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Chevrolet Silverado 1999-2006: How to Install Front Skid Plate

Are you looking to protect the undercarriage of your truck while going off road? This article will show you how to install a front skid plate and prevent unnecessary damage.

By Brett Foote - June 4, 2015

This article applies to the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (1996-2006).

Off roading can be a ton of fun, but the fun can quickly come to a halt if you contact the ground a little too hard and tear up the underside of your truck. To prevent that from happening, most four-wheel-drive aficionados install skid plates underneath their vehicles. Skid plates provide a layer of protection for those expensive suspension (and sometimes engine) parts, shielding them from costly damage. They also add a tough look to the truck that's hard to beat. Installing a skid plate is a very quick and easy job that you can do yourself in a minimal amount of time with just a couple of basic tools. Keep reading to learn how it's done.

Materials Needed

  • (2) 9/16" wrenches
  • 13/16" socket
  • Ratchet
  • Front skid plate

Step 1 – Install bolts for skid plate

Use the existing factory holes underneath your truck to install the skid plate. Place a bolt and nut in each of the front holes, as shown in Figure 1, and tighten using your wrenches. Next, use the socket to remove the two bolts which hold the rear transmission mount in place.

  • Figure 1. Install the two bolts and nuts in the front plate, then tighten using the two wrenches.
  • Figure 2. Remove the two bolts from the rear transmission mount.

Step 2 – Install skid plate

Place the plate onto the front where you installed the first two bolts. Use the nuts to secure it in place. Place the other end of the plate onto the bolts on the rear transmission mount and tighten. These bolts should be tightened as close to 65 square ft/lbs as possible.

  • Figure 3. Install front of skid plate onto bolts and tighten.
  • Figure 4. Place rear holes over rear transmission mount bolts and tighten to 65 square ft/lbs.

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