Aluminum Skid Plated

[EasylyConfused]

Hey Everyone,

Does anyone know of any aluminum skid plates with the exception of Bud Built. Has anyone had any experience with aluminum skid plates?

I just bought a new 4runner a couple months ago, and would like to add some protection to the bottom. I was leaning towards aluminum due to the lesser weight and limited corrosion. (From my understanding aluminum does not corrode as badly as steel as the surface corrosion will seal the remainder of the aluminum plate, similar to anodized aluminum)

However Bud Built charges a $550 premium (~50%) for the 5 skid combo when ordered in aluminum, and I'm uncertain as to whether it would be worth while to go with aluminum or not. I don't really want to add a couple hundred pounds to the bottom of my truck, and I would like to maximize the corrosion resistance. Is the weight difference really all that great to justify the increased cost? From my searches I haven't really seen anyone with aluminum skid plates on here, although there seems to be a few over on the FJ forum. I'm okay with splurging a little if there are some noticeable advantages.

I'm not likely going to be taking this thing out rock crawling or anything too extreme. Although I would like to make an annual trip down south for some off-roading and over landing and the occasional weekend trip, this will be my daily driver, and realistically it will spend far more time on the highway then in the dirt.

Any feed back would be appreciated!

Thanks

 

[Jeremy556]

I would keep stock. If you end up destroying the stock ones, then look for something better.

 

[limamike]

Aluminum can crack with hard hits, so if you plan on doing any kind of rock crawling (or stump crawling...) you'll want steel plates. Is the weight savings worth it? That can probably be argued back and forth until the end of time, but the corrosion resistance probably isn't worth the extra cash. Skids can be painted with anything you want to paint them with, and it'll take longer for any rust to degrade the integrity of the plates than the length of time you'll have the truck.

My advice: stick with regular steel plates.

 

[ColoradoFrosty]

For EasilyConfused, after your describing going out off-road a few times a year and not really looking to hit harder trails, despite my voting for aluminum... I would stay stick with your stocks for now.

I myself have a set of aluminum Asfir skids. I researched quite a bit on these before laying out all the cash required. (TRDparts4u.com seemed to have the best price.)

In only one example, I found a Jeep rental company in Utah that's been using Asfir aluminum skids for years with great results. The same set of skids could be used through numerous vehicles. When they would get a new fleet of Jeeps, the skids would come off the old ones and onto the new. And you can imagine how rental Jeeps can get misused and abused out there. The owner of the company said despite the initial high cost, in the end the skids saved them money on vehicle damage and resale value.

Also during my research on skids I talked to Lisa at BudBuilt about their offering aluminum. They offer them but actually producing and delivering them... she said it would literally be months wait time, and she simply couldn't even guarantee any type of delivery date. (Not to mention the cost of a full set of aluminum BB skids is over $1800 with shipping... gulp.)

But now... if I could have got a full set of BB skids in aluminum... I might have gone that route(?). The Asfir skids do not offer quite as much coverage as the BB skids, the transfer case for example. And a kind of big thing, Asfir does not have a gas tank skid for the 4Runner. The best thing I could find weight/protection wise for the gas tank was the BudBuilt 1/8 steel gas tank skid... I ordered one and it is at the powdercoater now. So between the Asfir skids and the BB gas tank skid it was $1500+ anyway... yeah, pricey.

Maybe if there was more demand for aluminum BudBuilt would actually produce them and have the process dialed... but these Asfir skids are dang nice.

I also have found that the Asfir customer service is top notch. Kelly Ruiz, the Territory Manager at Asfir contacted me a week after my purchase to ask how the install went, if the instructions were complete, if the hardware was all there, etc. She also wanted pictures of my 5th Gen with the skids on for their website. (I did ask them if they were looking at producing a gas tank skid, they are not.)

As LimaMike noted, we all know the debate and can go back and forth forever on trade-offs and the benefits/drawbacks of steel and aluminum. I haven't tested the Asfir skids out myself as I just got them on a week or so ago, but from what I see these are perfect for my needs.

Of course time will tell, but for me the aluminum skids were the way to go.

 

[CAN-03runner]

I have seen both the Bud steel skids on 4runner and FJ, and the Richochet aluminum skids on FJ over the exact same obstacles. Both perform well as protection when hitting rocks...both have their distictive sound too...

What we comment the most, when we are on the trail talking about our equipment is that the steel plates tend to let you slide over rocks, while the aluminum plates seem "sticky" they scratch and rocks dig into them and can be just enough to hold you back sometimes. We often see a trickle of aluminum shards and dust left behind on the rocks, but no usually the steel. That has been the comment. But nothing bad in terms of bending or cracking, etc... so far any way.

 

[Crit Rat]

I think the big factor here in choosing aluminum would be gas mileage. The weight reduction compared to steel should lead to quantifiably better mpg.
It would likely be a small amount but over 100k miles it could easily pay for the difference.

 

[CAN-03runner]

Does anyone know the actual weight of the aluminium skids? They aren't weightless so it might not be significant, plus they sit low and between the axles. Such that if the difference is like 35-50#, it shouldn't be a big deal for the truck.

