Smooth skid plate for snow?

[Quixotix1]

Flat belly means losing 1-2" of ground clearance which is like losing 2-4" of tire size. You need to go dig through some of the snow wheeling post from last year. Some of us have been there done that.

To each there own, but based on my 40 years of snow wheeling, I'd happily trade the 1-2" of ground clearance for a smooth toboggan like bottom.

My go-to tire pressure for snow-wheeling is 5 psi and I sometimes drop to 3 psi. Also I run load range C radial tires for good sidewall flexibility so the tires can really bulge out and distribute the load. Even with this, I am often dragging the bottom of my rig fairly heavily. That is, in the snow conditions I prefer to run in -- untracked deep snow -- my tires don't stop sinking until a decent amount of weight is being carried by the under side of the rig. Two additional inches of ground clearance just means the tires will dig down about 2 inches deeper. There is no real advantage to that. There is an advantage if the underside of the rig slides over the snow more easily.

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[ScLeCo]

I think this is what you're looking for.

 

[Snacktime]

You will need new wheels, stock Sasquatch wheels like to lose beads in single digit air pressure. Also realize you going to be moving up wheel sizes so your losing sidewall and footprint. You need to rethink your strategy as bronco has low hanging brackets. It's a battle over ground clearance because you can't get on top of the snow even with low tire pressure. Weight to tire size is to far off and you plow snow. You will be pushing 5500lbs with a winch and light armor.

 

[604Bronco]

Another vote for RCI - I just bought their transmission skid plates for my Tundra and super smooth, especially if you get their engine skid plate too.

https://rcimetalworks.com/product/skid-plate-package-21-bronco/

On my Tundra (I have the ORM front skid plate so disregard that):

 

[Quixotix1]

I think this is what you're looking for.

There's been a number of times where I've been on the same trails/roads as them. If a trail has had significant snowmobile use (which packs the snow) it is often fairly easy to drive. Also, a few snowmobilers will run the roads that I use during the winter. That is, roads that are not officially closed to wheeled vehicles, but that most wheeled vehicles avoid due to the 1 to 10 feet of snow. I had a snowmobile once, but I just prefer snow-wheeling. I like not needing to trailer my rig to the snow, and the challenge is fun too.

Note: I follow the rules carefully. I don't run dedicated snowmobile routes during snowmobile season. But I will run them before and after snowmobile season. The picture shows a groomed snowmobile route in mid May 2022 (well after snowmobile season).

ay 2022 (after snowmobile season was well over).

 

[cbrenthus]

It sounds like you want the underside of your Bronco to look a bit like my M3, I “plated” it for winter road rallies. With the body-on-frame design of the Bronco, I don’t know if you’ll be able to get it as smooth as you’re hoping for.

What?!?! You're just going to drop that one, single pic and not show us the rest?!?! More pics of the M3 please!

 

[Sgt Badlands]

Just spray Pam on your skid plates, you will be fine.

 

[userdude]

http://americantracktruck.com/

 

[Quixotix1]

... realize you going to be moving up wheel sizes so your losing sidewall and footprint. You need to rethink your strategy as bronco has low hanging brackets. It's a battle over ground clearance because you can't get on top of the snow even with low tire pressure. Weight to tire size is to far off and you plow snow. You will be pushing 5500lbs with a winch and light armor.

The Bronco is bigger and heavier than I prefer. Even the Wrangler is bigger than what I consider ideal. Unfortunately I seem to be the only one in the USA that prefers smaller vehicles, so no one sells them here. If I want a highway legal 4X4 less than 20 years old, small and light doesn't seem to be an option.

 

[Msell71]

Last winter I had no problem going through some fairly deep snow, but did get it high centered on a packed drift at the end of my drive. It rode up on the skid plate until the weight flattened it down. Easy to dig out, but I’ll be more careful around drifts.
Stock Sas with the stock tires and skid plates.

 

[RallyGorgo]

What?!?! You're just going to drop that one, single pic and not show us the rest?!?! More pics of the M3 please!

meh, it’s just another German 2-dr sedan… seen one, you’ve seen ‘em all…

 

[Mikerider]

Hi Roger, glad to see your considering a bronco. As far as I am aware the Next Venture motor sports plates are the only ones with UHMW. They have some contour to them but do provide excellent coverage. and give a nice slippery surface. I went with ARB for mine but they are far from the most slippery in the snow. ( my priority was cost, and keeping the plates up high for max clearance.

Excited to see what you do with your Bronco, I love seeing your raider out on the trails.

The bronco does well in the cascade concrete we get most of the time. it does start to dig a bit faster then some of the other rigs I wheel with but it holds its own. loose snow under crust is where I run into the most issue, when you break through a freeze thaw layer into dry layers below you really start to notice the weight of the bronco. I have had good luck at 5-7 PSI.

-Michael

 

[Quixotix1]

Hi Roger, glad to see your considering a bronco. As far as I am aware the Next Venture motor sports plates are the only ones with UHMW. They have some contour to them but do provide excellent coverage. and give a nice slippery surface. I went with ARB for mine but they are far from the most slippery in the snow. ( my priority was cost, and keeping the plates up high for max clearance.

Excited to see what you do with your Bronco, I love seeing your raider out on the trails.

The bronco does well in the cascade concrete we get most of the time. it does start to dig a bit faster then some of the other rigs I wheel with but it holds its own. loose snow under crust is where I run into the most issue, when you break through a freeze thaw layer into dry layers below you really start to notice the weight of the bronco. I have had good luck at 5-7 PSI.

-Michael

Thanks, I really appreciate your Input. It's nice to get a relevant response including pros and cons. That picture looks like an excellent day! I'm guessing you were around 4500 feet there. Nice going.

 

[Mikerider]

Thanks, I really appreciate your Input. It's nice to get a relevant response including pros and cons. That picture looks like an excellent day! I'm guessing you were around 4500 feet there. Nice going.

Good Guess, right around ~5300 feet there, and it was a very good day.

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