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As the title states, I just changed my oil after installing the Rival Skid Plate. Although this wasn’t my first oil change for my Maverick, it was my first time doing it myself. I’m no stranger to oil changes, having owned many Ford Rangers and done my own. This would have been my 4th oil change since acquiring my 2023 XLT Hybrid in June 2023. The first three changes were done at the dealer using my Ford Points, but today, I decided to do it myself.
I installed the Rival Skid Plate two weeks ago and really like the design. While the plate is only secured with four screws, which are a bit of a pain, I thought I wouldn’t need to remove the skid plate to do an oil change. Boy, was I wrong.
Initially, I removed the oil cap on the engine and proceeded to remove the oil plug. The oil initially overshot the skid plate, which had enough clearance until most of the oil was drained. As the oil level dropped, it stopped streaming and began pooling on top of the skid plate. My vehicle was on a set of ramps, about 6 inches off the ground, enough to get under and change the oil. When I noticed the oil hitting the skid plate, I used paper towels, but it was too late—the oil started dripping from the far right side of the truck.
I realized I needed to remove the skid plate, but not before taking pictures of the pooling. I wondered if Rival had actually tested changing the oil with the skid plate installed. In my opinion, the opening should be an inch or so larger to account for drippage when the pressure slows down. Needless to say, I made a mess of my garage and was seriously frustrated.
After attempting to clean up, I went to remove the skid plate, knowing there would be more oil. Trying to minimize the mess while removing the four screws by myself wasn’t very successful. After removing the skid plate, I cleaned up a lot of oil using too many paper towels. If I had removed the skid plate from the beginning, this wouldn’t have happened. The manual doesn’t indicate it needs to be removed, so most would assume it doesn’t. From my experience, it does.
I can only imagine a dealer leaving the plate on and making this mess. While I’m glad I did this at home, I wonder if anyone else has had this problem. I do like the skid plate, but if I have to remove it each time, it will be a hassle. I cleaned up and everything is spotless now, but I dread the next oil change.
I’m considering finding better hardware for quick release to make removal easier. The current hardware doesn’t require drilling but could be improved. If the opening in the skid plate were enlarged, it would solve the issue. I wonder if @RIVAL 4x4 tested this. I considered removing the plate and going back to the factory one, but I want to find a solution and wanted to share my experience.
Edit 7/28/24:
I am considering one of these Fumoto Drain Valve as a solution to removing the plate
https://www.fumotousa.com/f137n.html
I installed the Rival Skid Plate two weeks ago and really like the design. While the plate is only secured with four screws, which are a bit of a pain, I thought I wouldn’t need to remove the skid plate to do an oil change. Boy, was I wrong.
Initially, I removed the oil cap on the engine and proceeded to remove the oil plug. The oil initially overshot the skid plate, which had enough clearance until most of the oil was drained. As the oil level dropped, it stopped streaming and began pooling on top of the skid plate. My vehicle was on a set of ramps, about 6 inches off the ground, enough to get under and change the oil. When I noticed the oil hitting the skid plate, I used paper towels, but it was too late—the oil started dripping from the far right side of the truck.
I realized I needed to remove the skid plate, but not before taking pictures of the pooling. I wondered if Rival had actually tested changing the oil with the skid plate installed. In my opinion, the opening should be an inch or so larger to account for drippage when the pressure slows down. Needless to say, I made a mess of my garage and was seriously frustrated.
After attempting to clean up, I went to remove the skid plate, knowing there would be more oil. Trying to minimize the mess while removing the four screws by myself wasn’t very successful. After removing the skid plate, I cleaned up a lot of oil using too many paper towels. If I had removed the skid plate from the beginning, this wouldn’t have happened. The manual doesn’t indicate it needs to be removed, so most would assume it doesn’t. From my experience, it does.
I can only imagine a dealer leaving the plate on and making this mess. While I’m glad I did this at home, I wonder if anyone else has had this problem. I do like the skid plate, but if I have to remove it each time, it will be a hassle. I cleaned up and everything is spotless now, but I dread the next oil change.
I’m considering finding better hardware for quick release to make removal easier. The current hardware doesn’t require drilling but could be improved. If the opening in the skid plate were enlarged, it would solve the issue. I wonder if @RIVAL 4x4 tested this. I considered removing the plate and going back to the factory one, but I want to find a solution and wanted to share my experience.
Edit 7/28/24:
I am considering one of these Fumoto Drain Valve as a solution to removing the plate
https://www.fumotousa.com/f137n.html
Sponsored
Last edited:
