RCI skid question

[guitarsail]

I've had my skids on for quite a while and it's always bugged me a little that the front skid seems to be lower in the front. I was looking at them today and wondered if I have something installed incorrectly. Seems to me if these two black bars weren't in the way this lip would wrap around the frame and suck the font of the skid up higher. We're these bars supposed to be removed before the skid was installed?

 

[guitarsail]

Of corse they uploaded upside down...

 

[Jono.ful]

those bars you mention are the lower radiator support brackets, they are most definitely not to be removed. it appears as though you have a stack of washers installed in between the bracket and the rad however, which is causing the problem you mention. I'm guessing this was done to add clearance for the sway bar when you had a lift installed? normally, your lift should come with drop brackets to lower the sway bar mounts rather than doing something scabby like this.

 

[STX4Runner]

Those are some sort of crash bar or strengthening structure. They may even be designed to offer some protection for the KDSS swaybar. The RCI plate is designed to work with them. It's just a reality that KDSS decreases your ground clearance some.

 

[guitarsail]

Right so I have no washer stack, they are sitting on the radiator support bars, also I have a SR5, no KDSS... the gap is caused by those bars. So I always thought the gap was goofy, and wondered why my skid angled down towards the front vs pics I see...

 

[STX4Runner]

those bars you mention are the lower radiator support brackets, they are most definitely not to be removed. it appears as though you have a stack of washers installed in between the bracket and the rad however, which is causing the problem you mention. I'm guessing this was done to add clearance for the sway bar when you had a lift installed? normally, your lift should come with drop brackets to lower the sway bar mounts rather than doing something scabby like this.

KDSS does not require any spacers for the swaybar when lifting. The bracket just has a standoff built in to it for some reason.

 

[guitarsail]

KDSS does not require any spacers for the swaybar when lifting. The bracket just has a standoff built in to it for some reason.

And I don't have kdss, so why does mine sit so low? Surely the lip on the ski is supposed to sit flush not up that 1" like that?

 

[guitarsail]

Looking around more and seeing some pics, looks like some people have removed those tubes, but all of them seem to mount flush vs my gap..wonder what I'm missing here

 

[mrblah]

your skidplates are installed correctly. Some manufactures require removal of those tubes, RCI doesn't require removal of the bracket.

Now, i have no idea if that radiator support is installed correctly. Sorry, I can't help you b/c I have KDSS, which means the area in question looks a little different than non-kdss trucks.

 

[Seattle206]

The RCI skid plate bolts directly into those two radiator support brackets. If you remove the brackets you can't bolt your skid plate back on.

 

[guitarsail]

The RCI skid plate bolts directly into those two radiator support brackets. If you remove the brackets you can't bolt your skid plate back on.

So that gap is normal where it bolts up. What's the point of the bend on the skid that looks like it should rap the frame perfectly if it sits off like that? I'm just curious honestly. I've had them on almost two years and used them quite a bit, I was just looking at them and noticed it and like a do with a bone it started bugging me. Especially since the nose end of my skid sits lower than the back where it meets the tranny skid

 

[Seattle206]

If you remove the brackets the skid holes won't align with the frame holes(where the bracket is bolted). I think RCI designed their skid to work with the support brackets on only. They are there for a reason, perhaps for extra strength/support the front end sheet metal. The previous generations and tacomas didn't have them. Lots of reports of the sheet metal cracking due to the weight of batteries, etc.

 

[guitarsail]

If you remove the brackets the skid holes won't align with the frame holes(where the bracket is bolted). I think RCI designed their skid to work with the support brackets on only. They are there for a reason, perhaps for extra strength/support the front end sheet metal. The previous generations and tacomas didn't have them. Lots of reports of the sheet metal cracking due to the weight of batteries, etc.

Yeah I spent a little time under there and it looks like you're right, they bolt on the Ushape where the bracket hits the frame there. Sucks because it makes the whole thing stand off an inch or so. Oh well they work great, and have held up to the abuse, what's a little clearance between friends.

 

[BigredTEX]

those bars you mention are the lower radiator support brackets, they are most definitely not to be removed. it appears as though you have a stack of washers installed in between the bracket and the rad however, which is causing the problem you mention. I'm guessing this was done to add clearance for the sway bar when you had a lift installed? normally, your lift should come with drop brackets to lower the sway bar mounts rather than doing something scabby like this.

