Hi! I'm currently running a stock 12 TE with KDSS with Duratracs with immediate plans to add the BudBuilt five piece skids with possibly adding the rear diff skid at the same time. At the same time or within weeks, I plan to add RockSliders-I'm currently deciding between the Rocky Road Supersliders and the BudBuilt non beefy bump outs. A lift will be following with ICON dynamics in the forefront with the extended travel option and their tubular UCAs. The Toytec Ultimate lift is the second option.

Should the rear diff skid be a priority in my build or something that should/could wait? The RockSliders are definitely a priority along side the skids.

Thanks for the insight!

Have a look at your diff housing.

Or just take a look at the cost of replacing a rear diff with e-locker.

The differential housings are pretty stout but repeated attacks by rocks can wear them thin. If you plan to be on the rocks a lot, I recommend it. If not, do as Jeremy556 says and look at your housing regularly to see if you need a skid.
And if you want to order all this stuff at once, we will work out some kind of combo deal for you. Just give a call when you are ready!

Thanks!

1 other thing, besides protection of the housing from rocks, is protection for the e locker solenoid, more from sticks and branches.

If you do go with the RR supersliders, try to get a good look of install pictures on the 5th gen specifically...for some reason I recall they don't stick out all that far. I think they are designed to hug very tight to the body?

I only mention this because you are also considering the BB bump outs, which stick out quite a bit, and you might be disappointed on the RR superslider's projection from the side of the body.

If it was me, personally I would just order it all at once and get it over with. If you're anything like me, once you've thought about getting something, you're going to end up getting it sooner than later so might as well save on some shipping and do it all at once, lol.

One last reason to consider sticking with all the same brand is to avoid any interference between the sliders and the skids. Going with all one brand (hint, budbuilt, hint) will insure you have no interference when mounting them up

I agree with the notion of buying a bunch of parts from the same place at the same time. BB gave me a fair deal that included freight shipping and were able to add in some extra paint powder so I could powdercoat the skids and some other parts to match the sliders and winch mount.

Also, all the BB parts fit well with each other and don't require any extra drilling. That being said, I did have to tweak the hidden winch plate a bit by cutting off a quarter inch of the corner to prevent the air con line from rubbing. I am also having issues installing my diff skids and hopefully will get a response from BB soon. Overall, though, the quality is top notch and fitment is very well thought out.

For me, a diff skid is cheap insurance for all of the wires, tubes, and castings attached to the axle. Before you install it, or the other skids, you may want to consider relocating the diff breather. I ran mine up to the engine bay next to the breathers from the front/transfer.

Go with the Bud sliders!! So nice.

And I say get the pumpkin skid now since you can do a combo deal. Call it peace of mind.

I have the RR supersliders and they do fit pretty tight to the truck. I'll grab a pic in a few.

Crappy phone pic in my dark garage. I can try and get better tomorrow if interested.

It should only be a priority if you will be hitting a big rock and damaging the diff any time soon. If you won’t be damaging it then you can wait all the way up till the day before the damage is to occur.

Unfortunately, unlike others I don’t have the power to see in the future so I needed to add the skids – just in case. Some may even say that since you are ordering the other skids it would make sense to do all at one time (while asking Bud for a discount) but you know how they are

I have now reached the limits of my insight. Good luck!