RCI Aluminum Gas Skid Installation Question

T

tigger

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For those who have installed the RCI aluminum gas skid, did you put the carriage bolts facing out or in towards the tank?

I started installing them inwards, but the slot in the aluminum is so wide, I feel like the bolt will turn and then I will never get it out. But they stick out so far the other way, it is a rock hazard.

Did you change out to hex bolts instead of carriage?

Also, do you have a huge gap between the tank and skid? I have nearly an inch and probably closer to 1.5" near the front with the skid pressed all of the way up. Seems like a lot of wasted clearance. :frusty:

Thanks for the assistance.
 
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tigger said:
For those who have installed the RCI aluminum gas skid, did you put the carriage bolts facing out or in towards the tank?

I started installing them inwards, but the slot in the aluminum is so wide, I feel like the bolt will turn and then I will never get it out. But they stick out so far the other way, it is a rock hazard.

Did you change out to hex bolts instead of carriage?

Also, do you have a huge gap between the tank and skid? I have nearly an inch and probably closer to 1.5" near the front with the skid pressed all of the way up. Seems like a lot of wasted clearance. :frusty:

Thanks for the assistance.
Click to expand...

I installed them facing in. RCI says you can install either way, I figured though it was more difficult to install prevents it from getting hung up on rock or branches etc.

I dont remember if it was hanging down a bunch dont think that it was as that is something that would have stuck oit to me more than the stock skid plate. I can look tomorrow when it is light out.
 
In installed two of them out, but the one near the rear axel CV I pointed in to prevent the cv from possibly hitting it. It tightened up fine anyway :)

Before you tighten the bolts that fasten the legs to the skid, push the skid up as far as you can, that takes out a lot of gap, but you WANT some gap there in the end, a good rock high center may still bend the skid and you don't want it immediately pushing in on the tank.
 
I ended up switching out to hex head bolts for now. I had three with the same thread pitch and it made it a little easier to install. WIll look at upgrading to button head or something later.

Now need to figure out where and how the transfer case skid crossmember installs.

I assume you need to remove the bolt to the fuel line bracket and slid it in behind there. Also need to figure out which direction it mounts.
(I really hate incomplete instructions)
 
tigger said:
I ended up switching out to hex head bolts for now. I had three with the same thread pitch and it made it a little easier to install. WIll look at upgrading to button head or something later.

Now need to figure out where and how the transfer case skid crossmember installs.

I assume you need to remove the bolt to the fuel line bracket and slid it in behind there. Also need to figure out which direction it mounts.
(I really hate incomplete instructions)
Click to expand...

Yeah that seems pretty common :D

That sounds right from what I remember...
 
I have steel but I face the bolts out, honestly I was just happy to be covering the back half of my gas tank with SOME protection it was better in the end.

I hope I never drag the side of the skid plate to hit those bolts... I'll be in trouble if I do.
 
I am lost on the bolt situation for the cross member.

There are only 6 total bolts that I can find in the cross member, 4 that attach it to the frame that run horizontally and 2 that attach to to the t-case or tranny.

There are 4 holes that look like they line up with the skid plate holes but the bolts are way too long. Am I looking on the wrong spot.
 

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Did you completely remove the diagonally mounted support tubes that one end was bolted to those two holes?

The diagonal tubular support piece needs to stay attached. That takes up like 1/2 inch of space spacing the skids downwards and using up the rest of that bolts length when you sandwich all three items together using those holes.
 
I just installed the RCI tranny and tcase skids this afternoon onto the front skid I installed a few weeks back. It looks like you already have the front installed. Before the next two I went ahead and installed the supplied crossmember for the tcase skid first. Yes the instructions did not go into full detail but if you look hard enough at the photo you eventually figure it out. To answer your questions...yes you have to remove the 12mm bolt holding the lines on the inside driver side frame rail. Insert crossmember flange between bracket and frame rail. Reinstall using supplied 13mm bolt and washer. Also, the two outside holes on the crossmember face towards the front, and the center hole is towards the rear (the center hole is offset from the outer two) when the crossmember is oriented correctly.

Once the crossmember is installed, start with inserting the tranny skid into the front skid, and work backwards. They all lap on top of one another. One last piece of advice...when installing the tranny skid, i went ahead and completely removed the tube supports that tie between front crossmember and frame. It makes it much easier to get the skid lined up and held, then you just reinstall the tubes, sandwiched between the two skids and tighten all back together agsin. Hope this helps.
 
Here is what it should look like (With the skids installed)

CrossmemberBolts.jpg

Red is the 50mm (2in) bolt in use. Green points to the diagonal which uses up 1/2 inch of that bolt...

If no diagonal, you can get shorter M8x1.25 bolts from Home Depot.

Aaaactually, now that I think about it, you can't use shorter bolts as the skidplate will likely hit the exhaust. You need to use a spacer or even a stack of washers to space it down.
 

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Thanks for the help. It is those diagonal support tubes that I am missing. That is why I was so confused on the instructions.

I wonder of the skid would act as a replacement for those or if I should look into replacing them.

I assume they are to help keep the frame square.
 
tigger said:
I didn't remove anything. This is how I got the vehicle. I think there is a part missing underneath.
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Woah he's right. It appears you are missing the tubular ties between your frame and center crossmember. They sandwch between the two skids and with the long bolts tie it all together. If thats how you found it, beats me...
 
The more I dig into this vehicle the more I believe it has been in a pretty substantial wreck. Missing parts, hood appears to have been repainted. Front flares are falling off. Mud as far up a vehicle as possible. Probably sank it somewhere.

I hate this truck. I should have never bought it. I think the dealer screwed me royally.

Thanks for the help guys.
 
tigger said:
Thanks for the help. It is those diagonal support tubes that I am missing. That is why I was so confused on the instructions.

I wonder of the skid would act as a replacement for those or if I should look into replacing them.

I assume they are to help keep the frame square.
Click to expand...

They /may/ strengthen the cross member if it gets hit, keeps it from bending. Or it may actually just be to protect the cats from damage.

If they are cheap, then sure, if they cost like $150 each Id just forget about it and use a stack of washers :D The skids may actually perform much of the same function the diagonals were performing anyway.

Good luck on the rest of the install though. ANd don't worry about it too much. Everything I have ever installed required a bit of re-engineering or quick thinking on my part (and 1, 2 or even 3 trips to home depot to finish), THat's just the way things always go :)
 
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Toyota diagrams are terrible. Having a hard time picking out the correct part. I am guessing #12
 

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That was my guess when I first looked at the diagram, nothing else seems close.

Well off to bed for me :)
 
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I have a 2011 SR5 and I didn't have the support tubes either. I purchased it new and I know it has never been in a wreck. If I recall correctly, I had to purchase some 3/4 or 1/2 in aluminum spacers to put between the frame and the skid since the support tubes aren't there. I'll try to dig up the info after work
 
I found the info quicker than planned. It was a 3/4 in spacer. Not using one will let the skid push up against the exhaust. In the second pic you can see the spacer near the center.

e024101c71ec270fa596588d26f8f84d.jpg


0f9cfecaff6269007bee50c39d6f04ad.jpg
 
mace. said:
I have a 2011 SR5 and I didn't have the support tubes either. I purchased it new and I know it has never been in a wreck. If I recall correctly, I had to purchase some 3/4 or 1/2 in aluminum spacers to put between the frame and the skid since the support tubes aren't there. I'll try to dig up the info after work
Click to expand...

Thanks,
Maybe the SR5s didn't come with them. Maybe it has something to do with an extra skid.

I ended up using 7 large washers until I can find a single piece spacer.

Thanks for the pics and info.
 
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