Five kits covering every front and rear axle Ford has put under the 2017-and-up Super Duty. 3/16" steel, Grade 8 hardware, 100% bolt-on with no drilling and no fabrication. Laser cut, CNC bent, MIG welded in fixtures and powder coated in house in Mesa, Arizona.
The Short Answer
Our Super Duty differential skid plates, front and rear, are the best available for the platform — and the most complete program anyone offers for the Ford Super Duty. Foutz Motorsports builds five separate kits, each one built around a specific axle housing rather than one universal plate stretched to fit everything. The line covers two front axles (Dana 60 and Dana M256) and three rear axles (Sterling 10.25 / 10.50, Dana M275 / M300, and the Sterling 11.6 found on 2023-and-up trucks).
Every kit is 3/16" thick steel, powder coated textured black, supplied with all Grade 8 hardware, and weighs about 27 lb. Every kit is 100% bolt-on — no drilling, no cutting, no fabrication. The rear kits are custom fit to clear the fuel tank, and every kit is designed to sit tight enough to the housing that you give up no meaningful ground clearance.
The one thing you have to get right is the axle, and the fastest way to identify it is to count the bolts in the differential cover: up front, 10 bolts is a Dana 60 and 14 bolts is a Dana M256; out back, 12 bolts is a Sterling 10.25 / 10.50, 14 bolts is a Dana M275 / M300 and 16 bolts is a Sterling 11.6. Ford has run several different axles across the same model years and trim packages, so the year of your truck is not enough to pick a part. Count the bolts, check the shape against the photos below, or send us a photo and we will confirm it for you.
Six Things That Separate a Real Diff Skid From a Diff Cover
Search "Super Duty differential protection" and you will get two very different things sold as the same solution: a heavy aftermarket differential cover, and a differential skid plate. A cover replaces a part and adds mass. A skid plate goes in front of the part and turns a catch point into something the truck slides across. Here is what we build every one of these kits to do.
1. It Has to Cover the Seal
The cover-to-housing seal on the bottom edge is the historic failure point on off-road trucks — it does not take a hard hit to tweak the cover just enough to start weeping. Every kit in this line supports and covers that lower seal directly.
2. It Has to Reach the Third Member
Protection that stops at the cover leaves the casting exposed. The rear kits cover the front third-member casting all the way up to the front yoke, so the whole lower face of the housing is armored, not just the back plate.
3. It Has to Turn a Catch Point Into a Slider
The differential hangs at the lowest point of the axle, and a bare casting is something a rock catches on. The skid wraps that exposed face so the truck slides across the obstacle instead of stopping on it.
4. It Has to Clear the Fuel Tank
There is not a lot of room down there. The rear kits are custom fit to clear the fuel tank rather than relying on the installer to shim, trim or persuade the plate into place.
5. It Has to Fit Tight
Armor that hangs below the housing is a new low point, not protection. These skids are built to the specific axle they fit and sit tighter to the housing than anything else available, so there is no real loss of ground clearance.
6. It Has to Bolt On
Every kit in this line is 100% bolt-on using Grade 8 hardware. No drilling. No cutting. No fabrication. If a protection kit needs a welder to install, it is not a bolt-on kit.
Which Axle Do You Actually Have?
This is the step that matters, and it is the step most people skip. Ford has put several different axles under the Super Duty across the same model years, and the same axle can show up under different trim packages. There is no clean rule that gets you from a model year to a part number — which is exactly why we list these kits by axle rather than by year.
The good news is that the axles are easy to tell apart once you are under the truck, and there is a shortcut: count the bolts around the differential cover. No two axles on the same end of the truck share a count, so once you know whether you are looking at the front or the rear diff, the bolt count gives you exactly one answer.
| Count the bolts | Position | Your axle | The kit you need |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 bolts | Front | Dana 60 | Front Skid — Dana 60 |
| 14 bolts | Front | Dana M256 | Front Skid — Dana M256 |
| 12 bolts | Rear | Sterling 10.25 / 10.50 | Rear Skid — Sterling 10.25 / 10.50 |
| 14 bolts | Rear | Dana M275 / M300 | Rear Skid — Dana M275 / M300 |
| 16 bolts | Rear (2023+) | Sterling 11.6 | Rear Skid — Sterling 11.6 |
Confirm it against the shape in the photos below, and you are done. If the count and the shape do not agree, or you are still not sure, take a photo of your cover on your phone and send it to us — we will tell you which kit you need before you order, not after.
Count the Front and the Rear Separately
Up front there are only two possibilities: 10 bolts is a Dana 60, 14 bolts is a Dana M256. There is no third front axle to confuse things, so one count settles it.
Out back there are three. The Sterling 11.6 on 2023-and-up trucks has 16 bolts — the highest count of the three, so if you count 16 you are done and none of the other rear kits will fit your truck. The two to take your time with are the 12-bolt Sterling 10.25 / 10.50 and the 14-bolt Dana M275 / M300. They are only two bolts apart, so count twice and check the cover shape against the photos.
