Question for those with an RCI Transfer Case Skid

[tigger]

As many of you with the RCI transfer case skid know, it doesn't take much to bend the skid causing it to make contact with the exhaust. (They may have fixed this issue in the new designs. I am not sure).

Any, I am having a local shop fab up a support bracket that will connect from the RCI cross-member to the main cross member. It will also eliminate the need to spacers between the skids and cross-member.

This will be a bolt on application, but depending on how they attach it to the RCI cross-member, may require drilling a couple of holes in the side of the RCI cross-member in order to not reduce ground clearance.

I wanted to see if anyone would be interested in purchasing something like this. It will be easier for them to create a jig to build more than one if there is interest.

I have no idea of cost at this time, but their prices seem to be pretty reasonable. I am getting nothing out of this (no free part or discount. Just trying to help out fellow members)

If you think you might be interested, please let me know in the next 10 days or so.

 

[Engineer]

Not a bad idea, so far mine have only scraped not bent. I don't get enough use to justify additional support and if/when it gets bent I will take it off, bend it back and be done with it. Kudos though for offering this up.

 

[STX4Runner]

I had the original RCI style. First trip it started producing the exhaust rattle. I had Josh make me a custom plate that was more reinforced and I still beat it hard enough last year in Moab that I got rattling. I'm giving up and going to see if I can move the exhaust crossover behind the t-case and up. I am interested to see what you come up with, though I don't think it would work with my older style RCI plates.

 

[Boyds4Runner]

I think the new design, at least the ones I received September 2015 gives enough clearance. The new design looks like it might have to be a pretty serious drop to bend it enough to make contact with the exhaust.

I haven't bent that one so far but it does have some scrapes.

However, the transmission skid got a giant basketball sized indent on the driver side. luckily there is so much room between that skid and the transmission that nothing made contact. I did take the skid off, laid it on two-by-fours and jumped on it to bend the transmission skid as straight as possible.

Good idea on the bracket though, it might work for the folks with the older style transfer case skids.

 

[Jhalko]

However, the transmission skid got a giant basketball sized indent on the driver side. luckily there is so much room between that skid and the transmission that nothing made contact. I did take the skid off, laid it on two-by-fours and jumped on it to bend the transmission skid as straight as possible.

Good idea on the bracket though, it might work for the folks with the older style transfer case skids.

Funny, I dented my transmission skid about the same, got it straighter last weekend with a big @$$ hammer and stuff.

Not sure I'd add more support to my transf case skid, I have the newest version.

 

[wfo9]

The crossover pipe is the main issue... Its in a really bad spot for a flat skid... i replaced mine with the the URD competition Y-pipe which routes the pipe in a completely different way. That allowed me cut and re-weld the RCI transfer skid cross-member and raise it up about a 1.25". That small change made a huge difference in how often the truck hangs on break over.

 

[Geezer81]

The crossover pipe is the main issue... Its in a really bad spot for a flat skid... i replaced mine with the the URD competition Y-pipe which routes the pipe in a completely different way. That allowed me cut and re-weld the RCI transfer skid cross-member and raise it up about a 1.25". That small change made a huge difference in how often the truck hangs on break over.

Pics of said modification?

 

[Jdavera]

I installed my skid back in December and since the beginning i have that problem. I fixed the problem in that time by adding washers between the skids and the frame in order to lower the plates. I was able to create a small gap and fixed the problem "temporary". Last weekend i went to Big Bend and i'm guessing that in the trails i slightly bent the skid and now is rattling again went i put reverse.

I'm think that not all trucks and skids are exactly the same and therefore some people have this problem.

I'll be interest in the extra support you are mentioning, please let me know when you get an idea of the pricing.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Are these Aluminum skids? Those look pretty think compared to my 4th Gen's Steel RCI skids... not to mention mine has taken some abuse and hasn't bent.

 

[wfo9]

Pics of said modification?

Hard to tell without a before pic... But crossover is now forward of the frame cross-member. Transfer case brace is now higher and had to be notched to clear the t-case case.... No spacers... The rear of the transfer cross brace is a very common hang up spot on break over... This mod made a really big difference. I thought it would help a bit, but I cleared every spot I usually hang up on.

 

[wfo9]

I installed my skid back in December and since the beginning i have that problem. I fixed the problem in that time by adding washers between the skids and the frame in order to lower the plates. I was able to create a small gap and fixed the problem "temporary". Last weekend i went to Big Bend and i'm guessing that in the trails i slightly bent the skid and now is rattling again went i put reverse.

