GMT-800 Yukon Xl Skid Plates

[H2OBound]

Hello!
I have a 2000 Yukon XL 1500 I would like to add steel skid plates to cover the oil pan and transmission. Is there a good source or will I need to have something fabbed? All the plates I have been able to find so far go with lift kits.

Thank you!

 

[CrazyDrei]

Hello!
I have a 2000 Yukon XL 1500 I would like to add steel skid plates to cover the oil pan and transmission. Is there a good source or will I need to have something fabbed? All the plates I have been able to find so far go with lift kits.

Thank you!

H2OBound,

What kind of trails are you planning on doing with your Yukon XL that you think you need skip plates? Oil pan and transmission are extremely well protected by the cross members in Suburban/Yukon XL and adding a couple hundred pounds of extra weight will get you stuck or high centered quicker than if you didn't have them under the truck in the first place. BurbOne is the only other member on here that does technical trails in his truck and would be great resource. I would run rock sliders before I would even think about skid plates.

I took all my skid plates off to decrease the weight of the truck, two years later many rocky and sketchy trails later still not a scratch on the oil pan or the transmission pan.

Good luck, want to see pictures of what ever you end up coming up with and how it affects the engine and transmission cooling.

 

[lilkia]

To answer the OPs question. I believe the 2500 has one or two skid plates the 1500 doesnt. You may also look for 96-99 2500 burbs or p/u. My 99 ccsb 2500 has some skids my burb doesnt. They may work with a little modification. Other than that you will have to have them fabbed or DIY. I would consider 1/4" aluminum plate to save weight or at least put the plates just where needed and not full coverage. Bombing down fire roads is a bit different than running other trails. Sometimes you need a bit of protection.

 

[H2OBound]

Thanks for the replies. I will search for some 2500 skids.

I am not taking on technical trails but more than standard gravel roads. There have been a few places that the crossmember has banged pretty good.

I have replaced the auto level shocks in the rear with some HD coils and leveled the front. I am moving to some larger tires which should help as well.

I was hoping to find something light like a standard 4Runner skid plate as some extra insurance since I travel a lot with my kids.

I will try to post a couple of pictures tonight when I have access to them.

 

[H2OBound]

This is from a trip to North Carolina and is pretty standard. Sometimes the rocks are a little bigger and in less convenient places.

 

[03tahoe]

Check out the first page of my build thread. I would think this is enough skid plate for the sorts of things that a GMT800 truck should/could do. The front skid plates were custom built, the t-case skid is a GM part. The rock sliders were a Trail Gear kit for a Tacoma.
https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/2003-tahoe-build-family-overland-rig.192115/

 

[H2OBound]

03Tahoe,

Thanks for the info. Your truck looks great!
A setup like that is what I had in mind.

 

[lilkia]

Hey h2o that looks like uwharrie?

 

[H2OBound]

Lilkia,

It’s in Pisgah near Grandfather Mountain. There is a gravel road with several campsites on it. This drops off the back side of one of the forks off that road.

 

[rayra]

4wd GMT800s should have a 3/16" aluminum plate under the engine / front axle, a glass-nylon chin "plate" and a steel plate under the transfer case. You can possibly pick them up at a salvage yard.

I've been doodling plate ideas for a couple years to serve as a shield for that big hunk of plastic fuel tank. More of a second-skin idea and not something that will take the vehicle weight during a high center. @Burb One might have built something like it by now.

Thinking about fabbing some plates to shield the rear shock mounts and some sort of frontal protection mounted to the lower control arms for the tie rods / brake lines. But unsprung weight is Bad, mkay. But it's an unprotected area for bashing around the high desert shrubbery or road-crossing animals. But enough about progressive-indoctrinated protesters.

 

[ejwebb]

Z71 skid plates will bolt on easy.

 

[H2OBound]

@ejwebb

It looks like I need to make a trip to a junk yard.

I originally thought the stock plates were all plastic so I was looking at alternatives but responses above indicate at least 2 are steel so I will go that way.

Thanks for your help.