Skid Plate Rant

adkinsadam1

adkinsadam1

New member
I don't care how many of these threads there are but I just need to say something. I went rock crawling today in my 2006 stock and came down hard, but I was all, "At least it was the skids, thats why they're there." But nope, I look underneath and the skid is bent in like three inches, all the way into the components they are there to protect! So even with the skids the important things still took the impact. And I begin to question - what is even the point of putting these worthless, cheap skid plates there anyway? Just to SAY that they protect the undercarriage? I think not! Toyota needs to step it up. I mean, their 5th gen trail edition has the same exact cheap skid plates as mine, and honestly, how can they put those cheap things on a vehicle designed purely for off road use? Toyota needs to STEP IT UP. It would not be that difficult to put a LITTLE more effort into them. Thoughts? Or have I gone crazy?
 
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Sorry to hear about the "thump"... hopefully, nothing is damaged. Anyway, the factory skids aren't much more than heavy duty chip deflectors. If you've ever had them off of the vehicle, you'll notice that they won't support much weight at all. You have to realize that a huge majority of 4Runners probably never see more than a maintained dirt road and Toyota knows that. Producing a skid plate capable of protecting against the kind of impact you had would be burdening that huge majority of production that will never see a rock with extra cost. Thankfully, those who plan to play a little rougher than the majority can buy some awesome aftermarket skids... I'm saving for the BudBuilt 5-piece set!

Mass production basically comes down to a cost/benefit analysis attempting to meet the needs of the market. Toyota sells a boat-load of 4Runners so they have done their job well. The aftermarket kicks in to take care of the more specialized customer needs and good thing for us that Toyota has sold so many 4Runners to keep the cost of those specialized components reasonable.

~Doozi
 
In another post I referred to them as 'vertical curb feelers at best'.


There's a few aftermarkets suppliers that have sent kids to college based on the crappy OE skids. In Toyota's defense I would say that with rare exception any OE factory skids are little more than glorified splash guards...:bash:
 
Toyota knows the market and know few get on rocks, supposedly more FJC's do as intended but the skids are equally useless. I bashed my gas tank skid the first time I took it out but wasn't surprised. I've had mine a few weeks and will be adding armor tomorrow using the best method, building not buying.

I don't know about where you are but Jeep's advertising the Grand Cherokee's skids on TV ads here. Very dramatic footage of insignificant rocks bouncing off their insignificant skids. Same thing we have.
 
This is a proper skid plate by BudBuilt:

front%20skid%204runner%202.jpg


Check out their website: 03+ 4Runner
 
Nice <<<<... that's what I'm talking about! And judging by the looks of your front bumper, you put that skid plate to the test!

~Doozi
 
This one from Buds website. Once mine stock one rusts trough or gets smashed on the trail Im getting BudBuilt in black powdercoat finish.
 
adkinsadam1 said:
But, $1000 is absolutely INSANE!
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Ahem, have you worked with steel? Have you priced materials, and labor, and design, and development? No-one is in the aftermarket parts market for charity...

Bud's skids are on my 'to buy' list. When I do, I'll be glad to spend the cash on them... Yes, they're spendy, that just means I have to save and spend wisely.
 
adkinsadam1 said:
I don't care how many of these threads there are but I just need to say something. I went rock crawling today in my 2006 stock and came down hard, but I was all, "At least it was the skids, thats why they're there." But nope, I look underneath and the skid is bent in like three inches, all the way into the components they are there to protect! So even with the skids the important things still took the impact. And I begin to question - what is even the point of putting these worthless, cheap skid plates there anyway? Just to SAY that they protect the undercarriage? I think not! Toyota needs to step it up. I mean, their 5th gen trail edition has the same exact cheap skid plates as mine, and honestly, how can they put those cheap things on a vehicle designed purely for off road use? Toyota needs to STEP IT UP. It would not be that difficult to put a LITTLE more effort into them. Thoughts? Or have I gone crazy?
Click to expand...

