Skid plate color

[REMOTEPLACES]

I see that some people paint and manufactures have brightly colored skids plates and was wondering if there is a specific reason for it. I assume for some visibility concern. I'm considering painting my skids because there is some minor surface rust; should I consider a color other than black? Thanks for the input in advance.

 

[libarata]

I always chalked it up to style. Should I ever get skids, I want to paint them camo, so no one can see me.

 

[REMOTEPLACES]

I appreciate your sarcasm but as far as visibility is concerned I was thinking along the lines of spotters being able to see contrast between the bottom of the vehicle and the earths surface....maybe I'm wrong, that's why I'm asking.

 

[libarata]

Actually, that had never occurred to me. That makes quite a bit of sense! FWIW, I am intrigued to see what folks say. As I think of it, I do not really recall seeing colors other than black, and shiny metal.

 

[Weekender41]

Mine are desert tan for reasons already mentioned. It is much easier for my new spotter (gf) to see them. And since the bumpers and wheels are black, a black skid would make the entire front of the vehicle black. Desert tan matches my vehicle paint close enough so it is not flashy like some of the blaze orange skids around town.

 

[DCGibbs]

I see that some people paint and manufactures have brightly colored skids plates and was wondering if there is a specific reason for it. I assume for some visibility concern. I'm considering painting my skids because there is some minor surface rust; should I consider a color other than black? Thanks for the input in advance.

An LC40 guy here is town has the Skids and Sliders powered-coated the same color as the truck, which is astrobright green. Mine are covered in Owyhee & Bennett hills dust so often then should be painted that color. You didn't indicate the type of vehicle, so I hope I don't offend; but there is a Jeep running around Idaho; where the Skids, Sliders and rear-bumper are all chrome plated... Yuk. DCG

 

[Inyo_man]

Running raw aluminum skid plates without paint works great- good contrast between the trail surface and plates.
The only steel skid plate I have left is the OEM radiator bash plate.
The steel gets blasted with bed liner (black), but is not the low point on the front end.

 

[iluv83vettes]

A guy I used to run with had his vehicle painted black with lime green bumpers. I asked him why his bumpers were green and he said, "so you can see the angle of the truck against the ground in pictures."

 

[mog]

On my old FJ40 (son has it now) I stripped the skid plate red & white with a large HELP across it.
I figured if anyone could read that, I surly needed help.
In our local area we have quite a few vehicles go off the road and down into creek or river 'canyons' upside down and they are not visible from the air or even a road search due to the dark nature of the underside of most cars.

 

[Xrunner]

On my old FJ40 (son has it now) I stripped the skid plate red & white with a large HELP across it.
I figured if anyone could read that, I surly needed help.

That's brilliant, I may have to borrow this for my next rig build.

 

[pappawheely]

On my old FJ40 (son has it now) I stripped the skid plate red & white with a large HELP across it.
I figured if anyone could read that, I surly needed help.
In our local area we have quite a few vehicles go off the road and down into creek or river 'canyons' upside down and they are not visible from the air or even a road search due to the dark nature of the underside of most cars.

 

[mog]

On my old FJ40 (son has it now) I stripped the skid plate red & white with a large HELP across it.

It is off right now for some maintenance on the FJ40, so I had my son take a photo of it.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I always thought it was vanity. Aren't all trucks flat black on the chassis and chalky, white paint above? I once mentioned I was going to paint my front skid plate with a red and white target on it and my wife rolled her eyes.