A skid plate is a steel plate affixed to the underside of a vehicle to prevent damage to key components in the undercarriage. Skid plates are most frequently found on four-wheel drive vehicles designed for off-road use. Without protection, components such as the transfer case

Transfer case

A transfer case is a part of a four-wheel-drive system found in four-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive vehicles. The transfer case is connected to the transmission and also to the front and rear axles by means of drive shafts...

, oil pan and gas tank could be struck and damaged by rough terrain features on an off-road trail. Today, skid plates are often part of the off-road upgrade packages for trucks and SUVs offered by major automotive companies such as GM

General Motors

General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...

's Z71

Z71

LTZ or ltz may refer to:* a generic high-end trim of Chevrolet vehicles.* Luxembourgish language ISO 639 code* Less Than Zero , a novel by Bert Eastman Ellis...

, Ford's FX4 or Toyota's TRD

Toyota Racing Development

Toyota Racing Development or TRD is the in-house tuning shop for all Toyota, Lexus, and Scion cars. TRD is responsible both for improving street cars for more performance and supporting Toyota's racing interests around the world. TRD produces various tuning products and accessories, including...

off-road package. They can also be purchased as an after-market upgrade from a variety of off-road outfitters.

It is also used on street application for lowered vehicles to prevent the same damages as on off-road application. The skid plate is mainly used as a protection to prevent the oil pan from grinding on speed bumps and boardwalks.