Minor Skidplate Mod - Toyota 4Runner Forum

CJ3Flyr · 01-24-2009, 05:43 PM

This seems hardly worth posting but here goes:

I cleaned and waxed the T4R today. When it's all clean I can't stand looking at it from the front and seeing the skid plate "all nasty" looking back at me. I also hated the minor surface rust and the rusty screens.

I removed the two skid plates (took the opportunity to check the front diff fluid) and cleaned them up. I treated them both to a coat of Dupli-color truck bed liner; inside and out. IMHO it looks much better and now I can hose it and spray a little tire shine on it and it'll look great. Touch-up is a breeze too. I also treated the bolts to a dab of anti-sieze. Some have horror stories about snapping bolts so why not?

An unexpected bonus was the rubber spray seems to have made it a little quieter. When it's idling and you walk around the outside there seems to be a hair less noise. It kind of makes sense but I didn't expect it.

rook · 01-24-2009, 06:59 PM

I've done the same thing. Every spring, when I remove it for an oil change the plate gets a coat of undercoating.

thetaxguy · 01-24-2009, 07:53 PM

alaskaman · 01-24-2009, 07:54 PM

way to go Flyer. devil's in the details.....=)

CJ3Flyr · 01-24-2009, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by alaskaman
devil's in the details.....=)

I truly belive that

Rook, I guess you do need to do that and a few other things in that harsh environment.

<<<< · 01-24-2009, 11:02 PM

CJ, that was cruel. I'm sure it's sunny and 70 degrees in Florida, but where most of us live - detailing and waxing only extend to automatic car wash with heather set to max this time of the year... I hate when my wax freezes instead of "drying to haze"

CJ3Flyr · 01-24-2009, 11:09 PM

It's going down to the mid 40's tonight:bugeye: Going boating tomorrow...

NDRYDEN123 · 01-25-2009, 12:01 AM

I would love to see what this would look like. Would you mind posting maybe a few pictures?

J.A. · 01-25-2009, 10:42 AM

Sounds nice, would love to see pics as well. About 20f here right now, so just planning mode only for a few mods, wont get to do them till it warms up

Annoyed · 01-25-2009, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CJ3Flyr
It's going down to the mid 40's tonight:bugeye: Going boating tomorrow...

Anyone want to get together & dump him off the arse end of that boat?

CJ3Flyr · 01-25-2009, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Annoyed
Anyone want to get together & dump him off the arse end of that boat?

Here ya go...

These aren't the best but you'll get the idea.

I didn't spray everything in sight underneath there because IMHO, it just makes a mess. (I removed the skids to clean and spray them.) Without lots of 'prep and masking' spraying everything in sight just creates a situation where undercoat is on things it shouldn't be and adhesion is questionable at best. Shrinkage and poor adhesion of undercoating is how the big three managed to have cars that would show rust within eight or ten months of delivery in the late 60's/early'70's. I don't want to set myself up for frame rot in the name of hiding some minor surface ugliness.

Mike07SE · 01-25-2009, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CJ3Flyr
It's going down to the mid 40's tonight:bugeye: Going boating tomorrow...

My brother in law does this crap to me all the time. Live's in Venice, FL - ...SOB.

CRDT4R · 01-25-2009, 02:05 PM

skids look good.

Yeah it'll be in the low 80's by the middle of the week in south georgia. I'll be hitting up the pool.

<<<< · 01-25-2009, 02:48 PM

Nice work, CJ. Plate bolts do not look stock. Did you switch to stainless?

K.C. · 01-25-2009, 03:14 PM

CJ3Flyr,

Marvelous job!!

I always love the subtle mods. Restoring it back to original.

Just like Chip Foose, he builds his cars so clean that you think it came from the factory like that.

I'm going to have to do this too...thank you for sharing this!!

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