New Heavy Duty Aluminum Rival Skid Plates Installed! - EV Sportline

[JeromePowell]

Aluminum skid plates might be lighter and look very cool, but they really suck going over rocks. Aluminum skid plates gouge, stopping movement and they tend to deform easily when the weight of the vehicle comes down.

Steel skid plates are heavier, they can rust, but they generally allow the vehicle to slide over rocks better. Steel skids (depending on thickness) generally do not deform as easily and if they do can be beaten back to shape easier than aluminum.

My take is these skid plates are for people who do not really need skid plates in the first place. Is it better than a plastic aero cover, sure. Is it good for difficult off roading over rocks, probably not.

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[Birdowin]

We are working on a few things that will be interesting to you. In other news, we just released our Cybertruck front bumper and it's killer. I am trying to decide if there is enough of a market on the Rivian side for us to make one for Rivian.....take a look here, it's super high quality, OEM-grade - and we integrated winch. Rivian owners want.....?.....let me know

https://tsportline.com/collections/...ront-bumper-with-integrated-high-output-power

I would be interested in a steel front bumper replacement with winch. It would have to incorporate the sensors that are in the original bumpers. Would this void the manufacturers warranty?

 

[Polar]

I would be interested in a steel front bumper replacement with winch. It would have to incorporate the sensors that are in the original bumpers. Would this void the manufacturers warranty?

It should not, but if you incorporate your OEM front sensors and it then one fails after it’s been moved to the new bumper for a length of time hard to prove you did didn’t cause the issue.

 

[HaveBlue]

Most people will stop, back up and take a better line when they belly out. Usually sliding off an obstacle or crashing the suspension is where a plate is used a lot. A metal one will always be better than plastic. I don't think Rivian owners will be running the hammers at competition speed. I'd foresee this being fine for overlanding. It's the rockers that are most vulnerable since they are in line with most high obstacles.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Would this void the manufacturers warranty?

Only warranty on parts you replace with non-OEM. The rest, it’s on Rivian to prove your non-OEM parts caused or contributed to whatever damage you are trying to claim under warranty. That’s the Magnusson-Moss Act. Doesn’t mean they can’t or won’t try. So it’s a process if you fight for your rights.

 

[DMcD]

Interesting. One outstanding question for a Rivian winch-bumper is where to get power from. Supposedly the early trucks actually have power lugs on the distribution block that were designed for high-current loads. Rivian themselves were supposedly working on one and it appeared on a test mule in early 2022, IIRC, but never came to market along with some rock sliders. Given how Rivian Service has behaved with some non-traditional mods, it's entirely possible they wouldn't be willing to road-test or work on a vehicle with a steel bumper if someone needed service.

I love the idea of a new front bumper and would be interested and also a back one to protect the rear quarter panels.

 

[EV Sportline]

Nice skid plate. Funny to see it being put on a Rivian with stock all season tires for taking on all the rocks and trails.

test fitting on a 2025 refresh R1S, that's all!

 

[EV Sportline]

Aluminum skid plates might be lighter and look very cool, but they really suck going over rocks. Aluminum skid plates gouge, stopping movement and they tend to deform easily when the weight of the vehicle comes down.

Steel skid plates are heavier, they can rust, but they generally allow the vehicle to slide over rocks better. Steel skids (depending on thickness) generally do not deform as easily and if they do can be beaten back to shape easier than aluminum.

My take is these skid plates are for people who do not really need skid plates in the first place. Is it better than a plastic aero cover, sure. Is it good for difficult off roading over rocks, probably not.

lol, the option is thin plastic, which is useless....or these 1/4" structural aluminum skid plates. Steel scratches and rusts and is heavier. I think this crowd will accept some 'character' scratches on aluminum. FYI, most all legit baja racing skid plates are aluminum

 

[Polar]

I love the idea of a new front bumper and would be interested and also a back one to protect the rear quarter panels.

With optional swingaway spare tire mount options - please

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Nice skid plate. Funny to see it being put on a Rivian with stock all season tires for taking on all the rocks and trails.

Pending terrain, ATs are not always necessary to drive off-pavement. Try it sometime. You'd be amazed. When I owned a Honda Element, not the best AWD system out there, I drive it for many miles in the Nevada desert exploring long forgotten ghost towns. All on AS tires.

 

[JeromePowell]

lol, the option is thin plastic, which is useless....or these 1/4" structural aluminum skid plates. Steel scratches and rusts and is heavier. I think this crowd will accept some 'character' scratches on aluminum. FYI, most all legit baja racing skid plates are aluminum

Not trying to hurt your sales and I doubt my comments would detour anyone from purchasing these skid plates as most who do will never actually use them (especially not in Baja racing).

Simply speaking from my own experience using steel and aluminum skid plates on different vehicles (JKU Rubicon, FJ40, 70-Series Land Cruiser Prado L322 Range Rover, JKU Rubicon Recon, JLU Rubicon, Defender 110, L405 Range Rover Supercharged 2nd Gen Xterra).

This video explains the difference pretty well:

Steel Or Aluminum Skid Plates - Which Should You Choose

There is a reason AEV chose to use Hot Stamped Boron Steel for the Bison and AEV Edition GM products. It has nothing to do with scratches and everything to do with fracturing and/or deforming the aluminum as well as getting hung-up on rocks. One cannot always simply back up and choose a new line. If you get hung-up on a rock, especially in a very heavy vehicle like the R1T, aluminum tends to gouge and grab the rock whereas steel is more likely to allow the vehicle to slide off the rock.

Personally, my last experience with my previous R1T on OEM 20" AT's was so underwhelming, I have no intention of any serious wheeling in my current R1T. Check out what happened to the forum member who tried to run the Rubicon Trail; he really tested the body rigidity and it actually flexed the aluminum side panels (causing permanent deformation).

You are 100% correct that the product you are selling is much stronger than the OEM plastic.

 

[Paul Hackett]

Another great EV Sportline product. Can’t beat that made in the USA quality!

Not a knock on their products, however, to be accurate RIVAL who designs and manufactures the subject skid-plates for Rivian R1S and R1T models and sold in this case by EV Sportline, is an international corporation with global headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and their products are manufactured in TURKEY and KAZAKHSTAN according to the RIVAL WEB-SITE.

 

[EV Sportline]

Not a knock on their products, however, to be accurate RIVAL who designs and manufactures the subject skid-plates for Rivian R1S and R1T models and sold in this case by EV Sportline, is an international corporation with global headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and their products are manufactured in TURKEY and KAZAKHSTAN according to the RIVAL WEB-SITE.

I think he's referencing our RMaxx Running Boards and Rock Sliders, which are manufactured in the USA

 

[81637]

Are these compatible with the Megawatt rock sliders?

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Are these compatible with the Megawatt rock sliders?

Mounting points and location of each has nothing to do with one another.

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