Beware!! - EVO Protek Skid Plates

Before I make my comment, I want to give my qualification. I am a CWI (Certified Weld Inspector) with major experience in refineries and power houses. So that's out of the way.

By the looks of a couple of pictures where it's a clean shot and low glare, the tab steel itself is of poor quality. Appears to be stress cracks across the steel at the fracture point. Doesn't mean there isn't a problem. Who knows where else that batch of steel was used.

As to the weld, it is a fillet weld, so there is minimal penetration. It's the width (or height) of the weld that gives it it's strength.
I can't tell the thickness of the piece that the weld is still on, but going to venture it is thicker than the tabs are and that is why the fillet is wider(or taller) than the thickness of the tab steel.

Now, the only way to tell if the rest of the steel is good or bad, is to use NDT (non destructive testing) and the cost of that would probably be close to the cost of the part.
 
kevman65 said:
Before I make my comment, I want to give my qualification. I am a CWI (Certified Weld Inspector) with major experience in refineries and power houses. So that's out of the way.

By the looks of a couple of pictures where it's a clean shot and low glare, the tab steel itself is of poor quality. Appears to be stress cracks across the steel at the fracture point. Doesn't mean there isn't a problem. Who knows where else that batch of steel was used.

As to the weld, it is a fillet weld, so there is minimal penetration. It's the width (or height) of the weld that gives it it's strength.
I can't tell the thickness of the piece that the weld is still on, but going to venture it is thicker than the tabs are and that is why the fillet is wider(or taller) than the thickness of the tab steel.

Now, the only way to tell if the rest of the steel is good or bad, is to use NDT (non destructive testing) and the cost of that would probably be close to the cost of the part.
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It’s all 1/4”
 
kevman65 said:
Before I make my comment, I want to give my qualification. I am a CWI (Certified Weld Inspector) with major experience in refineries and power houses. So that's out of the way.

By the looks of a couple of pictures where it's a clean shot and low glare, the tab steel itself is of poor quality. Appears to be stress cracks across the steel at the fracture point. Doesn't mean there isn't a problem. Who knows where else that batch of steel was used.

As to the weld, it is a fillet weld, so there is minimal penetration. It's the width (or height) of the weld that gives it it's strength.
I can't tell the thickness of the piece that the weld is still on, but going to venture it is thicker than the tabs are and that is why the fillet is wider(or taller) than the thickness of the tab steel.

Now, the only way to tell if the rest of the steel is good or bad, is to use NDT (non destructive testing) and the cost of that would probably be close to the cost of the part.
Click to expand...
Looks like a heat affected zone failure to me. Probably cooled too fast as they pump these out of production.
 
OverlanderJK said:
I emailed evo this morning and got this response. I don’t have the original receipt so we will see what they do. They didn’t respond after this so maybe they already have it taken care of or I’ll hear next week.
View attachment 375679
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Interesting they need a proof of original purchase. I mean they don’t claim a lifetime warranty anywhere on their stuff but for something like this that’s clearly not a large scale incident…? Do ya warranty your stuff or not? Who cares who originally bought it.
 
-AINOKEA- said:
Interesting they need a proof of original purchase. I mean they don’t claim a lifetime warranty anywhere on their stuff but for something like this that’s clearly not a large scale incident…? Do ya warranty your stuff or not? Who cares who originally bought it.
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I kind of agree. And who keeps receipts of stuff like that for that long? I have not gotten a response back from them when I told them I didn’t have it and have not gotten a new skid yet. I guess I’ll reach back out next week.

Also, it was drop shipped from them so I guess it should be in their system too.
 
Wow, sorry to hear & see that. Sure looks like metal failure. I'm thinking like the others, something is loose or broken to cause tension or flexing. Or maybe bolted up with the frame flexed somewhat instead of level? Though once in awhile, raw steel gets delivered that's not up to snuff.
I'm going to make sure I check mine, I actually have needed them for a couple boulders. I've no idea what brand they are. I just know the hole for the oil drain plug is awfully small for my hands. 😁
(They were installed by a previous owner).
 
Been two weeks and I had heard nothing from EVO, not even a response to tell me they were looking into it so I emailed this morning. This is the response I got. I guess I don’t have much faith now since they still need to “check with their team” two weeks later. 🙄

87CA44D2-1655-45C6-9338-385161085C97.jpeg
 
OverlanderJK said:
Been two weeks and I had heard nothing from EVO, not even a response to tell me they were looking into it so I emailed this morning. This is the response I got. I guess I don’t have much faith now since they still need to “check with their team” two weeks later. 🙄

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I don't recall needing a receipt when they replaced my track bar bushings but I guess it was newer stuff and less expensive.
 
CalSgt said:
I don't recall needing a receipt when they replaced my track bar bushings but I guess it was newer stuff and less expensive.
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Yeah who knows. I haven’t searched too hard for their warranty policy but I did look at the page for the skid and it doesn’t say that. Just says lifetime. Maybe the bushing is because it was a known problem.
 
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