parts, your drivetrain will run hotter without a doubt. And no drainage at all!

It is for people with deep pockets,

• Easily Make It Like-New: Ever need to clean up the bottom of your Ranger after years of tough trails? Just replace the UHMW and your skids will look like new!

That stuff is crazy expensive in large sizes. This product is fine for a full race truck, but not for any daily drivers.

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

 

[hand-filer]

How in the hell is it thermally conducting heat away from the components if there is an air space between the components and the skid plate.
Pure marketing BS.

 

[Aemonn]

Perhaps some of the mounting points? I don't know. Everything is a trade off. Are you more concerned about rocks smashing your components or them burning to a crisp?

I've never been concerned about airflow over components under my vehicle. Most modern vechiles have all sorts of air baffles and shrouds to smoothen airflow and prevent it from going under the vehicle. Heat ventilation from under the vehicle isn't a concern there, not sure why it is here.

I think the dirt and grime getting stuck up there is a good point, but again, if you're looking for full underbody protection it's because you have a legit concern about impacts and you calculate those trade offs. If not, why are you even installing this stuff?

Most of these components get caked with grease, mud and what not, not to mention any underbody treatment folks apply to their vehicles.

I feel it's a bit of splitting hairs over nothing. We have cooling systems on the components that generate the most heat and will see serious degradation from said heat. My tranny and engine are water cooled. If they overheat it means my cooling system is not functioning, not that I'm not getting enough air flow under the vehicle. I'd check my radiator, not my underbody protection.

Then again, I'm not an automotive engineer and maybe it really is a serious concern--but I'd think we'd have all sorts of fins under our vehicles if they were designed to shed heat down there.

I'd not hesitate to add these to my vehicle if I anticipated doing anything where I expect to drag my belly across obstacles. With that sort of driving I'd massively reduce fluid change intervals anyway, regardless of airflow, which I imagine is the proper response to components exposed to higher than normal temperatures.

 

[superj]

Actually, most engine shroud/baffles on the underside creat a low pressure system that allows the higher pressure to push through the radiator and down under the car so the cooling system works efficiently. Thats why there are usually not vents in hoods or the high pressure air on top of the engine wouldnt be there to help direct the air downwards.

Thats why radistors and hoods have all the rubber gaskets too, to direct air through the radiator instead of around it

 

[Aemonn]

That makes sense! Thanks for pointing that out. I always thought it was more about streamlining air flow and increased MPG. My subaru is completely closed up under the engine outside a hole for the oil drain and a door for the filter.

As long as the air flow through the radiators aren't stuffed up completely by adding the skid plates, I'd still choose to deal with slightly elevated temps in exchange for something I'm confident will protect my underside if doing the sort of rock crawling that would justify a full complement of under body protection.

Might be that their claim of no issues with JL skid plates was a result of those platforms being much more open by default.

Anyway, no need to further derail the thread.

 

[Bushmechanic]

Ah, Lian Li computer cases from the early 2000s.

They made phenominal stuff. You wouldn't believe what they'd bother bending out of aluminum, but they also had the audacity to claim their aluminum cases cooled more effectively than other cases simply because they were aluminum.

The fact of the matter is they cooled better because they came with more fans and better airflow management than other cases of the time.

Still. Great stuff, but their marketing made about as much sense as insulating an aluminum skid plate that only has the absolute bare minimum of thermal contact and then claiming it cools better.

 

[Icemilkteaa]

Update: @RIVAL 4x4 thank you for honoring the warranty! I see the shipping notification as of yesterday. Thank you for making the situation right!

 

[Icemilkteaa]

Credit where credit is due!

Looks like the replacement does have full welds, good job updating the design (or maybe my last one was welded on a Friday afternoon)

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