My 2000LC is mostly stock and only occassionaly gets used off-road. On a recent hunting trip, I was very impressed at the degree of protection provided by the skid plates. I have about a 1 mile washed-out logging road to get to the cabin, its very steep. The front bumper and trailer hitch both drag leaving the main road due to the angle of approach.
Due to the mud and snow, I was not able to climb the initial steep part of the trail using my typical slow cautious approach so instead I backed-up, tried it again with more speed, and used the "pin ball" technique.
I always go to left or right of a very large rock the the erosion has exposed. This time my aim was off, but I was already committed--right over the top of the rock I went. Dragging the undercarriage the entire way, most of the time with only two wheels on the ground.
There was lots of smoke (brakes working with TRAC control?) and I was sure from the noise and thrashing that something broke. Needless to say, the skid plates were very scratched but everything was perfectly intact--no damage at all. Phew!! I'm not sure the skimpy "skid plates" on other SUV's would have been so effective.
Due to the mud and snow, I was not able to climb the initial steep part of the trail using my typical slow cautious approach so instead I backed-up, tried it again with more speed, and used the "pin ball" technique.
I always go to left or right of a very large rock the the erosion has exposed. This time my aim was off, but I was already committed--right over the top of the rock I went. Dragging the undercarriage the entire way, most of the time with only two wheels on the ground.
There was lots of smoke (brakes working with TRAC control?) and I was sure from the noise and thrashing that something broke. Needless to say, the skid plates were very scratched but everything was perfectly intact--no damage at all. Phew!! I'm not sure the skimpy "skid plates" on other SUV's would have been so effective.