Esthetics is a big factor with the aluminium skids because you don't need to paint them and the bare aluminium looks pretty good under the truck, especially with the front LCA skids. And they won't rust. You can paint the steel skids with whatever you want, when they scrape on a rock the paint will come off, and it will begin to show rust.

If having the extra weight on full time is a concern for how the truck's handling might be adversely affected and at how the weight might increase gas consumption then since you will not hit difficult trails the stock skids should serve well, especially if you go on a once a year trip.

Also remember skids are bolt on, so you can essentially take a set of buds for example and take them off and just put them back on when you go on your trip.

Another sugestion is keep the stock skids and add to it what is missing like Lower Link Skids, Lower Control Arm Skid , Lower Shock Skids. Everyone who I've offroaded with, before getting lower link skids, come out of the trail with some bendage. Not a big deal, just the end corners bend, but it could have been prevented. many go without at all and never get anymore than those bent corners.

 

[Brian757]

I would personally choose steel over aluminum but this is purely personal choice. Like an above poster said, aluminum will help fuel efficiency by being lighter but for me, if I am going to armor something, I want to make sure it DOESN'T get messed up. I have removed my front factory skid plate since I first changed my oil. Haven't put one back since :/ But I plan to get a steel fabbed skid plate in the future along with my front bumper.

 

[ColoradoFrosty]

Does anyone know the actual weight of the aluminium skids? They aren't weightless so it might not be significant, plus they sit low and between the axles. Such that if the difference is like 35-50#, it shouldn't be a big deal for the truck.

I got these weights from Lisa on the BudBuilt gas tank skid:

• 3/16th Steel: 66lbs
• 1/8th Steel: 45lbs
• Aluminum: 33lbs

I may be wrong but I think on another thread Okki mentioned the weight difference between the 3/16" and the aluminum on a full set of skids adds up to 120lbs?

It's all about tradeoffs...

 

[limamike]

Trade-offs indeed. Will a 120# difference pay for itself over the life of the truck? Maybe. But, I'd use that logic to justify a supercharger first

Also, if you're worried about aesthetics on the bottom of your truck then by all means go for aluminum. But, I suspect if you're worried about what the bottom of your truck looks like you're not really going to do anything serious with it anyway.

 

[Okki]

I crunched the stock skid that covers the front half of my fuel tank at the FJ Summit. I was able to pound it sorta back into shape, but I'll be getting Shrockworks steel plates all the way around.169Lbs in weigh minus about 40lbs for the stock skids that come off, so you're about 129Lbs heavier across the vehicle.

I don't carry passengers that often and 120Lbs is about a passenger, so for me the weight is not really a factor... if it is for you... leave your buddies at home and just take the girlfriend.. :boxer: :bravo:

Okki

 

[EasylyConfused]

I crunched the stock skid that covers the front half of my fuel tank at the FJ Summit. I was able to pound it sorta back into shape, but I'll be getting Shrockworks steel plates all the way around.169Lbs in weigh minus about 40lbs for the stock skids that come off, so you're about 129Lbs heavier across the vehicle.

I don't carry passengers that often and 120Lbs is about a passenger, so for me the weight is not really a factor... if it is for you... leave your buddies at home and just take the girlfriend.. :boxer: :bravo:

Okki

When you think about the weight difference between stock and aftermarket it really isn't that bad. I think for the time being I am going to stick with the stock plates, get some sliders, a small lift and some bigger tires. Depending on how they stand up I might hold on to them for a couple years. By then the vehicle will be a bit older and I will be looking to take it on more difficult trails. Then it would probably be a good time to invest in some steel plates.

How hard did you hit to screw up your stock plates? Your images are what made me think I should invest in plates sooner than later and pushed them up the list ahead of a small lift and tires.

Thanks everyone for the replays, they have been appreciated!

 

[Okki]

How hard did you hit to screw up your stock plates? Your images are what made me think I should invest in plates sooner than later and pushed them up the list ahead of a small lift and tires.

Thanks everyone for the replays, they have been appreciated!

The dent and the tools needed to get them back into shape.:boxer:

I was making a turn with two lines of travel; one with an approach angle that was impossible and one that had one boulder that looked problematic. I turned in, crawled up the ledge.. and as the first rear tire hit the wall I turned the rest of the corner and dropped part of the front into a shallow and high-centered on the boulder.

Pretty much either get better skids, or get a lift. while very capable, it's amazing what an extra inch or two will do for you. if you can't lift it (cost.. wife... other) then start with the better skids.

Okki

 

[DannyLlama]

. if you can't lift it (cost.. wife... other) then start with the better skids.

Okki

:lol: !!

 

[acb88]

Frankenskid

Had a FJ Cruiser with Ricochet skids. Traded the FJ for a 4RNR and knew they shared a common platform so I kept the skids and hoped for the best. FJ was a 2007 so I knew the front/engine skid wouldn't work, but tried the rest. Tried the transmission skid, it fit. Tcase fit, but the crossmember wouldn't. Got a local company (Apex Overland) to custom fab a crossmember. Gas tank skid would not fit. So, bought RCI front and gas tank skids and hoped it would work out. Had to cut the lip on the front skid a little, but it all works now. Will post pics if I can figure out how.

 

[acb88]

Trans fits.

 

[acb88]

Tcase

 

[acb88]

Front cut down

 

[acb88]

Front cut down

 

[acb88]

Tcase