Aluminum Skid Plates?

[Rynooo]

I just discussed this with some PHs in South Africa, where the Toyota land cruiser is the ideal bush vehicle, and these things are tested off road in real conditions daily. They endorsed the use of the aluminum skid plates. I think that the strength is also an exponential function of thickness, so while aluminum is 1/3 the strength, so if it's twice as thick, it's 4 times as strong. I might be wrong about the math of it, but I am going to get a set of plates and we will see how it goes.

600% thicker for twice the strength or 300% for the same strength, assuming the 1/3 strength figure is correct, of course.

 

[wfo9]

What mostly matters is the spans and how it is shaped and bent for strength. Aluminum can work very well. Mine are beat to heck, but still doing the job. I doubt many would push theirs as hard as I do mine. The weight savings is well worth it IMHO for most people. I would run aluminum sliders if someone had them for our trucks. I may try to build my own at some point.

There are times when the steel would be preferred, but overall I think the aluminum is still my choice.

 

[jdtaylor42]

I agree that you need to honestly consider where you wheel and how careful you are at choosing lines. I wheel in places that most would not take their 4R's but I choose my lines carefully and the skid plates act as a last resort rather than me relying on them to get me over/past obstacles. I have had my RCI aluminum skids on for half a year now and have only hit them maybe 5-6 times and they haven't bent or dented at all.

However, if I planned on running very rocky trails or my skill level led me to hit the skids very often I probably would have gone with their steel version. Personally I just really like the no-maintenance of aluminum. With steel, every time you scratch it, you need to touch it up so it doesn't rust.

 

[wfo9]

Here is what my aluminum RCI gas tank skids looks like after a ton of offroad miles in extreme rocks and ledge... can't possibly count how many times I have hit it. It's beat up good, but still 100% functional and no rust.....

 

[emmantik]

So approximately how much lighter is the alum compared to steel if earlier post mentioned the 5pc is about 200lbs? Thanks!

 

[Woz1976-MT]

So approximately how much lighter is the alum compared to steel if earlier post mentioned the 5pc is about 200lbs? Thanks!

I checked RCI's website, and this is what they list for their skid plate "package":

Material: 3/16” Steel or 1/4” 5052 Aluminum Alloy
Weight: Steel - 117lbs.; Aluminum - 67 lbs.

I'm assuming other manufacturers will have different thickness/weight specs, but I have thought about this topic quite a bit (how I intend to use my '16 TE) and for my non-rock bashing off-roading the weight savings is important as a daily driver.

 

[emmantik]

I checked RCI's website, and this is what they list for their skid plate "package":

Material: 3/16” Steel or 1/4” 5052 Aluminum Alloy
Weight: Steel - 117lbs.; Aluminum - 67 lbs.

I'm assuming other manufacturers will have different thickness/weight specs, but I have thought about this topic quite a bit (how I intend to use my '16 TE) and for my non-rock bashing off-roading the weight savings is important as a daily driver.

Great info! I think I will be going aluminum when I am ready. I barely go off-road but would like my vehicle to be protected when I do. On top of that, I do not plan to go anywhere extreme so the main purpose here is minimal protection. This is my daily driver/family hauler so minimal weight added is ideal for me.