Skid plate, tires or lift?

[DefiantDJ]

If you end up spending the money for all 3 (and doing it right with something like a FlatOut system,

Question about the Flatout System... will this help from getting the CV joint problems? Or is it still an issue?

This is the first time I have heard of the Flatout Suspension. I see that is currently in development for the 2025 AWD Hybrid.

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[Spottyatbest]

Hey, man—I have the '23 FX4 and spend a ton of time on trails in AB. I've been many places like Indian Gorge, Canyon Sin Nombre and various other spots. I have AT 235s on my Mav, but will go up a tire size to 245s when I need new ones. This truck performs excellent for what it is...Pretty close to an Outback Wilderness, IMO. A lot of what you mention can be alleviated by careful driving and a bit larger tires (at least in the areas you mention). When the ground clearance and breakover and other angles become an issue, that's my cue to find a camp spot and pop a beer. Mav does VERY well in sandy washes and I never bother to lower PSI. I find it a waste of time and effort. It's not a Jeep or Bronco, but the Mav is a better vehicle than those in 99% of driving situations (IMO). There is that 1% of trail we have to stop and they don't, but...Is that a huge deal? I've taken this vehicle incredible places in NorCal, Idaho, Oregon, and in AZ (back way to Mt Lemmon even). I think better underbody protection would be a good investment—I've had to cut pieces of the felt stuff already, too (ripped a piece off in Coral Canyon OHV). Some better angle bumpers would be rad, if affordable. But—at that point—why not upgrade to a Ranger or similar? As for the lift...I think trail improvement would be minimal to tradeoff of performance on road. Would look cooler though! IDK. That's my two cents.

Coral canyon is the same trail I tore up my felt. I won't be doing that trail again lol. For sure, it does 99% of what I need it to do, some light trails at low speed, getting to some cool camping spots and jumping into a buddies rigs to do some crazy stuff. It's just the occasional rock or hump that is worries me. As for people saying I'm moving into ranger territory, 4x4 ranger (not going back to rwd) that would double my payments, lower my mpg and I don't really do anything crazy to warrant a different class of truck that I would end up dumping mods on anyways.

 

[Spottyatbest]

This is the rival skid on my hybrid. Fits great, no drilling needed, the "clips" to bolt it on are the biggest pain in getting it installed, and it took about 40 mins ish start to finish to do, but I already had most of the factory felt off due to getting somewhere i shouldn't have (and getting back out with no assistance, which really put that other person's comment into perspective)

These are very capable vehicles as they are, even the fwd hybrid has taken me some places i never should've made it to, or back out of

Tires are your biggest friend

Armour is just to keep your stuff safe, and rival is trying to come up with floor skids that don't require drilling to protect the components on either side

The FX4 comes with a skid in that area, I would need something to replace the felt portion. Hopefully rivals floor skids come out soon aluminum would definitely cut the weight down and not drilling 10000 holes would be a huge plus

 

[Cherokee]

How about air suspension instead of a lift kit? That and the before mentioned skid plates.

Any lifting makes your CV joints work at steeper angles.
I would not have bought this SUV height mini truck if I needed real off road chops.
I do fine on my gravel logging roads.
Soon as my fiber underbody gift wrap fails I’ll toss it.
Lower cars back in the day never had protection under there.
I thought the fiber thing under the engine was to improve cooling efficiency and deaden road noise.
I pulled one off my 2016 XLT LWB Ford Transit Connect and found dirt and mud on top of it, about a shovel load.
Never had any problems after that, never noticed any more road noise and no cooling issues or loss of mpg’s due to diminished aerodynamics.

 

[Blue316]

The good thing about air suspension is that it doesn’t have to be lifted all the time. Lifted when needed, lowered when not needed to be lifted. Seems like a good option to me!

 

[Bil13h]

Question about the Flatout System... will this help from getting the CV joint problems? Or is it still an issue?

This is the first time I have heard of the Flatout Suspension. I see that is currently in development for the 2025 AWD Hybrid.

Most come with adjustment bolts and links to reposition the angles to keep it as close to OEM as possible but these fail even at OEM spec, so, there is that. Word on the street is that the new Mavericks have a new part number for a new CV axel that is thicker and better rated

 

[matt44west]

Any lifting makes your CV joints work at steeper angles.
I would not have bought this SUV height mini truck if I needed real off road chops.
I do fine on my gravel logging roads.
Soon as my fiber underbody gift wrap fails I’ll toss it.
Lower cars back in the day never had protection under there.
I thought the fiber thing under the engine was to improve cooling efficiency and deaden road noise.
I pulled one off my 2016 XLT LWB Ford Transit Connect and found dirt and mud on top of it, about a shovel load.
Never had any problems after that, never noticed any more road noise and no cooling issues or loss of mpg’s due to diminished aerodynamics.

Agree with the stuff inside the liner. When I pulled part of mine off after ripping, I got a ton of loose soil and even rocks.

 

[Snox801]

Glad I stumbled on this thread. I have taken my maverick in places I definitely shouldn’t have. Especially in Texas hill country. It actually did better in the CO Rockies. But I only have an xl with 265/60/18 cooper rigged trek. Haven’t had any damage yet other than the exhaust getting pushed up into my rear bumper.
I wanna skid plate the underside and call it a day

 

[Maverickman74]

I say a little bit of everything, but I haven't done any yet, but I bought a Tremor so it's getting me there so far.

 

[Bil13h]

I say a little bit of everything, but I haven't done any yet, but I bought a Tremor so it's getting me there so far.

Tremor comes with all 3

 

[Maverickman74]

Tremor comes with all 3

Just a smidge. But it works!

 

[Bil13h]

It certainly does! They are beautiful machines and the most capable of the lot, if you need more capability and want to put more money into a tremor maverick, then a ranger would have been a better idea, though.

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