Engine undertrays & sump guards

Engine sump guard: steel, aluminium or composite

Updated 20 October 2026

What a sump guard actually protects

The engine sump, gearbox, radiator and fuel tank sit underneath, and the first hit on a rough road, a high kerb or a pothole lands on them. A punctured sump means lost oil and an expensive repair. A guard costs less than that outcome, but will not make the car invulnerable. Some kits cover only the engine, others also the gearbox, the transfer case or the radiator. Work out what is exposed on your car and say so.

Steel, aluminium or composite

A steel guard (usually 2–3 mm) is the strongest and cheapest and takes heavy hits, but is heavier and can rattle if badly fixed. An aluminium one is lighter, does not rust and sheds heat well, but its strength depends on the thickness and the alloy. A composite or plastic one is lightest and quiet and protects from stones, but not from a serious blow. For city and highway a light one is often enough, for dirt roads, rough tracks and the hills steel is better.

Look at the design too: does the guard leave ventilation, is there a hatch for draining the oil, and will you have to take it off at every service.

Compatibility: why engine and drive matter

A guard is made for a specific trim. A version with a 2.0 petrol or a 2.5 hybrid may have the parts in different places, and four-wheel drive adds an extra gearbox. So besides make and model, give the year, body, engine and drive. This is the difference between “it fits” and “it had to be reworked”.

What to put in the request

• Car make and model: for example Ford Ranger.
• Year and body: for example 2020.
• Material: steel (thickness), aluminium, composite.
• What it protects: only the engine, or also the gearbox, radiator, tank.
• Engine and drive: for example 2.2 diesel, 4x4.
• Maker: a particular one or the original.
• Fitting: needed or not.
• Delivery city and budget.

Example: “I need a 2 mm steel guard for the engine and gearbox of a 2020 Ford Ranger, 2.2 diesel, 4x4. Fitting is needed. Delivery or fitting in Durban, budget up to R 1,200.”

How to compare offers

Ask whether the fixings are included in the price, what exactly the guard covers, and the thickness of the metal. Check whether there is an anti-rust coating. Find out whether the guard is made for your year, whether it changes the ground clearance, and what the warranty and return terms are.

How BlaBlaPrice helps

You create a request, and sellers and fitters reply in the chat: what they offer, the price, whether it is in stock and when they will ship or fit it. The site shows the best offer first, with reviews beside it. Your phone is hidden. Details are in the “How it works” section.

For fitting it yourself, a spanner set will be useful, and you will find other things in the “Car accessories” section.