Advice Buying New Skid Plate

Aquabear

Aquabear

New member
So before I go today and spend some serious cash on a skid plate I figure I'd throw this thread up and see what comments I get. Bud Built has a good following for building a strong product that many people on here have experienced it successfully guarding thier 4Runner investment.
Anyone have any comments on this?
looks like they have color options and I was thinking black powder coating. My 08 4Runner is black so I figure it'll look like a nice fit. Anyone have any other colors? I'm not a flashy guy but thought it would look cool in red or yellow but I don't want to get a color and a few months later its too bright for me.
Oh yeah will this provide full front coverage? I have looked at some pics on thread here and noticed some rigs with a small/short silver metal skid plate right under and behinf their bumper. Is this needed with the BudBilt skid or is it not necessary- I think I have seen it as a Toyota part maybe TRD but as I said it looks small.
Thanks in advance for your comments.
 
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The small silver skid plate is the toyota accessory skid and doesn't really do much.

The budbuilt site pretty much shows what his will cover. There will still be a small gap between the oem bumper and the skid plate. I think the only way to fix that is custom fab something or get the shrockworks bumper & included skid plate for there.

More 4th gen members on toyota120.com have budbuilts than here.

Josh220 has a black 4r with the red budbuilt
Josh's Build Thread (pg. 13)
 
With your black 4R, I would with Black powdercoated. I personally dont like yellow/red/green, but thats just me. However I have seen naked metal on black and i'd say they look good too.
 
gaterose said:
The small silver skid plate is the toyota accessory skid and doesn't really do much.

The budbuilt site pretty much shows what his will cover. There will still be a small gap between the oem bumper and the skid plate. I think the only way to fix that is custom fab something or get the shrockworks bumper & included skid plate for there.

More 4th gen members on toyota120.com have budbuilts than here.

Josh220 has a black 4r with the red budbuilt
Josh's Build Thread (pg. 13)
Click to expand...

Thanks.
Is the Shrockworks bumper&included skidplate an all in one deal? I went to their website but found no separate skidplate only the combo. For future I'd love to get the combo it looks kickass but not ready to spend that much---yet! Still waiting for my retirement to go thru so only skidplate for now. Also took a quick look at ARB but no skidplate but their bumper look s great too.

Whats the most popular skidplate that users on this site use in your opinion?
 
If you want a hard core off road rig it seems like the full Bud Built set is the way to go. I do some mild to mid range off road running, but no rocks or other extremes. I have the Man-A-Fre front skid and it is very tough (43 lbs.) and looks good. With my Cornfed 3/2 lift, the underside is very visible, so a nice looking skid is crucial. The price was right too, only $225.
 
Contact Kurt At www.expiditioneers.com he can hook you up this is the front on mine
DSC00250.jpg~original
 
About how much is Kurt charging? Any idea about shipping or did you pick yours up?

I'm looking at skids myself and I like the way that one covers that gap.

edit: Aquabear, I don't think the shrockworks skid can be used without the bumper. I'm not certain since I don't have one but I believe it attaches to the shrockworks bumper.
 
Posting this in case anyone is interested. I emailed Kurt at expeditioneers.com last night;
the front skid is $195 + shipping ($60 to me in AL) and he says he can ship when you order (no lead time)

He only had the full FJ set up (and the t-case xmember isn't the same as a 4r) on the website so he added this to: Front Skid Only
 
Thanks all.

Sent email to budbilt to confirm price. If it's 225 it sold! But on the web its $289. I dont do much offroad but do need protection when I do so I need one. They both look like great performers- anythings better than my stock- oh wait I dont have a stock one it FAILED and tore off! but the lower price will win this one as they both look solid! Thanks for all the reviews. Maybe if its a few dollars difference, I'd probably go with budbuilt but for over a $100 I'm calling Kurt!
Ouch for the shipping thou:wow2:
 
Mine is a Budbuilt. It was a pain to install, due the rusted frame bolts (three of which I broke in the process).

Spray the bolts with PBlaster a couple days before you plan to do the install. Have on hand a propane torch. If the bolts are hard to turn, heat them up first. Don't try to muscle them off because the bolts will break surprisingly easily (and I'm not a strong guy).
 
M1911 said:
Mine is a Budbuilt. It was a pain to install, due the rusted frame bolts (three of which I broke in the process).

Spray the bolts with PBlaster a couple days before you plan to do the install. Have on hand a propane torch. If the bolts are hard to turn, heat them up first. Don't try to muscle them off because the bolts will break surprisingly easily (and I'm not a strong guy).
Click to expand...

Thanks bro for the info but my Skids already off. Last summer I got an invite from a fellow T4R guy from here to go to Rausch Creek Off road park, it was a fun day until as I was driving a rock rolled under and stole the skid plate right from under my 4runner, You Bas****!!!
So no bolts to take off, when I got home I removed the bolts that were left.
 
If you get a BudBuilt, you'll still have to take off two bolts -- one on each side of the angled support pieces for the crossmember. Those are the bolts that I broke.
 
I have looked at many different skids and still have not narrowed it down yet. as far as the that gap between the bumper and front rail of the frame, I made my own skid and it turned out great.
 

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I can also vouch for the man-a-fre. Great quality and it was on my doorstep like 3-4 days after i placed the order. about 270 total was my cost including shipping and powder coating.
 
bigwebb83 said:
I can also vouch for the man-a-fre. Great quality and it was on my doorstep like 3-4 days after i placed the order. about 270 total was my cost including shipping and powder coating.
Click to expand...

NICE!!! If (and its a big IF) I get a schrocksworks bumper or??? ARB bumper will the man-a-fre skid fit? I think it should with no problem right?? I know as seen from pics the budbuilt will fit the with the bumper no problem- Josh's pics show it, I can't see the man-a-fre not fitting with the bumper.

Oh yeah does the man-a-fre have an open area to do oil changes so I won't have to remove the skid for oil changes?

Thanks man for your advice.
The red skid on Josh's looks nice but I think over the long term black is more comfortable for me.
 
Trdmedic said:
Was that price for the front and mid skids?
Click to expand...

no this was for the front only. However, it covers the area that two of the factory skids covered if that makes since. I figure by guestamating that I added about 20 pounds net after taking the thin a$$ factory skids off and installing the honcho 43 pound man a fre. It's cool though because I have a weight reducing mod that will counterbalance that and then some hopefully... It's called, a DIET
 
bigwebb83 It's called, a DIET

Holy shi!!!!!!!!!!!!! that was funny as hell. Dude I'm with ya!! Yeah if I could get back to my military fighting weight I'd be 75 pounds faster in my 4Runner- hey then I wouldn't need a Supercharger!!!!!!!!!
Cause it less, don't do hard rockcrawlin(especially around here on an island)
it looks like Manafre it is! I'll give em a call Saturday or monday and order.
 
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