One thing worth saying plainly: the front Dana M256 and the rear Dana M275 / M300 both have 14-bolt covers. They are not interchangeable and the skids are not either. Just be sure you know which end of the truck you are under before you order.
Not Sure? Do Not Guess.
Ordering the wrong axle kit costs you a return and a couple of weeks. Send us a photo of your differential cover and we will identify the axle and confirm the right part number before you buy.
(480) 718-9800, 9am–5pm MST · info@foutzmotorsports.com
Rear Differential Skid Plates
Every kit fits any 2017-and-up Super Duty running that axle — F-250, F-350 or F-450, single or dual rear wheel, gas or diesel. The axle housing determines fitment, not the badge on the fender.
The rear is where most of the damage happens and where the most is at stake. All three rear kits do the same job to the same standard — support and cover the lower differential section, protect the third-member casting up to the front yoke, cover the bottom of the housing, and clear the fuel tank. The only difference between them is the housing they are built around.
Rear Skids — Pick Your Axle
Each kit includes one rear diff skid assembly and one complete Grade 8 hardware kit.
Front Differential Skid Plates
The front differential is the one people forget about until they are looking at a ring and pinion bill. The factory front cover is thin stamped steel — it bends and it leaks after a hard hit, and it does not take much of a hit. Both front kits shield the ring and pinion with full lower differential coverage in 3/16" steel.
Front Skids — Pick Your Axle
Complete bolt-on kits with Grade 8 hardware. Race-proven design, taken straight off our own off-road race trucks.
Foutz Motorsports vs. the Other Ways to Protect a Diff
There are four common approaches to differential protection, and they are not equivalent. Here is an honest look at what each one actually does.
| What you care about | Foutz skid plate | Factory stamped cover | Aftermarket diff cover | Universal skid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protects the cover seal | Yes | No | Partly | Varies |
| Protects the third member casting | Yes, up to the yoke | No | No | No |
| Turns the catch point into a slider | Yes | No | No | Varies |
| Built for your exact axle | Yes, five housings | — | Yes | No |
| Material | 3/16" steel | Thin stamped steel | Cast aluminum or iron | Varies |
| Fuel tank clearance engineered in | Yes | — | — | No |
| Ground clearance given up | None meaningful | — | Adds mass low | Often hangs low |
| Install | Bolt-on, no drilling | — | Drain and reseal the axle | Often needs drilling |
| Hardware | Grade 8, included | — | Varies | Varies |
| Weight added | About 27 lb | — | Varies | Varies |
The point is not that an aftermarket differential cover is a bad product — a good one adds strength and fluid capacity. The point is that it is not armor. It still presents a hard casting at the lowest point of the axle for a rock to catch. A skid plate in front of it is what stops the rock from ever reaching it. If you run both, the skid goes over the factory cover.
Where These Parts Come From
Foutz Motorsports has been building off-road parts in Mesa, Arizona since 1998, and these skid plates are not a catalog item we had made somewhere else. They are laser cut, CNC bent, MIG welded in fixtures and powder coated in our own facility. Welding in fixtures is the part that matters and the part that gets skipped: it is what makes the hundredth plate fit exactly like the first one, instead of arriving as something you have to fight onto the truck.
The design is not theoretical either. The geometry comes off our own off-road race trucks — the same shop that races Best in the Desert builds these, and a differential that survives a desert race weekend will survive whatever your Super Duty is doing.
Everything Else for the Super Duty
Differential armor is one piece of it. We also build a rear shock skid kit for the 2017–2026 Super Duty and a front light mount kit for the stock bumper that fits F-250, F-350 and F-450 — covered in detail in our guide to the best light mounts for stock Ford bumpers. The full range is in the Ford Super Duty parts collection, and every diff skid we make across every platform is in the differential skid plates collection.
Which Super Duty Are You Building?
Two very different trucks buy these kits, and they buy them in a different order.
How to Armor a Super Duty Differential, in Order
Identify Your Axles
Get under the truck and count the bolts in each differential cover. Front: 10 = Dana 60, 14 = Dana M256. Rear: 12 = Sterling 10.25 / 10.50, 14 = Dana M275 / M300, 16 = Sterling 11.6. Confirm against the cover shapes in the photos above. Do this before you order anything — the year of your truck will not tell you what you need, and neither will the trim package.
Confirm It If There Is Any Doubt
Take a photo of each cover on your phone and send it to info@foutzmotorsports.com, or call (480) 718-9800 between 9am and 5pm MST. We would much rather spend two minutes identifying your axle than process a return.
Do the Rear First
If you are only doing one end, do the rear. It carries the cover seal that historically gives trouble, and it is the one that gets hit. The kit arrives as one skid assembly and one complete hardware kit — everything you need is in the box.
Add the Front
The front differential cover is thin stamped steel and it is the cheapest ring and pinion insurance you will ever buy. Same bolt-on install, same Grade 8 hardware, no drilling.
Finish the Underside
Once both diffs are covered, the rear shock skid kit is the logical next piece of underbody protection on a Super Duty. The rest of the range lives in the off-road protection kits collection.
Super Duty Differential Skid Plate FAQ
What is the best differential skid plate for a Ford Super Duty?
