Dethloff Mfg Intro - Armor, Bumpers & Utility Mods coming to Ford SuperDutys

[AZsurveyor]

We should have hard part prototypes in late next week. I'll share pics once we get them put together


Thanks man!! Please call me when you get a 1500mm cubed print space

Yeah buddy, we should hit some trails! We've been doing some quick overnights down at san rafael swell.

I'm going to launch skid plates first, rock sliders will come a little down the road.

Thanks for the offer man! If you're down to do a video under the truck, just to confirm that everything in the area's we're working with are identical to the 23+ chassis, that would be very helpful. The two chassis I still need fitment info on are the 17-22 6.7 and the 6.2 gas.

Do I need to make a drive and bring you a 22MY with a 6.7?

 

[MDethloff]

Do I need to make a drive and bring you a 22MY with a 6.7?

That would be excellent - we might be able to knock it out with just a video of the undercarriage though if you're game!

 

[AZsurveyor]

That would be excellent - we might be able to knock it out with just a video of the undercarriage though if you're game!

You mean I don't have to pack my bags to drive up to Utah; now I am just bummed.

A video is no where near the fun.

 

[MDethloff]

You mean I don't have to pack my bags to drive up to Utah; now I am just bummed.

A video is no where near the fun.

We can split the difference and meet in Moab

 

[AZsurveyor]

We can split the difference and meet in Moab

Then I will need those sliders you're fabbing up!

 

[Sludgemonkey44]

We should have hard part prototypes in late next week. I'll share pics once we get them put together


Thanks man!! Please call me when you get a 1500mm cubed print space

Yeah buddy, we should hit some trails! We've been doing some quick overnights down at san rafael swell.

I'm going to launch skid plates first, rock sliders will come a little down the road.

Thanks for the offer man! If you're down to do a video under the truck, just to confirm that everything in the area's we're working with are identical to the 23+ chassis, that would be very helpful. The two chassis I still need fitment info on are the 17-22 6.7 and the 6.2 gas.

Happy to help. I’ll send a DM to get the details on exactly what you need.

 

[CaseyJ]

Thanks man!! Please call me when you get a 1500mm cubed print space

Elegoo Orange Storm Giga? Been considering it, just so much floor space! My biggest printer is about 370x370x410mm so I could print it in like 6-8 pieces!

 

[MDethloff]

I’m excited to be close to offering the first legit, XHD skid plates for the super duty’s. We test fitted the engine/trans and t-case skids with the 7.3 today, we have other chassis to fit on & some necessary tweaks identified but so far these are excellent.

Next week we’ll also be testing our shock guards and rear bumper light mounts.

Every one of these is designed for hard-use protection with extensive forming and internal geometry, while maintaining a close fitment to the OEM chassis and keeping install & service simple, and keeping weight appropriately managed.

I look forward to sharing more soon!

 

[dzrtdzl]

Bitchin’!

 

[Utah Ford]

Yup - sign me up! Just get that 6.7 ironed out and I'll come pick up a set! (Literally - I live 45 min away)

The 6.7 should sit higher as well I assume since we don't have that exhaust pipe crossover just in front of the cross member that hangs somewhat low

 

[OmahaBravo]

These look incredible!

Every one of these is designed for hard-use protection with extensive forming and internal geometry

I assume steel due to the discoloration at the welds. 3/16" or did yall go full 1/4"?
dare i ask what they weigh?
How much lower do they sit on a 7.3?

Not sorry for the questions. You brought this attention on yourself

 

[MDethloff]

Yup - sign me up! Just get that 6.7 ironed out and I'll come pick up a set! (Literally - I live 45 min away)

The 6.7 should sit higher as well I assume since we don't have that exhaust pipe crossover just in front of the cross member that hangs somewhat low

Awesome dude, that’s convenient!! It’ll be great to meet up

We have made one skid plate that will cover all powertrains. With the 6.7 we have to have it in roughly the same location as the gas in order to protect the exhaust and to provide adequate crush gap between the skid and the powertrain to account for any deformation under a hard hit.

These look incredible!





I assume steel due to the discoloration at the welds. 3/16" or did yall go full 1/4"?
dare i ask what they weigh?
How much lower do they sit on a 7.3?

Not sorry for the questions. You brought this attention on yourself

Construction is 3/16” steel, right at the sweet spot for strength:weight in this application. Most of the strength comes from the forming and internal geometry rather than simple material gauge. I haven’t finalized the designs but the weight might be quite a bit lighter than one would expect!

Depth under cats is something we’re tweaking. Airflow & heat management and preventing debris buildup, while giving optimal structure and ground clearance, is a balancing act!

 

[AZsurveyor]

You have my attention as well.

Following.

 

[FuelTankReInforcedSkidPlt]

interested in your 6.7 version looks well made.

 

[Utah Ford]

Any updates on the 6.7?? What kind of price point will these have as well?

 

[MDethloff]

We joined the Tremor club a couple weeks ago! Picked up a 26' with the 7.3. We've owned it 3 weeks and are about to hit 3,000 miles on it.

We took it up into the Uintas, Tetons and Yellowstone already. It could use tint and some real tires and suspension but I am very impressed with how nice this truck is. Really looking forward to putting some more miles on it and getting some time in the dirt!

Any updates on the 6.7?? What kind of price point will these have as well?

