RCI Transfer Case Skid doesn't have Transfer Case Drain Hole

[boyfester]

I changed my transfer case oil this weekend and had to remove the RCI transfer case skid plate since there is no hole. There is a hole in the cross member that the skid plate attaches to (see first photo showing hole), but not on the skid itself (see second photo where the hole should be). Why is that? There are drain holes for the engine and transmission fluids but not the transfer case. Did I receive the wrong skid plate? Are we expected to remove the plate to change the transfer case fluid or am I missing something more simple? Thanks!

https://flic.kr/p/JkQaCR

https://flic.kr/p/22cQGbS

I really do not want to have to keep removing this in the future so I may have to take this to a machine shop to cut a hole.

 

[TimK396]

I changed my transfer case oil this weekend and had to remove the RCI transfer case skid plate since there is no hole. There is a hole in the cross member that the skid plate attaches to (see first photo showing hole), but not on the skid itself (see second photo where the hole should be). Why is that? There are drain holes for the engine and transmission fluids but not the transfer case. Did I receive the wrong skid plate? Are we expected to remove the plate to change the transfer case fluid or am I missing something more simple? Thanks!

https://flic.kr/p/JkQaCR

https://flic.kr/p/22cQGbS

I really do not want to have to keep removing this in the future so I may have to take this to a machine shop to cut a hole.

Thank you for outfitting your 4Runner with the RCI skid plates. We hope you love them. The reason it doesn't have a drain hole is because the 10'+ 4Runner takes the same transfer case skid plate as the 03'-09' (V8) T4R transfer skid plate. If there was a hole cut out in it, it wouldn't line up with the drain plugs on all the models and be useless to some.


That said for the long time in between changing the oil more skid surface = more protection. When you perform your transfer case oil change every 30K-50K miles you'll have to remove the bolts that hold it on. I can see where your concern is but for the few minutes it takes to remove a couple bolts every few months it just doesn't make sense for us to make some major changes. Thanks again.