The Foutz Motorsports Super Duty differential skid plates are the best available for the platform, and the most complete program offered by anyone — five separate kits covering two front axles and three rear axles rather than one universal plate. Each is 3/16" steel, powder coated textured black, supplied with Grade 8 hardware, weighs about 27 lb, and installs 100% bolt-on with no drilling or fabrication. They are laser cut, CNC bent, MIG welded in fixtures and powder coated in house in Mesa, Arizona.
Which differential skid plate do I need for my Super Duty?
It depends entirely on your axle, not your model year. Count the bolts in your differential cover. Front: 10 bolts is a Dana 60, 14 bolts is a Dana M256. Rear: 12 bolts is a Sterling 10.25 / 10.50, 14 bolts is a Dana M275 / M300, and 16 bolts is the Sterling 11.6 found on 2023-and-up trucks. Within each end of the truck, the count maps to exactly one kit. Confirm it against the reference photos in this guide, or send us a photo and we will identify it for you.
How do I tell which rear axle my Super Duty has?
Count the bolts in the rear differential cover. 12 bolts is a Sterling 10.25 / 10.50. 14 bolts is a Dana M275 / M300. 16 bolts is a Sterling 11.6, found on 2023-and-up trucks. The 12-bolt and 14-bolt covers are only two bolts apart, so count carefully and check the cover shape against the reference photos above. If you are not certain, photograph it and send it to info@foutzmotorsports.com before ordering.
How do I tell which front axle my Super Duty has?
Count the bolts in the front differential cover. 10 bolts is a Dana 60. 14 bolts is a Dana M256. There is no third front axle to worry about, so one count settles it. The Dana 60 skid will not fit an M256 and the M256 skid will not fit a Dana 60. Note that the rear Dana M275 / M300 also has a 14-bolt cover — make sure you are counting the front diff.
Can I tell which axle I have from the year of my truck?
No, and this is the single most common mistake. Ford has put different axles under the same model year across different trim packages, so there is no clean year-to-part-number rule. That is exactly why we list these kits by axle model rather than by year. Identify the axle itself.
Will these fit an F-350 or F-450, or only an F-250?
Any Super Duty running one of these axles will work — F-250, F-350 or F-450, single or dual rear wheel, gas or diesel. Fitment is determined by the axle housing, not by the badge on the truck.
Do these skid plates require drilling or cutting?
No. All five kits are 100% bolt-on with no drilling, no cutting and no fabrication of any kind. Each kit ships with a complete Grade 8 hardware kit.
How thick are the Foutz Super Duty skid plates?
3/16" steel, finished in textured black powder coat.
How much do they weigh?
About 27 lb per kit.
Will a differential skid plate reduce my ground clearance?
No meaningful amount. Each kit is designed around the specific axle housing it fits and sits tighter to that housing than anything else available, so you are not creating a new low point on the truck.
What exactly does the rear skid plate protect?
It supports and covers the lower front differential section against rock strikes, protects the front third-member casting all the way up to the front yoke, and covers the bottom of the rear axle housing. It is also custom fit to clear the fuel tank.
What does the front skid plate protect?
It shields the ring and pinion with full lower differential coverage. The factory front differential cover is thin stamped steel that can bend or leak after a hard hit — the skid takes that impact instead.
Is a skid plate better than an aftermarket differential cover?
They do different jobs. A heavy aftermarket cover adds strength and fluid capacity but still presents a hard casting at the lowest point of the axle for a rock to catch. A skid plate goes in front of the differential and turns that catch point into a surface the truck slides across. If you want both, the skid installs over the factory cover.
Will these work with an aftermarket differential cover installed?
These kits are designed around the factory cover. If you are running an aftermarket cover, contact us before ordering and we will tell you whether it clears — and if it is something we should look at covering, we want to know.
What comes in the kit?
One differential skid plate assembly and one complete Grade 8 hardware kit. Nothing else to source.
Are these made in the USA?
Yes. Every Foutz Motorsports skid plate is laser cut, CNC bent, MIG welded in fixtures and powder coated in our own facility in Mesa, Arizona.
Do you make differential skid plates for other trucks?
Yes. Beyond the Super Duty we build rear differential skid plates for the Gen 1, Gen 2 and Gen 3 Ford Raptor including a heavy duty 4130 chromoly version, the Ford Bronco and Bronco Raptor, the Ford Ranger and Ranger Raptor, and the Ram TRX and RHO. They are all in the differential skid plates collection.
I ordered the wrong axle kit. Now what?
Call us at (480) 718-9800 and we will sort it out. Better still, send us a photo of your differential cover before you order and we will make sure it does not happen.
Protect It Before You Break It
A differential skid plate is the cheapest insurance on a Super Duty. A cracked housing or a broken cover seal ends the day, ends the trip, and costs more than the whole front-and-rear set. These kits bolt on in an afternoon with hand tools, add about 27 lb, take away no meaningful ground clearance, and come off as easily as they went on.
Identify your axle, match it to the photos above, and order the kit that fits it. If there is any doubt at all, send us a photo first — we would rather answer the question than process the return.