I think everyone missed what [MENTION=81003]Jono.ful[/MENTION] said, and I agree with his assessment. There is a stack of washers under the brackets, apparently to provide swaybar clearance. They should not be there. The brackets should sit down completely onto the radiator support which would then allow your skid to sit at least an inch lower (actually higher, upside down photo). That stack of washers needs to come out. If you need the swaybar clearance you should use the relocation brackets that came with your lift or get some from Toytech, or other manufacturer that makes them.

 

[Seattle206]

Wait. Where is the stack of washers? I just looked at mine (SR5) which has 1/2" spacers to lower the support brackets. I have 2.5 coilovers which absolutely need the sway bar relocated. You can clearly see them in my pictures. You can also see the gap it will create with the RCI skid. From the angles OP provided I don't see that gap?

OP is running the RCI filler plate too. If he were to add spacers to the radiator brackets then that filler plate would not bolt into the OEM bumper due to the bends of the filler plate.

 

[Jono.ful]

Wait. Where is the stack of washers? I just looked at mine (SR5) which has 1/2" spacers to lower the support brackets. I have 2.5 coilovers which absolutely need the sway bar relocated. You can clearly see them in my pictures. You can also see the gap it will create with the RCI skid. From the angles OP provided I don't see that gap?

OP is running the RCI filler plate too. If he were to add spacers to the radiator brackets then that filler plate would not bolt into the OEM bumper due to the bends of the filler plate.

so instead of lowering the sway bar mount with a bracket, which has no effect on ground clearance, your lift came with a spacer to lower the rad support, and therefore the skid plates also, which effectively reduces ground clearance? and you paid for this, umm, privilege? talk about two steps forward and one step back...

also, it is evident now that what I thought was a stack of washers is actually the threads on the mounting bolts. it was hard to tell in the OP's dark photos.

 

[Seattle206]

The kit came with a sway bar relocation bracket, spacers and extended bolts. By mounting the relocation bracket you cannot re-install the sway bar without the spacers:

1) When the relocation bracket is installed you are now moving your sway bar forward.
2) When the sway bar moves forward, the sway will contact the left radiator bracket. You cannot bolt the sway bar back on the relocation bracket.
3) To remedy this, you need to install (4) 1/2" spacers and (6) extended bolts. This will lower those brackets which will give clearance for the sway bar. In turn, ground clearance is lost with the 1/2" spacers.

If I don't need to run those spacers I definitely would not. I was a bit disappointed with the loss of clearance.

I'm not sure where this "privileged" comment came from. I was trying to picture what you and [MENTION=80379]BigredTEX[/MENTION] saw in the OP's pics. That is all. If you can give me some pointers on how I can keep my sway bar on without either the relocation bracket or spacers I would be grateful.

 

[Jono.ful]

"privilege". sorry, typo. that would be the privilege of paying to reducing your ground clearance.

I can't help you with figuring out a way around the issue in your application. I've been running without front or rear bars for years without any trouble whatsoever - and my truck is my daily driver on 285/70/17 with 3" of lift, and I run a rooftop tent offroad. yes there is a bit more body roll, but with the correct suspension setup it is absolutely manageable.

 

[BigredTEX]

Wait. Where is the stack of washers? I just looked at mine (SR5) which has 1/2" spacers to lower the support brackets. I have 2.5 coilovers which absolutely need the sway bar relocated. You can clearly see them in my pictures. You can also see the gap it will create with the RCI skid. From the angles OP provided I don't see that gap?

OP is running the RCI filler plate too. If he were to add spacers to the radiator brackets then that filler plate would not bolt into the OEM bumper due to the bends of the filler plate.

I just went out and looked at mine and it looks just like the OP's. Shows you what I know.

I've got the RCI skid and filler as well. I will agree that the RCI skid does ride a little low in the front, but it looks like it is designed that way to give a flat bottom that is parallel to the ground. No complaints here about ground clearance.

 

[guitarsail]

I think everyone missed what [MENTION=81003]Jono.ful[/MENTION] said, and I agree with his assessment. There is a stack of washers under the brackets, apparently to provide swaybar clearance. They should not be there. The brackets should sit down completely onto the radiator support which would then allow your skid to sit at least an inch lower (actually higher, upside down photo). That stack of washers needs to come out. If you need the swaybar clearance you should use the relocation brackets that came with your lift or get some from Toytech, or other manufacturer that makes them.

There is no washer stack. Its the radiator support tubes, they have a Ushape standoff on the ends where they bolt on (bolts sit in that ushape) then the skid bolts to those. It certainly Doesn't sit up flush. My sway bars are way up out of the way