We got the primary skids test fitted a couple weeks ago and it looks like there are some differences between CAD and the actual truck, so we are making some adjustments to accomodate that, but other than some small dimensional tweaks everything worked really well!!

The skids all work on the 6.7 Powerstroke; we've already accounted for the different exhaust systems, oil filter/drains, mounting, etc. It looks like we'll be able to launch our first phase of products in the next 6-8 weeks, and then be on to our second phase.

It looks like there is a ton of room for aftermarket deep oil pans, so long as they don't sit much lower than the trans heat exchanger or exhaust piping.



We'll get our shock guards on the new truck soon and put some pics of those up, and I'll share more info on the skids as they progress! We're really close now to a legit, complete HD armor system for these sweet trucks!

 

[AZsurveyor]

For whatever it’s worth, I replaced the stock transmission pan with a “shallow” pan from aFe, which adds only 4 quarts over stock and increases the depth by about 1 inch compared to the original.

I honestly don’t forsee any issues with fitment for anyone considering the aFe pan along with this skid plate at its prototype stage.

 

[MDethloff]

For whatever it’s worth, I replaced the stock transmission pan with a “shallow” pan from aFe, which adds only 4 quarts over stock and increases the depth by about 1 inch compared to the original.

I honestly don’t forsee any issues with fitment for anyone considering the aFe pan along with this skid plate at its prototype stage.

View attachment 263153

Sweet thanks for that info!

I haven't seen all the aftermarket pans on the market yet, but I planned the design to accomodate aftermarket pans and drain valves. The geometry of the skid hugs everything pretty tight to maximize ground clearance, and gives enough wiggle room for motor/trans mount bushing and exhaust bushing movement and deformation under impact. I have to check the CAD but I think the pan itself could come down about 4" and be ok.

 

[FuelTankReInforcedSkidPlt]

Sweet thanks for that info!

I haven't seen all the aftermarket pans on the market yet, but I planned the design to accomodate aftermarket pans and drain valves. The geometry of the skid hugs everything pretty tight to maximize ground clearance, and gives enough wiggle room for motor/trans mount bushing and exhaust bushing movement and deformation under impact. I have to check the CAD but I think the pan itself could come down about 4" and be ok.

the PPE deep pan seems to stick just a bit under the cross member.

PPE Transmission Pan Options for the 6.7

We got a little off the rails in another thread, and started talking about the PPE transmission pans. I figured I would make a specific thread with some answers and numbers. This should make future searches for info easier for the next Tremorite. Just got off the phone with PPE tech support...

www.fordtremor.com

 

[Apples]

So I will be wanting a skid, wide enough, but short (front-to-rear) to protect my truck's tie rod. I've seen them offered elsewhere but cannot find the fabricator.

I do have ready to install a transmission skid (will not mention this competitor's company name out of respect for our OP) that covers from the rear half of the engine oil pan, the bellhousing (and related fluid cooler) and transmission pan. The skid is also wide enough to block direct access to the dual exhaust catalysts of the Godzilla V8.

Which got me to ponder what may be not just aerodynamic effects, but any benefits from, skid plates at highway speeds under lifted four wheel drive vehicles like ours, so I asked Go0gle AI:

It replied,

At highway speeds, installing a skid plate under a lifted four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicle generally improves aerodynamics and slightly increases fuel economy by reducing underbody turbulence.
Here is a breakdown of the specific aerodynamic effects.

Turbulence Reduction

• The Problem: Lifted 4WD vehicles have high ground clearance. This allows a massive volume of fast-moving air to flow underneath the vehicle.
• The Factory Setup: The underside of a 4WD vehicle is highly uneven. Exposed oil pans, transmissions, transfer cases, and exhaust components act as obstacles.
• The Skid Plate Effect: A skid plate acts as a partial belly pan. It creates a smooth, continuous surface that bridges the gaps between jagged mechanical components. [1]

Drag Coefficient (\(C_{d}\)) Optimization

• Streamlining: By smoothing out the underbody, air passes underneath the vehicle with less resistance. [1, 2, 3]
• Pressure Differential: A smoother underside allows air to exit the back of the vehicle faster. This reduces the low-pressure wake (vacuum) behind the vehicle that pulls it backward. [1, 2]
• Fuel Efficiency: While a lifted truck is inherently un-aerodynamic, a full-length skid plate can recover roughly 1% to 3% of lost fuel economy at speeds above 60 mph by lowering total aerodynamic drag.

Vehicle Stability and Downforce

• Lift Reduction: High-clearance vehicles naturally suffer from "aerodynamic lift" at high speeds because air gets trapped under the chassis. This can make the steering feel light or floaty. [1, 2, 3]
• Better Handling: A skid plate helps the air move cleanly past the underside instead of pushing upward against flat mechanical faces. This stabilizes the vehicle in high winds and during highway cornering. [1]

The Main Trade-Off: Thermal Management

• Trapped Heat: While a smooth skid plate is great for airflow, it seals off the engine bay.
• Reduced Convection: Air that used to swirl around the hot oil pan and transmission is now blocked.
• The Fix: High-quality aerodynamic skid plates feature integrated louvers or vents. These vents use the high-speed air passing underneath to create a venturi effect, actively pulling hot air out of the engine bay without disrupting the overall smooth airflow. [1]