Skid plates question

For most folks; the "strapped to the tank" skidplate works well. You

*have* to drop the tank (which is usually "strapped" in place itself) to mount the plate. It's not that big of a deal; run the tank almost empty and pull the hardware. I'm not familiar with the 2005 F150; but I wouldn't be surprised if it was plastic. If so; you might be looking at 30 pounds; but I'll bet it's less.

If you don't want to drop the tank for installation; you are wandering into custom and/or full-belly plates. I don't think you want to go there on price or installation.

As far as "all that electric stuff fails sooner"; you are about half right. I've lost 1 of the infamous "TFI ignition modules" on my '88 BII in near 300k miles. Substitute points and I can guarantee that in the 40 or more sets of points that there would have been at least 5 short-life or dead-fails out of that. I'll admit; when some of the larger stuff goes bad it is *expensive*. Maybe I've been lucky; but the only electronic or electrical things that have gone bad are:

plugwires (expected) bulbs (expected) o2 sensor (expected) throttle position sensor (expected) and is mainly mechanical anyway speakers (expected) and not all that bad; just new ones sound better. same TFI above (expected) blower motor (expected) dimmer/turnsignal switch (column mount) (still expected) factory radio/tape (started drifting off station-or-I really wanted CD/MP3 ;} )

What's still working?

window motors (one replacement gear fix but not the motor) the "computer" itself door solenoids coil almost all the rest of the wiring etc (but see below)

I will admit that I do have to replace the damned fuse block; Ford's cheesy plastic has cracking problems and it's held in by tiewraps and ductape. The dash headlight switch and the harness socket need replacement (the infamous burning headlight switch recall that Ford says "doesn't apply to the BII") soon as I've scraped and squeezed the contacts too many times.

What I've seen of later vehicles is pretty much the same. There are some horror stories (true) about rigs that have gone thru 3 or more ECUs (Engine Control Units) or whatever the mfr calls their black boxes. There will *always* be those stories. Like all horror stories; one incident can end up sounding like thousands.

I'll admit I'm an electronics tech .. and I had a lot of trepidations about trusting my vehicles to them damned electrons for years. I'll also admit that I think that there is too much of the new systems that can't be maintained by the average owner anymore. That carries over into even qualified mechanics anymore. To be current; a decent mechanic now has to attend (or otherwise achieve) training far more often than in the past. (any mechs want to step up and give examples?)

One thing has occurred; the average mechanic now has a much better understanding of electricity now than was seen 10-20 years ago. I've got my own horror stories about convincing mechanics that a bad alternator diode(when hot) can make a certain two-way radio model change channels unexpectedly. A relay that shows voltage (with a test light) on both sides of the coil *doesn't* drain the battery. (it was the hood light) Putting a fancy 20A "aircraft" circuit breaker in the dashboard and running the hotwire thru a bare hole in the firewall to the battery is worse than no breaker as it's very false security. I still see some of this; but about 1/10th of "back then".

Sorry for the rant.. but I had to deal with a "factory trained automotive technician" last week who was blaming the two way radio I'd just installed in a new Toyota Prius for an engine heat sensor problem. Yes - it's possible. I wasted six hours running a pile of specialised test equipment "sniffing" for "bad radio". When pulled; the sensor was physically cracked at the probe end. ARRGGHHH ~~!!

Thanx for the input about fuel tank skid plates.... I guess I will have to drop the tank.

And concerning the "rant", I couldn't agree more. During my working life I have worn the hat of aircraft electrician, electronic technician and electrical engineer (grad of Univ of Cent Fla). I specialized in satellite communications for 20 years at the systems level and fell way behind in the basic technology advancements....geesh.

Henry

I got the OEM "skid plates" and in my opinion they are a joke. They appear to be made out of sheet metal, by the way I don't think they call them skid plates,something else,probably because they look so wimpy.

on....that

Myself If I want to drag my vehical through the rocks and dirt bad enough to need skid plates, it would not be in a new F150. Personall I think the are a waste of money on a new truck.

sensor was

Actually some Toyotas are kinda sensitive to RFI interferance from some two way radios so the mech was not full of it. The way around that is to use a filter choke in the the power feed to radio and it does two things. It keeps electrical noise generated in car out of radios power feed and it keeps RFI generated in radio from going down power feed and into car. When I bought a new 91 camary years ago there were stories of amatuer two way gear scrambling the ECM in the car. I used a filter choke from day one and never had a problem.

They may be wimpy; but they help stop flying rocks! It may be "just 'my' luck", but I've had more problems with leaks caused by hi-speed dings with sharp rocks kicked loose by the front wheels than bottom smashes.

Even with a decent skidplate or the OEM here; the front of the tank is often still a target for those same rocks. (does depend on location of tank). If it looks like there is a path for them evil projectiles; hang a chunk of mudflap in front of it. ( I used old thresher belt chunks in the past; admitting my age doesn't hurt as much as the age itself anymore)

A hidden stump wont touch the frame but ripa hole in a tank in a heartbeat ! Palmetto stump, cypress knee etc. Some folks use a 4X4 to cross a swamp when hunting, fishing or both ! Blow man, I do need sturdy skid plates or I wouldnt have asked about installation.

A lot of folks use a 4X4 for something more than pushing a snow blade accross a paved parking lot where the worst danger is a concrete curb or a wayward shopping cart.

Henry