Skid Plate/Body armor questions?

[scshack]

I'm in the process of pricing out skid plates/body armor for my 3rd gen. I'm finding out that various companies make various armor that covers different parts of the undercarriage. Tough to find a "full kit" if there is such a thing. From my research, these are the vulnerable and skid plate/armored areas:

1) Skid plate for engine
2) For transfer case
3) For transmission
4) For both lower control arms (in the front)
5) For the gas tank
6) Skid plate for the rear differential (the pumpkin)

Brands
RCI - 1, 2, 3, 4
Bud Built - 1, 2 & 3 (belly pan), 6
Shrockworks - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
CBI - 1, 2 & 3 (rear skid)

There are of course more brands but most are coverage for 1, 2, and 3.

My budget is around $1000 and I would like to have the most coverage I can have for body armor. I don't do any hard wheeling, but ride on a lot of boulders and rocks and want to have some extra assurance, as well as push further down harder trails and lines. Also, I don't mind painting the skid plates if needed.

What are others riding with? What is overkill and what is essential? Thanks in advance.

 

[Unner]

I have Shrockworks full kit. They're ok, I probably wouldn't get them again because of poor customer service from my experience. The nice thing with them is they form a nice flat belly because they all attach to each other.

If you want a gas tank skid, consider lil skips also.

Rear diff is overkill in my opinion unless you are getting really crazy. What do you mean by front lower control arm skids? The ones that actually mount to the arms and move with the suspension? Also probably overkill. The arms are pretty stout. Last I saw all those required drilling through the lower control arm which I didn't like so I sold the set I bought without u stalling them.

One of the most important skids on a 2rd gen is the real control arm mount skids. They protect the rear control arm mounts where they are welded to the frame. They bend easily when playing in rocks. Lotus I believe is the brand most use. Super easy install.

 

[T4topher]

I'm in the process of pricing out skid plates/body armor for my 3rd gen. I'm finding out that various companies make various armor that covers different parts of the undercarriage. Tough to find a "full kit" if there is such a thing. From my research, these are the vulnerable and skid plate/armored areas:

1) Skid plate for engine
2) For transfer case
3) For transmission
4) For both lower control arms (in the front)
5) For the gas tank
6) Skid plate for the rear differential (the pumpkin)

Brands
RCI - 1, 2, 3, 4
Bud Built - 1, 2 & 3 (belly pan), 6
Shrockworks - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
CBI - 1, 2 & 3 (rear skid)

There are of course more brands but most are coverage for 1, 2, and 3.

My budget is around $1000 and I would like to have the most coverage I can have for body armor. I don't do any hard wheeling, but ride on a lot of boulders and rocks and want to have some extra assurance, as well as push further down harder trails and lines. Also, I don't mind painting the skid plates if needed.

What are others riding with? What is overkill and what is essential? Thanks in advance.

Couple other options I’ll throw out there for you. 4xinnovations has good skids, although theirs only covers 1&3 (I bought an RCI transfercase skid alone and had to do a very small modification to get it to work). Eimkeiths LCA reinforcements are IMO the way to go. I had the RCI’s (bought when I got the transfer skid) and they are ok. I had to do a ton of cutting with the grinder to get them to not hit the frame where the LCA cam tabs are. Maybe they revised them but I doubt it.. You don’t necessarily have to protect the entire diff like budbuilts (you loose a tiny bit of ground clearance). I have the ruffstuff diff armor, Marlin crawler also makes one and I think trail gear might too. These all have to be welded on though but are significantly less expensive than the bud built one. Last recommendation is lil skips gas tank skid I’ve heard is the go to..

Edit: I also have the above mentioned lotus skids and they work fine, eimkieth also has a welded on option for that as well.

 

[Devbot]

My experiences: I have a Bud Built front skid and I really like it, it covers the LCA cams and barely intrudes on clearance, if at all. Been really debating saying screw it and getting their belly pan too. I bought 4xInnovations front skid originally but it was ungodly thick and heavy, something I would only put on the gnarliest of crawlers. That said the quality was fine and it would take ANYTHING you throw at it
I also have Lil Skips gas tank skid and like many on here I'm a big fan and would recommend it, or at least looking into it as it isn't mentioned. Very nice build quality and very sturdy

In regards to LCA skids, something else you could look into if you haven't already are the EimKeith reinforcements. If paired with a belly pan I imagine they would work great and you shouldn't have any problems with them interfering. I believe opt offroad sells them already welded if you are unable to yourself
Unless you're dead set on trying to keep it all from one brand. In which that case I guess I'd recommend Bud Built. I've seen good thing from shrockworks on here but heard their front skid doesn't work with "some bumpers" and I couldn't get them to reach back to me to find out more, despite several emails. This also seems to be a norm with them (poor communication)
Some could call it overkill but I understand where you're coming from and I don't see much wrong with taking some good precautions. There are lots of boulders and stumps in my area as well and things can get hairy VERY quickly and unexpectedly. It's in this sense I would also recommend rock sliders too, namely from 4xInnovations (very light, very strong, very good price). Don't be like me and think you'll get by without them - you wont, you just get too cocky! :target:

 

[Unner]

My experiences: I have a Bud Built front skid and I really like it, it covers the LCA cams and barely intrudes on clearance, if at all. Been really debating saying screw it and getting their belly pan too. I bought 4xInnovations front skid originally but it was ungodly thick and heavy, something I would only put on the gnarliest of crawlers. That said the quality was fine and it would take ANYTHING you throw at it
I also have Lil Skips gas tank skid and like many on here I'm a big fan and would recommend it, or at least looking into it as it isn't mentioned. Very nice build quality and very sturdy

In regards to LCA skids, something else you could look into if you haven't already are the EimKeith reinforcements. If paired with a belly pan I imagine they would work great and you shouldn't have any problems with them interfering. I believe opt offroad sells them already welded if you are unable to yourself
Unless you're dead set on trying to keep it all from one brand. In which that case I guess I'd recommend Bud Built. I've seen good thing from shrockworks on here but heard their front skid doesn't work with "some bumpers" and I couldn't get them to reach back to me to find out more, despite several emails. This also seems to be a norm with them (poor communication)
Some could call it overkill but I understand where you're coming from and I don't see much wrong with taking some good precautions. There are lots of boulders and stumps in my area as well and things can get hairy VERY quickly and unexpectedly. It's in this sense I would also recommend rock sliders too, namely from 4xInnovations (very light, very strong, very good price). Don't be like me and think you'll get by without them - you wont, you just get too cocky! :target:

Good point, Shrockworks skids don't work plug and play with addicted off-road bumpers at least. My front skid is spaced down at the front to make it clear the bumper cross member. It was either that or cut/bend the skid. I've been meaning to do something about it, but it's been like 6 years and I have never actually pulled that front radiator skid since installing it...

 

[scshack]

Thanks, everyone for the recommendations and information. I think I'll go with Bud Built for the Engine skid and belly pan skid (1, 2 & 3). I also plan to go with the Lil skips gas tank skid (5). Hopefully, they are all plug-and-play with my ARB bumper. Those three pieces alone (bare metal ready to paint and shipped) are $1,135.

I will do more research on Front LCA skid (like these), or possibly the Eimkeith LCA Reinforcements (these here). Questions, are the Eimkeith weld-on or bolt-on? It's hard to tell from the website and images.

I'll also look into the Rear LCA (like these). I know these are weld-on so maybe I will wait a little while then get some front and rear LCA together.

 

[Romeo1]

4x innovations makes a belly, skid, trans skid, and transfer case skid that goes back all the way to the cross member by the fuel tank.

In fact that reminds me, I’m supposed to take a photo of it and send it to Adam @ 4XI once I install it… LOL…. The farthest back skid isn’t on the website. You have to call or email 4XI to get it.

Been too busy camping and rallying this summer to even finish bolting stuff on. Then I hurt my shoulder like an idiot. Then kids soccer…….

I think I’ll actually be able to install it This week sometime. Shoulder is finally healed enough to wrench again I think. I’ll post a photo of what the 4XI stuff looks like.

 

[Bad Luck]

4x innovations makes a belly, skid, trans skid, and transfer case skid that goes back all the way to the cross member by the fuel tank.

In fact that reminds me, I’m supposed to take a photo of it and send it to Adam @ 4XI once I install it… LOL…. The farthest back skid isn’t on the website. You have to call or email 4XI to get it.

Been too busy camping and rallying this summer to even finish bolting stuff on. Then I hurt my shoulder like an idiot. Then kids soccer…….

I think I’ll actually be able to install it This week sometime. Shoulder is finally healed enough to wrench again I think. I’ll post a photo of what the 4XI stuff looks like.

The transfer case skid is on their website now, but they don't include it in their skid plate package which I would want. It's nice that it has full coverage with all 3 skid plates on now

 

[phattyduck]

I've seen good thing from shrockworks on here but heard their front skid doesn't work with "some bumpers" and I couldn't get them to reach back to me to find out more, despite several emails. This also seems to be a norm with them (poor communication)

It bolts to the tow hook locations instead of the puny crossmember. The front lip comes up a fair amount and interferes with a lot of non-Schrockworks bumpers:

Here's a pic on my 4Runner with the Schrockworks bumper brackets installed:

I'd also suggest sliders before a number of other underbody protection items...

