Skid plate fell off??!!

[Snoman93]

Hi all, wondering if anyone has an experience of this happening. I did a search of the forum and didn’t see anything that related. On my wives 21 4 door first edition the factory transmission skid plate randomly fell off! The only off road the truck has seen is out 1000’ gravel driveway. Luckily it fell off in the driveway so I was able to get new bolts and put it back. Seems very odd to me all other plates are nice and tight and service it has had is just normal engine oil changes. My ford tremor has some plates also and they are nice and tight. All every odd….

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[broadicustomworks]

Lots better that it happened there for many reasons!
For one, easy to find and fix.
Also that would suck to have coming at your windshield on the interstate.

 

[Lowcountry Bronco]

Monday or Friday build?

I guess be thankful that it fell off in the driveway vice 70 mph down a heavily congested interstate where someone could have gotten hurt.

 

[BlueBronco]

Seems very odd to me all other plates are nice and tight and service it has had is just normal engine oil changes.

Who did the oil changes? That looks like the plate that needs to be removed to drain the oil...

 

[Snoman93]

Yes absolutely the perfect place to fall off if it was going to. Much safer and much easier to fix.

The dealer did the oil changes. I did not look at the drain location for the oil pan when I put it back on. I will have to look under again. Last oil change (second) was in December. I’ll take a look

 

[Snoman93]

Yep just confirmed. That needs to come off. The dealer is the next stop! Looks like the bolts originally have lock tight. Prob didn’t put any back on assuming they actually tightened bolts…

 

[Arrowbear Rider]

My first thought was it was not put back on correctly by tech after oil change; lock tight, torque to the proper ft/lbs or both.

Another thing to worry about when it comes to good employees taking pride in their work. I have problems at work with almost half of the staff there due to their lack of teamwork and just plain lack of work ethics. A couple of the boys need to grow up and act like a man, they are such punks when it comes to helping at the end of their shifts I can't even think of them as grown mature men!

They get away from management because their schedule is full with kids and they would be difficult to replace, and they know it so they don't care about their follow teammates. I judge you by your deeds and those boys and others like them at work will never have my respect!

Sorry that's my rant!

But it makes it hard to trust the work of businesses. Add that the last shop I took my Mazda to tried to up sell me on a brake job that had to happen that day to save $100 in cost if it goes metal to metal. I knew it wasn't that dire and come to find out after wasting money on shipping for pads from Rock Auto and the cost to return them, I find the pads were at 80% of new!

It's becoming very difficult to trust a new shop will have well trained employees doing good work; you know, "taking pride in their work".

 

[Herbie]

Yep just confirmed. That needs to come off. The dealer is the next stop! Looks like the bolts originally have lock tight. Prob didn’t put any back on assuming they actually tightened bolts…

Just as an FYI, I just had my oil changed for the second time since ownership at the same dealer I bought it from. As I was getting ready to pull out, the service rep ran out to me to let me know that the tech left a couple screws out of the bash plate and they were sitting in his magnetic dish. Would bet my bottom dollar that is what happened to you.

 

[Rumpus333]

I just encountered this same problem with Lamarque Ford in Louisiana. First oil change at 5000 miles and the skid plate fell off on the way home. Mine did fall off on the interstate! Luckily nobody was injured.

 

[CitrusBronco]

How’s this even possible 3 different dealers could not perform the most basic of tasks.
I hope you check the oil level right away.

 

[TXBronco1313]

Out of curiosity but what size bolts do they use on these skid plates? Is it a bolt size issue or are they just loose

 

[userdude]

Moral of the story: Take your own engine plate off...

 

[AZ4x4Adventure]

Had the same issue on mine after first oil change. Lost a couple bolts on the way home, thought they were rocks hitting the bottom of car but it was a couple bolts. Got home and saw the plate hanging by 1 bolt.

Now, I check the skid bolts before leaving dealer.

 

[Felix808]

The dealer did the oil changes. I did not look at the drain location for the oil pan when I put it back on. I will have to look under again. Last oil change (second) was in December. I’ll take a look

It is like I saw that coming

If you can put the skid plate back on after having to source the hardware, you should be able to perform your own oil changes in the future to avoid such things. At the very least, remove the skid plate for them & then you know it's done right when you reinstall it

 

[Poppavein]

How’s this even possible 3 different dealers could not perform the most basic of tasks.
I hope you check the oil level right away.

They aren’t using their expensive mechanics for oil changes.

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