I'm think that not all trucks and skids are exactly the same and therefore some people have this problem.

I'll be interest in the extra support you are mentioning, please let me know when you get an idea of the pricing.

If you have the rattle on the crossover... There is a super simple cheap 2 min fix that will not require you to lose anymore ground clerance. Get a hose clamp and put it on the rubber isolater/exhaust hanger . Tighten it just enough to raise the cross-over pipe up to stop the rattling. Works perfect. Just include a zip tie to keep it there if it slips off. I lost one while wheeling once... You can tighten a little more if the rattle starts up again.

 

[Jdavera]

If you have the rattle on the crossover... There is a super simple cheap 2 min fix that will not require you to loose anymore ground clerance. Get a hose clamp and put it on the rubber isolater/exhaust hanger . Tighten it just enough to raise the cross-over pipe up to stop the rattling. Works perfect. Just include a zip tie to keep it there if it slips off. I lost one while wheeling once...

Thanks for the idea !!

 

[tigger]

Are these Aluminum skids? Those look pretty think compared to my 4th Gen's Steel RCI skids... not to mention mine has taken some abuse and hasn't bent.

Yes, they are the aluminum. I heavily bent all of my skids on one trip.

 

[JohnTheLuck]

The crossover pipe is the main issue... Its in a really bad spot for a flat skid... i replaced mine with the the URD competition Y-pipe which routes the pipe in a completely different way. That allowed me cut and re-weld the RCI transfer skid cross-member and raise it up about a 1.25". That small change made a huge difference in how often the truck hangs on break over.

Are you speaking about this product :

Underdog Racing Development

If so, be advised of their warning:

"The URD Competition Y Pipe was designed for off road use and competition events. The rear catalytic converters are eliminated. The URD off roadY Pipe is not for on road use and is absolutely not emissions legal anywhere on public roads. "

 

[wfo9]

Are you speaking about this product :

Underdog Racing Development

If so, be advised of their warning:

"The URD Competition Y Pipe was designed for off road use and competition events. The rear catalytic converters are eliminated. The URD off roadY Pipe is not for on road use and is absolutely not emissions legal anywhere on public roads. "

LOL, yes it is illegal for on road use. But I only offroad my truck :wink2:

To clarify, they have to say that... It is illegal to modify any emissions related components of a vehicle.

However, the secondary cats don't really do anything once the vehicle is at operating temp. You can imply this because all the federally mandated odbII emissions diagnostics are calculating catalytic efficiency based on 02 sensors upstream. If they were required to meet efficiency standards, the sensors would be behind the secondary cats. In summary, they have a low temp catalyst that function at startup only. Once warmed up, the vehicle should be well within emissions standards even if the secondary cats are removed. I have not verified this with a sniff test.. but I'm 90% sure it would pass. The startup test is only required for MFG certification.. No state that I know of does startup emission inspections, since they would all fail within a few years...

 

[Jdavera]

Worked nice !!

 

[swva]

If you have the rattle on the crossover... There is a super simple cheap 2 min fix that will not require you to lose anymore ground clerance. Get a hose clamp and put it on the rubber isolater/exhaust hanger . Tighten it just enough to raise the cross-over pipe up to stop the rattling. Works perfect. Just include a zip tie to keep it there if it slips off. I lost one while wheeling once... You can tighten a little more if the rattle starts up again.

Thank you for this suggestion. I had been thinking about a way to raise the exhaust pipe but couldn't think of a good solution. This worked great. I used a size 40 stainless steel clamp.

 

[zefram47]

Might have to try this. Put my skids on last week and it rattled from day one, before they even took any hits. Anytime I go into reverse I get the rattle, and occasionally in 2nd decelerating. I did take a few skid plate hits this past weekend which did make it worse. Btw, mine are steel skids as well, and had been considering some sort of spacer on the skid, but this looks like a better "fix."

 

[slide531]

Worked nice !!

Thanks! Was about to take off my skids one by one to track this down but saw this post. 5 minute fix and the rattle in my Rci skids is gone!

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[zefram47]

Thanks! Was about to take off my skids one by one to track this down but saw this post. 5 minute fix and the rattle in my Rci skids is gone

Put a couple zip ties through the hanger and around the hose clamp. I lost a clamp at some point, but haven't since I put the zip ties on.