Jay Johnson
The best Ford Bronco skid plates depend on what your Bronco already has and where you drive it. A Base or Big Bend with limited factory underbody protection starts from a very different place than a 2026 Badlands, Heritage Edition, Stroppe Edition, or Raptor, which Ford lists with steel bash plates from the factory.
So our first rule is simple: do not buy skid plates by checklist. Crawl under the truck first. Find the exposed parts on your Bronco, then add protection where the factory left a gap.
In This Guide
What Skid Plates Does the Ford Bronco Already Have?
There is no single factory answer across every 2021-2026 Bronco. Equipment changes by trim, package, and model year.
For 2026, Ford lists steel bash plates as standard on Heritage Edition, Badlands, Stroppe Edition, and Raptor, and included with the Black Diamond Package. That means the old advice to immediately replace a supposed factory plastic front skid on every Bronco is too broad.
Before ordering anything, look underneath your truck and identify what is already covered. Aftermarket skid plates make the most sense when they protect an exposed component, improve coverage over a factory plate, or solve a specific trail problem.
Which Ford Bronco Skid Plates Should You Buy First?
For a lightly equipped Bronco that sees rocky trails, front protection and the rear differential are strong places to start. The front takes direct hits on ledges and approach transitions, while the rear differential sits low and exposed between the rear wheels.
For harder rock use, add protection around the front lower control arms, trailing-arm mounts, and rear shock/link mounts. Those parts sit low enough to meet rocks before the body ever does.
If your Bronco already has Ford's full steel bash-plate package, we would not replace factory protection just to say the truck has aftermarket skids. Add pieces where Ford leaves something exposed or where you need stronger coverage for the trails you run.
Front Skid Plates: Full-Height or Low-Profile?
DV8 Steel Front Skid Plate for the Ford Bronco — $449.99
The DV8 steel front skid uses 3.5mm steel plate with 5mm supports. DV8 lists compatibility with the OEM plastic bumper, OEM metal bumper, and DV8 bumpers on the standard Bronco platform.
This is the better fit when you still need a full front skid and want a plate designed to work with factory bumper configurations. DV8 excludes the Bronco Raptor from this application.
Best for: Broncos that need a full front skid rather than a small filler plate behind an aftermarket bumper.
DV8 Low Pro Front Skid Plate for the Ford Bronco — $299.99
The Low Pro is for Broncos already using an aftermarket front bumper. DV8 builds it from 3.5mm steel and uses four factory mounting points.
It does not fit factory bumpers and does not fit the Bronco Raptor. DV8 also notes that factory skid mounts with built-in D-rings may need to be cut flush.
Best for: A Bronco whose aftermarket bumper already provides part of the front-end protection and only needs the lower area behind it covered.
Do You Need Front Control Arm Skid Plates?
DV8 Front Lower Control Arm Skid Plates for the Ford Bronco — $329.99
These are often described too vaguely as "frame-pocket skids." DV8 says the SPBR-02 plates are designed to protect the aluminum front lower control arms and the factory shock bolts from rocks and trail obstacles.
They are made from 3.5mm steel, sold as a pair, and bolt on. DV8 lists them for 2-door and 4-door Broncos, Sasquatch and non-Sasquatch, but excludes the Raptor.
There is one fitment detail worth checking before ordering: DV8 says factory non-Sasquatch wheels with clip-on wheel weights may require a 1-inch wheel spacer. Switching to stick-on wheel weights can avoid that spacer requirement.
Best for: Rocky trails where the lower front suspension is regularly passing close to ledges and exposed rock.
Is a Rear Differential Skid Plate Worth It?
DV8 Rear Differential Skid Plate for the Ford Bronco — $329.99
This is one of our favorite skid upgrades because the rear differential is easy to understand: it is low, centered on the rear axle, and difficult to avoid when the axle drops between rocks.
DV8's SPBR-03 protects the differential, gasket area, pinion, and extends across the rear axle toward the link mounts. It uses 4mm and 5mm steel plate.
DV8 engineered it around the factory differential cover. An aftermarket diff cover may interfere, so check that before ordering.
Bronco Forge's take: if someone asked us for one rear-end skid to add before a rocky trail trip, this would be near the top of the list. It protects an expensive assembly and does not depend on having a specific bumper or suspension setup.
Which DV8 Trailing Arm Skid Plate Does Your Bronco Need?
This is where the article needs to be very specific because DV8 sells two different versions. They do the same basic job but fit different factory trailing-arm mounts.
DV8 SPBR-05 Trailing Arm Skids for Broncos With the OEM Welded Skid — $149.99
SPBR-05 is only for Broncos whose trailing-arm mount already has the OEM welded skid. DV8 uses 3.5mm and 6mm steel plate and a wraparound design.
DV8 lists minor drilling and a partial lowering of the gas tank/skid during installation, with an estimated two-hour install. It does not fit the Bronco Raptor.
