Modified TRD skidplate KDSS bolt contact (!)

[b407driver]

I removed my KDSS-modified TRD Skidplate (as detailed in this thread) for an oil change, and was surprised to find that the driver-side KDSS piston clamp mounting bolt had been contacting the skid plate. The main reason it is surprising is because it is not especially near the ‘KDSS cutout’ required for these skid plates to fit on KDSS vehicles. The contact appeared to be minor, i.e. the gouge from the contact was not very deep at all, despite the multiple contacts (which likely happened on the White Rim or Imogene). There was no damage to the bolt head, and in fact there was no visual indication that it had made contact, though being steel vs. aluminum, I guess not surprising.

After drilling a pilot hole, I ended up doing a crude ‘countersink’ to the area using decreasing sizes of spade bits, then leaned up with a dremel and painted it. I’ll check it after my next offroad excursion and see if it has made contact.

For those of you that have made this modification to the skid plate for a KDSS-equipped vehicle, I’d suggest popping it off and taking a look. I have a pretty unique build, so it may be specific to my vehicle, but many people have lifts similar to mine using Bilstein 6112/5160s. My lift is a net ~2” in front.

Cheers…

 

[barcainho]

I can also confirm on my stock trail(KDSS) the TRD skid plate is coming in contact with the bolt (i think). Think i will go RCI skids insted

 

[Jetboy]

Just FYI - the contact will depend on your alignment. The lower control arm locates the sway bar. If you are maxed out on caster adjustment (meaning the lower control arm is all the way forward) then it's probably why you're getting some contact. Seems like your fix works well.

 

[barcainho]

Im completely stock suspension and tires and i get the same contact spot as the OP [MENTION=118321]Jetboy[/MENTION]

 

[Jetboy]

Im completely stock suspension and tires and i get the same contact spot as the OP [MENTION=118321]Jetboy[/MENTION]

Obviously there's contact at some point with some sets. I'm just explaining why it's not going to happen on all of them. Removing material to fit is the best solution IMO. The tightest possible fit for skid plates is the best possible fit.

Where are your cams set?

Specifically the rear cam on the driver's side as that would be the one that is most important.

Looks like this:

 

[barcainho]

Sorry, im not sure what cams are. i just bolted up the trd skid plate to the original holes of the original skid plate. It seems pretty flush but im guessing going over bumps or obstacles the contact can happen if its too flush.

Im really starting to become more and more skeptical about these trd skid plates on kdss equipped vehicles, i dont think a lot of people are familiar how much that kdss sway bar moves around when going over rough terrain.

 

[[email protected]]

Mark the bolt head with a black permanent marker. Youll be able to see if it is contacting.. and where on the bolt. Or simple paint will suffice

 

[barcainho]

Ohh i know where its making contact, the bolt form the KDSS left a "new moon" shape indentation on the inside of the skid plate [MENTION=62364][email protected][/MENTION]

 

[b407driver]

Just FYI - the contact will depend on your alignment. The lower control arm locates the sway bar. If you are maxed out on caster adjustment (meaning the lower control arm is all the way forward) then it's probably why you're getting some contact. Seems like your fix works well.

I am maxed out, so that makes sense for my setup. It'll be awhile before I wheel again, so may not be able to provide definitive answers until my next White Rim trip in late March. I'm assuming the fix will hopefully work without removing more aluminum as the contact marks seemed mostly minor, and there was no marring on the hex head whatsoever.

 

[gringo8251]

I am maxed out, so that makes sense for my setup. It'll be awhile before I wheel again, so may not be able to provide definitive answers until my next White Rim trip in late March. I'm assuming the fix will hopefully work without removing more aluminum as the contact marks seemed mostly minor, and there was no marring on the hex head whatsoever.

Any update to your problem/solution? Thanks [MENTION=144051]b407driver[/MENTION] !

 

[snowRunn3r]

So you guys know how on the KDSS 4Rs to get the skid to fit you have to remove the two brackets? On any other T4R the skid will bolt up to those brackets sooo technically the skid is about .12 higher than it should be.

 

[b407driver]

Any update to your problem/solution? Thanks [MENTION=144051]b407driver[/MENTION] !

I removed it after the March trip for an oil change, and there was still some minor contact, and it had moved ~1/2" for some reason. I haven't removed the skid plate since my last two week-long trips, so will update when I do. I have a feeling I'm going to be inclined to make the hole larger to prevent further contact...

 

[borfoo3]

I removed it after the March trip for an oil change, and there was still some minor contact, and it had moved ~1/2" for some reason. I haven't removed the skid plate since my last two week-long trips, so will update when I do. I have a feeling I'm going to be inclined to make the hole larger to prevent further contact...

This may be my mystery clunk during hard braking..

Did it make any sounds during contact?

 

[b407driver]

This may be my mystery clunk during hard braking..

Did it make any sounds during contact?

I’ve got a video shredding the dust at Potato Bottom where I’m pretty sure I recorded it, but I don’t think it ever would occur during braking (suspension should be going the opposite direction, compressing). Pretty sure this occurs at full articulation, and probably more often at low speeds (despite my video evidence, lol).

If you have TRD suspension, depending on the serial number it could be the 'clunk' many people had, but pretty sure that was at least partially a low-temp thing. Newer serial-number TRD shocks supposedly don't have the problem (mine are newer, don't have that problem).

 

[daneo]

I've been lurking since February, and finally got around to posting!

I have some gouging too after bounding around an OHV park. I noticed in this picture that it looks like this person has aluminum spacers in the back mounting positions. My skid came with the aluminum spacers up front, but nothing for the back positions.

https://4rstatic.net/attachments/20160408_105929-jpg.4741/

Might lose a bit of clearance, but would prevent drilling more.

 

[jk24runner]

Anyone on here have the brackets that need to be removed to add the TRD skid plate? I need to find some from a kdss 4runner to replace the ones I tossed. Let me know what you have

 

[Angkor79]

Anyone on here have the brackets that need to be removed to add the TRD skid plate? I need to find some from a kdss 4runner to replace the ones I tossed. Let me know what you have

I have the brackets.