-Charlie

 

[scshack]

It bolts to the tow hook locations instead of the puny crossmember. The front lip comes up a fair amount and interferes with a lot of non-Schrockworks bumpers:

Here's a pic on my 4Runner with the Schrockworks bumper brackets installed:

I'd also suggest sliders before a number of other underbody protection items...

-Charlie

Thanks for the pics and info.

Yeah, I agree sliders are a must before any undercarrige body armor. I've got a pair of All-Pro sliders welded on, even had to touch them up with some paint from using the appropraitly.

 

[Romeo1]

The transfer case skid is on their website now, but they don't include it in their skid plate package which I would want. It's nice that it has full coverage with all 3 skid plates on now

Just buy both then.

 

[Romeo1]

I disagree on the sliders. Obviously get both. I’ve touched the skid plate and the rear bumper the most by far. The belly armor is at a lower level than the sliders.

To be fair, my statement assumes your lifted on tires already. It seems like I have ground clearance for days almost always.

 

[thezentree]

I have budbuilt front and belly skids. They are tough as hell and mostly fit, but the bends aren't great and so the skids don't go together like they should. The belly skid is supposed to hook over the top of the back of the front skid so they can be removed independently of each other, but the bends are wrong on mine in that area, so the belly skid has to be bolted to the bottom of the front skid. This means I've got to take both of those skids off to change my oil.

Also, I have like 5/8" worth of washers as spacers between the belly skid and frame, because otherwise the skid hits the transfer case before the frame. I think these were designed around a Tacoma and are close enough that they sell them as universal 4Runner skids.

Bottom line, they work, but they don't go together as easily as they should and are a pain in the ass to get to fit right. That said, they are one of the less expensive options and had fast shipping, so there's that.

 

[deves2]

Bud Built. enough said

 

[rickashay]

Element by RA Motorsports: 96-02 4RUNNER FRONT ALUMINUM SKIDPLATE - RA Motorsports

Canadian pricing (good for you Americans) and they are aluminum. They even have a gas tank skid. If you aren’t hardcore wheeling on a regular basis I 100 percent recommend aluminum over steel for the weight savings. If I lived in California or Utah, I would probably personally have steel skid plates, but weight is the true enemy for vehicle driving dynamics. You just need to be realistic about your use case and then decide from there.

Good luck!

 

[Unner]

I have budbuilt front and belly skids. They are tough as hell and mostly fit, but the bends aren't great and so the skids don't go together like they should. The belly skid is supposed to hook over the top of the back of the front skid so they can be removed independently of each other, but the bends are wrong on mine in that area, so the belly skid has to be bolted to the bottom of the front skid. This means I've got to take both of those skids off to change my oil.

Also, I have like 5/8" worth of washers as spacers between the belly skid and frame, because otherwise the skid hits the transfer case before the frame. I think these were designed around a Tacoma and are close enough that they sell them as universal 4Runner skids.

Bottom line, they work, but they don't go together as easily as they should and are a pain in the ass to get to fit right. That said, they are one of the less expensive options and had fast shipping, so there's that.

Forgot about this. My Shrockworks transfer skid also had to be spaced away from the frame to keep the transfer case from hitting it and causing noises. Took me awhile to figure out that noise.

The front skid also contacts the cross member the steering rack mounts to. Haven't found a way to fix this one so I just live with the small noise it makes when turning and flexing, like leaving a driveway. Could just be worn body mounts allowing too much movement or something like that I suppose.

 

[Endlessblockades]

Just an excuse to post a pic. I have 3 pieces of the 4XI stuff and yes it is THIIC steel. Probably overkill for my dirt lowrider. For the transfer skid I did remove the little factory bashplate and added about 1/4" of washer/spacer for a bit more clearance. Skids are great but if you are in a situation that calls for them, sliders can protect you from a major body and door repair. Spend! Spend!

 

[4Rtrailbum]

I have a 2011 FJ and went with RCI aluminum and had them powder coated and I'm completely happy with their product ,customer service and pricing .

And that's what I'll put on my 14 4R , good people and even better product.

 

[Bad Luck]

Just buy both then.

No shit lol

 

[Devbot]

Just an excuse to post a pic. I have 3 pieces of the 4XI stuff and yes it is THIIC steel. Probably overkill for my dirt lowrider. For the transfer skid I did remove the little factory bashplate and added about 1/4" of washer/spacer for a bit more clearance. Skids are great but if you are in a situation that calls for them, sliders can protect you from a major body and door repair. Spend! Spend!

Is yours fairly new? Wondering if they started adding their logo sometimes since I bought mine. That was one of the reasons I initially bough their skid, cause they were one of the few who didn't put any sort of branding on it
Cool license plate too