Take your skids off and go try that same rock. That way we will know if they really do anything.
 
gm350reratliff said:
Take your skids off and go try that same rock. That way we will know if they really do anything.
Click to expand...

I agree. These skids do help somewhat, but they are simply not for rock crawling, they are to help small hits and things from being kicked up and damaging parts.

Aftermarket skids are definitely the way to go if you are going to wheel.
 
adkinsadam1 said:
Toyota should make ones like the buds standard. And I would love buds. But, $1000 is absolutely INSANE!
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Have you looked at what Toyota charges for the factory skids separately...that is insane haha

BUDBUILT IS WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!!

Bud is a great guy to deal with!!! Keep in mind you are talking about skid plates taking impacts. Impacts and skids are different things...technically. The skids will deflect small stuff. You are supposed to skid over things...not smash on them. If you are serious about playing in the rock gardens...(aside from a tank) you will find that no stock skid plate is sufficient for rock garden impacts.

If you do decide to go with Bud you won't regret it. Those plates have saved me way more than 1000 bucks in trail damage. I have slid off stuff in snow/ice and smashed the whole truck down on boulders....the noise scares the living ... :toilet: out of you....but of course that is not due to driver error ....the rocks are just jealous of the pretty metal that other rocks have become :lol: Bud skids have saved me more times than I can count....thank you BUD!!!!

Do be aware that that the Toyota skids did at least help you. W/o them think of what could have happened....smashed oils pans really suck! Then there is the trail cleanup...xfer cases, the list goes on...things can get really expensive...1k is cheap insurance to avoid a smashed xfer case.
 
Just out of curiosity, exactly how tough are bud built skids? Like, what would it take to dent one in the way my stock skid did? I mean, could you literally balance the entire car and a big boulder with these buds on?
 
adkinsadam1 said:
Just out of curiosity, exactly how tough are bud built skids? Like, what would it take to dent one in the way my stock skid did? I mean, could you literally balance the entire car and a big boulder with these buds on?
Click to expand...

Yeah...they are STRONG!!! I have bent them but never very far (even with what seems extreme to me). Also what is nice about his plates is that they all bolt together. So if you ever do high center you shouldn't get hung up on the plates. If you ever bend them too far (really hard to do)...you can throw the bent plate upside down against a non bent one still bolted to the truck. Use a floor jack to hold it in place and then use your bottle jack to use the weight of the truck to push back any dents. Honestly I still haven't ever had to do this.

One thing I really like about them is that they give you a place to throw the floor jack underneath just about anywhere. I typically will use a place where there is a crossmember (or Bud's crossmember). If you are really curious about what it takes to damage them beyond repair...I'm sure others will chime in.

I would say the only downside is that they are heavy. It adds about 180lbs (with the gas tank skid) to the vehicle. I forgot exactly, I have had mine on for over 2 years now. If you change your own oil pick up a Fumoto valve...makes it so you don't have to pull the oil pan skid down. With the V8 I still have to pull the very front but thats only a few bolts and that skid is only 35lbs or something.
 
the toyota skids may not be as tough as others but think of this. if you had no skids on there at that time, you probably would not have been able to drive home.

at least the 4runner has skids stronger than some others i have seen. they are better than the ones on my GMC.
 
adkinsadam1 said:
could you literally balance the entire car and a big boulder with these buds on?
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Yes! A friend has them on his FJC and I watched as a boulder broke loose under his truck. His rear wheels were off the ground as the truck went over the boulder and spit it out the back. The skids needed a bit of hammering back in shape but saved untold damages.
 
adkinsadam1 said:
Toyota needs to STEP IT UP.
Click to expand...

You discovered they were light duty by bashing them in the rocks (with apparently no damage) and you're pointing the finger at Toyota?

Sounds like a little more care and preparation wouldn't be a bad idea.
 
shuly said:
If you change your own oil pick up a Fumoto valve...makes it so you don't have to pull the oil pan skid down. With the V8 I still have to pull the very front but thats only a few bolts and that skid is only 35lbs or something.
Click to expand...
Don't the buds come with a hole for draining the oil?
 
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