If I don't go off roading is the skid plate necesarry
- Thread starter JP4RNR
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spyne
New member
JP4RNR said:
If you're staying on-road there's no reason to keep the front skid plate on the truck. Feel free to remove it. There's even a tread on the forum that says you may gain a mile or two per gallon without the skid plate.
Just my 2 cents, don't toss the plate as you'll want to replace it before you sell the 4R. Also, put bolts that hold on the plate back in and tighten them up once you remove the plate to keep the treads from getting full of gunk. This will make reinstalling the plate much easier.
Atomic 4Runner
New member
My skid plate protected the under carriage of my truck when it was only three weeks old, and this was on-road, not off-road.
A wooden pallet fell off of a truck on the interstate, and the pallet was rolling down the highway like a spinning hubcap. My skid plate hit the pallet, protecting the front bumper. Then the right front wheel ran over the corner of the pallet and the vehicle rolled over the rest of it.
I may lose a tiny bit of fuel economy, but I still prefer having the protection that the skid plate gives the front end of my truck.
A wooden pallet fell off of a truck on the interstate, and the pallet was rolling down the highway like a spinning hubcap. My skid plate hit the pallet, protecting the front bumper. Then the right front wheel ran over the corner of the pallet and the vehicle rolled over the rest of it.
I may lose a tiny bit of fuel economy, but I still prefer having the protection that the skid plate gives the front end of my truck.
hossmaster
New member
I ran over a microwave oven on the freeway not too long ago. If I didn't have my skid plate installed, it would have ripped into the front lower control arm. Instead my truck just glanced over it. The scratches prove that it was worth it being on there.
greasefingers
New member
I really like this mod (or something similar) for easy access to the oil filter: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17180&highlight=oil+filter+access
I have not done it yet, but it is on my list-o-things-to do. I will try to improvise it a bit.
I have not done it yet, but it is on my list-o-things-to do. I will try to improvise it a bit.
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greasefingers
New member
I would not remove it completely due to the road-gators. Having said that most vehicles have no skid plates at all. But if you have one
peter78
Super Moderator
If you inspect most cars, they have some form of protection from the road, usually a plastic cover under the engine, just to protect it form the dirt, mud and debris. My Wife had a Chevy Cavalier that had it and it was much harder to change the oil. I left it on to protect the engine. I would say, if you can live with it, it would be nice. If it really bugs you remove it.
dingo
New member
I would leave it on. You have to ask yourself if the risk of not having one is worth the convenience of a once in a while oil change. However, I can tell you I do plenty of on-road highway driving. By looking at my skid it is very evident that that area does get its fair share of hits from god knows what. It's got battle scars aplenty so it has to be hitting stuff while protecting those parts. You never know what may come barreling down the road towards you. Is that extra 5 minutes of work to take the bolts off really a hassle compared to the potential damage you may get from debris hurtling at you while going 70+ mph? God I sound like an insurance salesman.
