Aftermarket Front Metal Skid Plate Needed?

[waitinUntil2024]

So I was off-roading the other day and approached a rock shelf that was just a bit too high… that silver front skid plate got a nice dent and some scratches and even a small hole. It is surprisingly thin plastic and doesn’t provide much protection for whatever is behind it, so it seems like a great opportunity for an aftermarket product. Has anyone thought about it?

Also curious if anyone has made a similar boo-boo and approached an obstacle that is just a wee bit too tall just wee bit too quick? I have a service ticket in to find out what an OEM trim piece costs, and how much it might be for them to install. I also tore some of the plastic holes on the front of the wheel well as the skid plate pushed back.

I’d love to try something stronger out and even better if there is a potential aftermarket winch mount, but the market is probably too small and immature, unfortunately.

On the bright side, this truck was amazing at tackling a trail rated 7/10 and kept doing things with ease that I didn’t initially think it could do. I didn’t even notice this happened until after a wash with all the mud we went through.

First off, way to have the balls to take it off road! I have been going off road as well and would *love* a metal skid plate under the front!


edit: added a few words

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[R1Tkc]

So I was off-roading the other day and approached a rock shelf that was just a bit too high… that silver front skid plate got a nice dent and some scratches and even a small hole. It is surprisingly thin plastic and doesn’t provide much protection for whatever is behind it, so it seems like a great opportunity for an aftermarket product. Has anyone thought about it?

Also curious if anyone has made a similar boo-boo and approached an obstacle that is just a wee bit too tall just wee bit too quick? I have a service ticket in to find out what an OEM trim piece costs, and how much it might be for them to install. I also tore some of the plastic holes on the front of the wheel well as the skid plate pushed back.

I’d love to try something stronger out and even better if there is a potential aftermarket winch mount, but the market is probably too small and immature, unfortunately.

On the bright side, this truck was amazing at tackling a trail rated 7/10 and kept doing things with ease that I didn’t initially think it could do. I didn’t even notice this happened until after a wash with all the mud we went through.

Did you ever get this fixed? If yes, how much did they quote you? Just did this today so trying to get an idea of how much to replace. Thanks!

 

[graphex]

Did you ever get this fixed? If yes, how much did they quote you? Just did this today so trying to get an idea of how much to replace. Thanks!

The SC said it would start at about $800 and go up from there… I just plopped some gray epoxy into the holes and it is barely noticeable.

 

[R1Tkc]

The SC said it would start at about $800 and go up from there… I just plopped some gray epoxy into the holes and it is barely noticeable.

For that POS plastic?! That’s insane!!
I’ll probably do something similar then. Thank you!

 

[usulio]

For that POS plastic?! That’s insane!!
I’ll probably do something similar then. Thank you!

Rivian service center has too much other expensive stuff to do.
But (as I understand it) they won't let anyone else do the work.
Kind of dug themselves into a hole here.

 

[k3g]

For that POS plastic?! That’s insane!!
I’ll probably do something similar then. Thank you!

It's a singular piece for the entire front fascia:

Everything in blue is the "front bumper" or more technically the front fascia. The fog lights are the only separate part, but they can't get pulled without removing the whole front fascia from the truck anyway.

To replace just the silver "skid plate" plastic requires also replacing the whole fascia. Optimal? Nah. But this is a company that sells a truck with a *single body panel* from bumper to windshield, so optimal isn't really in their vernacular yet.

(side note: image is from a "liberated" section of a service manual that a friendly local body shop had access to, so now I have a piece of the manual too. I don't want to upload it or share too much in case rivian gets mad at that shop, sorry to the DIY info seekers out there)

 

[graphex]

great info k3g! I hope more information like that gets out, it is the only way we’ll ever get some of the aftermarket products or at least a few third party repair options. Isn’t there an upcoming “right to repair” rule coming into effect, at least for farm vehicles? Pretty sure I’ve seen some pictures of Rivians on ranches…

 

[R1Tom]

It's a singular piece for the entire front fascia:

Everything in blue is the "front bumper" or more technically the front fascia. The fog lights are the only separate part, but they can't get pulled without removing the whole front fascia from the truck anyway.

To replace just the silver "skid plate" plastic requires also replacing the whole fascia. Optimal? Nah. But this is a company that sells a truck with a *single body panel* from bumper to windshield, so optimal isn't really in their vernacular yet.

(side note: image is from a "liberated" section of a service manual that a friendly local body shop had access to, so now I have a piece of the manual too. I don't want to upload it or share too much in case rivian gets mad at that shop, sorry to the DIY info seekers out there)

If that whole assembly is $800 that seems like a really good deal then actually.

 

[k3g]

Isn’t there an upcoming “right to repair” rule coming into effect, at least for farm vehicles? Pretty sure I’ve seen some pictures of Rivians on ranches…

Yup! A few states have made progress on this. I was hopeful that CA's SB244 would cover cars, but it explicitly doesn't cover ag/farm equipment (damn you john deere lobbying) yet.

I think regardless we'll see some progress on documentation and diagnostic tooling being available this year.

If that whole assembly is $800 that seems like a really good deal then actually.

I agree. It's a lot of plastic. Not included would be the fog lights, corner radars, pedestrian safety speaker, and any of the other bits you'd take off of one bumper fascia to put onto a new one.

 

[Nine_One_Six_R1S]

Agreed. A skid plate would be great. That was an early priority for us. There were a few issues that deterred us:

1. The bumper components there are ultrasonically welded, which makes them nightmarish to take apart.
2. There isn’t much in terms of hard mounting points to absorb an impact.

I’ve seen a few mounting options via the plastic structures down there, but I didn’t really want to be selling metal veneer and calling it a skid plate . All that said, I’d still like to pursue this some day and would love to hear more feedback and ideas!

Another vote for a front winch option and/or front skid plate.

I always wondered if you could use the front recovery points to attach a winch plate. It would have to be low and non-blocking to sensors/cameras I guess.

 

[Nine_One_Six_R1S]

On the bright side, this truck was amazing at tackling a trail rated 7/10 and kept doing things with ease that I didn’t initially think it could do. I didn’t even notice this happened until after a wash with all the mud we went through.

7/10 base on OnX ratings? I have done quite a few 6/10 based on OnX ratings and have not run into issues. In my area 7/10 is Rubicon trail which I have done in other more capable rigs and I know for a sure I don't want to take my R1S there.

I always wondered how consistent the OnX Ratings are across different areas/states

 

[graphex]

Yes the area is “Adam’s Lake” on OnX and it calls the trail a 7/10. I do agree that it isn’t really a 7/10 though, OnX is pretty inconsistent. Trails Offroad calls it part of the Blair Mointain trail and rates it a 4, but most people have given feedback that it is harder than that rating. I’d say it is a 5-5.5 based on the similar other trails i’ve done. Pretty challenging and really needs 4 low and if you have diffs, a rear locker, but not tall enough shelves that the Rivian can’t handle it if you choose a better line than I did when i scraped my front fascia

 

[theadonnan]

Lots of them for sale on ebay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/2261369948...dHFtbEeVSO3n1e7imGD/GN1Rw=|tkp:Bk9SR5aZ3KyNZA

 

[Riptonite]

Rivian might stock the front facia as one piece, but it does come apart without breaking plastic welds. Here are the bits disassembled. The shiny black panel also comes off, but it was a lot more stubborn clips than I wanted to mess with for the photo op.
Glad to take more pics if anyone has a specific request.

 

[Riptonite]

The skid plate clips along the top are not accessible from underside or the wheel wells, so here is how I found to pop them from the front side. The middle ones are a bit harder because the skid plate has a lip, but pry down and same idea.

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