DV8 SPBR-06 Trailing Arm Skids for Broncos Without the OEM Welded Skid — $149.99
SPBR-06 is for the opposite factory setup: a trailing-arm mount without the welded OEM skid. DV8 also uses 3.5mm and 6mm steel and requires some drilling.
DV8 currently lists about a two-hour installation and does not list the partial gas-tank drop that applies to SPBR-05. It also excludes the Bronco Raptor.
Before you order either one: look at the frame-side trailing-arm mount. If a factory steel skid is already welded to it, buy SPBR-05. If the mount is bare, buy SPBR-06.
What Do Rear Shock Guard Skid Plates Protect?
DV8 Rear Shock Guard Skid Plates for the Ford Bronco — $149.99
The SPBR-04 guards protect the lower rear shock bolts, lower links, and link mounts. DV8 combines the shock and link protection into a single steel piece on each side.
They use 3.5mm steel and install with factory hardware. DV8 says they work with most aftermarket shocks and lift kits, but there are two important exclusions: the Bronco Raptor and HOSS 3.0 suspension systems.
Shocks with piggyback reservoirs mounted low on the shock body can also interfere.
Best for: Technical terrain where the lower rear shock and link mounts regularly drag or slide across obstacles.
Compare Ford Bronco Skid Plates
What About Transmission and Fuel-Tank Skid Plates?
Bronco Forge does not currently carry a standalone transmission skid or dedicated fuel-tank skid in this DV8 lineup. That matters because this article should not pretend seven products equal complete underbody armor.
If transmission or fuel-tank protection is the reason you are shopping, the products above do not solve that specific need. We would rather say that plainly than sell you a skid for a different part of the truck.
Bronco Forge's Take: Most Broncos Do Not Need Every Skid at Once
We do not think every Bronco owner needs to buy the entire skid-plate catalog on day one.
If you drive pavement and graded dirt roads, spend the money somewhere else. If you run rocky trails, buy protection based on what hangs low and what your trim already covers.
For a lightly protected Bronco, we would prioritize a proper front skid and rear differential protection. For a Bronco that already has Ford's steel bash plates, we would look harder at the lower control arms, rear differential, trailing-arm mounts, and rear shock/link mounts before replacing factory steel that is already doing a job.
The rear differential skid is probably the easiest product here for us to recommend broadly to a trail-driven Bronco. The trailing-arm skids are more configuration-specific. The Low Pro front skid only makes sense with the right aftermarket bumper. The rear shock guards only make sense if your suspension clears them.
That is how we think skid plates should be sold: protect the vulnerable part you actually have, not the longest list of parts we can put in a cart.
Fitment Mistakes to Avoid Before Ordering
Do not assume Raptor fitment. The DV8 front skid, Low Pro skid, control-arm skids, trailing-arm skids, and rear shock guards discussed here exclude the Bronco Raptor unless the product page says otherwise.
Do not assume HOSS 3.0 clears the rear shock guards. DV8 specifically excludes HOSS 3.0 from the SPBR-04 rear shock guards.
Check your trailing-arm mount before choosing SPBR-05 or SPBR-06. One is for a welded OEM skid, the other is for a bare mount.
Check aftermarket differential covers. The DV8 rear differential skid was designed around the factory cover.
Check non-Sasquatch front wheel weights. Clip-on weights can create a clearance issue with the front control-arm skids.
Ford Bronco Skid Plate FAQ
Does every Ford Bronco need aftermarket skid plates?
No. Factory protection varies by trim and package. For 2026, Ford lists steel bash plates on several off-road-oriented configurations. Add aftermarket protection where your specific Bronco has an exposed or insufficiently protected component.
Which skid plate should I buy first?
On a lightly protected Bronco that sees rocks, we would start by checking the front underbody and rear differential. If your trim already has full steel bash plates, look at exposed suspension and axle areas instead.
What is the difference between SPBR-05 and SPBR-06?
SPBR-05 fits Broncos with the OEM welded trailing-arm skid. SPBR-06 fits Broncos without it. Check the mount before ordering.
Do DV8 rear shock guards fit HOSS 3.0?
No. DV8 specifically lists HOSS 3.0 as incompatible with the SPBR-04 rear shock guards.
Will the rear differential skid fit an aftermarket diff cover?
Maybe not. DV8 designed it around the factory differential cover and warns that aftermarket covers may interfere.
Can I install these skid plates myself?
Several are straightforward bolt-on installs. The trailing-arm skids require drilling, and SPBR-05 also involves partially lowering the gas tank/skid. Use the current DV8 installation guide for the exact procedure before starting.
For more on build order, read why rock sliders can come before a bumper and our Bronco mod-planning guide.
2 comments
For mostly forest roads with some rocky sections, would front skid + control arm skids be enough or would you still add the trailing arm ones?
For mostly forest roads with some rocky sections, would front skid + control arm skids be enough or would you still add the trailing arm ones?