Uprated Underbody Shields / Skid Plates / Armor

[NeuroBeaker]

Hello Edge Enthusiasts,

 

I've been doing some crawling around under the car recently, and I've noticed that the underbody splash shields are a little bit flimsy.  I was wondering if anyone had ever installed something slightly more robust for protection when doing some light offroading.

 

I noticed this product, which is a more comprehensive cover made of plastic (no idea what "plastic steel" is, but I'm guessing it's marketing):

• https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32862272762.html

 

Slightly more beefy, there's a version of an underbody shield that is made of steel:

• https://www.skid-plate.com/steel-skid-plate-for-the-protection-of-the-engine-and-the-gearbox-for-ford-edge-2014

 

That second one might be interesting to combine with:

• https://www.ebay.com/itm/Stainless-Steel-Auto-Front-Rear-Bumper-Skid-Plate-Bull-Bar-For-Ford-Edge-2015/182742973837?epid=2217865063&hash=item2a8c547d8d:g:bssAAOSw~RNZnqJ1

 

I don't think any of these products are going to enable rock crawling or skidding over boulders, but I wonder if they'd be a little bit more protective than the essentially felt/cardboard splash guards that Ford fitted to the underbody.  Are there any downsides to these, aside from cost?  Overheating potential?

 

All the best,

Andrew.

Edited October 15, 2019 by NeuroBeaker

[enigma-2]

On 10/13/2019 at 6:45 PM, NeuroBeaker said:

I noticed this product, which is a more comprehensive cover made of plastic (no idea what "plastic steel" is, but I'm guessing it's marketing):

 

My initial guess is something similar to the "plastic steel" putty marketed by Devcon. It's a mix of epoxy and metal particles. 

 

One concern is that plastic expands and contracts more than the OEM shield and may require better fasteners. (Even the stock fasteners have proven problematic. 

 

If it were me, I would run with the existing panels and replace only when they were near failure. If they hold up, all the better. If not, it's what you were considering anyway.