Skid plates? BB vs. SW

[GrantK]

I need some input one choosing which skid plates to get, BB of SW. Does either require drilling to make them fit or do both directly bolt on?

BB:
*) Available in stainless (which is a BIG plus to me).
*) Has a replacement cross member for added strength.
*) Has a rear diff guard which is important to me since I have a TE with electronic locker.

SW:
*) Has a full gas tank skid plate (I don't see one advertised for BB, is this correct?).
*) Look like they cover a little more.
*) I have a SW bumper and the fit at the front where the main plates meet up with the plate that angles back from the bumper might be a little better.
*) Getting in touch with SW is easier than BB from posts I've read here.

So how about some opinions and reasons why others purchased one or the other please.

 

[mrvandelay]

BB has a full tank skid.
BB's Diff Skid can be combined with SW skids or even by itself.

I believe the turn around time on the BB skids is better than SW but I can't confirm. I had no trouble getting in touch with BB during my slider order process.

 

[K O]

I'm also curious how well the front skid of the Bud Built mates up with the aluminum plate from the Shrockworks lower cover.

 

[limamike]

I need some input one choosing which skid plates to get, BB of SW. Does either require drilling to make them fit or do both directly bolt on?

BB:
*) Available in stainless (which is a BIG plus to me).
*) Has a replacement cross member for added strength.
*) Has a rear diff guard which is important to me since I have a TE with electronic locker.

SW:
*) Has a full gas tank skid plate (I don't see one advertised for BB, is this correct?).
*) Look like they cover a little more.
*) I have a SW bumper and the fit at the front where the main plates meet up with the plate that angles back from the bumper might be a little better.
*) Getting in touch with SW is easier than BB from posts I've read here.

So how about some opinions and reasons why others purchased one or the other please.

Match sliders and skids if possible. So, if you have SW sliders get SW skids and vice versa. I have SW skids with BB sliders and it took some extra grinding to get them to fit together properly. Both are bolt-on, and as someone else mentioned, both have full gas skids.

 

[Intruder]

Both BB and SW skids were available when I ordered mine. I went with BB for a couple of reasons. First, the BB skids appear to give more complete coverage than the SW from what I could see in pictures. Another big thing is the bolts. If you look at the SW skids they have regular hex bolts with the heads sticking out the bottom. Those are going to get ground down or sheared off eventually, which could make removing the skids to have work done a major pain in the ass. Bud uses rounded carriage bolts for that instead.

You can see how the SW hex bolts stick out here. Can't find a clear pic of the carriage bolts on the BB, but maybe Harper has one.

 

[GrantK]

Match sliders and skids if possible. So, if you have SW sliders get SW skids and vice versa. I have SW skids with BB sliders and it took some extra grinding to get them to fit together properly. Both are bolt-on, and as someone else mentioned, both have full gas skids.

Can you elaborate on the grinding issue? I have SW sliders along with the bumper so this is an issue for me. I assume it's at where the front of sliders mount.

 

[Okki]

I need some input one choosing which skid plates to get, BB of SW. Does either require drilling to make them fit or do both directly bolt on?

BB:
*) Available in stainless (which is a BIG plus to me).
*) Has a replacement cross member for added strength.
*) Has a rear diff guard which is important to me since I have a TE with electronic locker.

SW:
*) Has a full gas tank skid plate (I don't see one advertised for BB, is this correct?).
*) Look like they cover a little more.
*) I have a SW bumper and the fit at the front where the main plates meet up with the plate that angles back from the bumper might be a little better.
*) Getting in touch with SW is easier than BB from posts I've read here.
**) Also has an added cross member
**) Also available in bare 3/16" steel plate
So how about some opinions and reasons why others purchased one or the other please.

Form the SW website:
Front: This protects the Radiator, Oil Pan and Engine area. Includes a removable flush mount cover plate for oil filter access.

Transmission: This skid protects the Transmission, the Transmission Pan and provides some protection for the Catalytic Converters. This skid includes the cross-member which is needed for both the trans and t-case skid.

Transfer Case: This protects the Transfer Case and the vulnerable low hanging Exhaust Crossover Pipe. This skid requires the cross-member. If you have the trans skid, or you are ordering it now, you will already have the cross member. If you want to run the t-case skid by itself w/o the trans skid, you will need to order the cross-member separately.

Gas Tank: This protects the plastic gas tank.

Package Deal:
If you purchase the package of 4 skid plates and the cross-member, you will save $75.00 off the individual price. You will also have a smooth flat belly that easily slides over obstacles and be fully protected.

Completed your list in red

Okki

 

[TxBxSx]

I'm also curious how well the front skid of the Bud Built mates up with the aluminum plate from the Shrockworks lower cover.

From looking at the way Bud's front skid mounts on their site, it doesn't look like it will work with our front bumper skid. I'm sure there is someone on the forums that has run into this and can say for certain. I think Adio3x might have had BB skids, and I know he is running our front bumper.

I've run some of their stuff on some of my own rigs back before we had the ability to make one off products with the ease that we can now. The problem with aftermarket is that you do run into interference issues from time to time running products from different companies, but its nice to have options!

 

[limamike]

Can you elaborate on the grinding issue? I have SW sliders along with the bumper so this is an issue for me. I assume it's at where the front of sliders mount.

It's where the sliders mount with the gas tank skid. I have BB sliders and the holes do not match-up, so they had to be ground out to accommodate the mismatch of pre-drilled holes.

 

[Intruder]

From looking at the way Bud's front skid mounts on their site, it doesn't look like it will work with our front bumper skid. I'm sure there is someone on the forums that has run into this and can say for certain. I think Adio3x might have had BB skids, and I know he is running our front bumper.

I believe he had the front BB skid modified slightly to tie them together. There might be pics/info in his build thread but I think he swapped his BB skids for ARBs. Pawzitiv also has BB skids and a SW front bumper and had some minor work done to make them fit together. I want to say it was just a minor modification to the front lip of the BB skid.

 

[GrantK]

From looking at the way Bud's front skid mounts on their site, it doesn't look like it will work with our front bumper skid. I'm sure there is someone on the forums that has run into this and can say for certain. I think Adio3x might have had BB skids, and I know he is running our front bumper.

I've run some of their stuff on some of my own rigs back before we had the ability to make one off products with the ease that we can now. The problem with aftermarket is that you do run into interference issues from time to time running products from different companies, but its nice to have options!

Justin,
Can you do a one-off set in 3/16" stainless?

 

[453030]

I bought the entire BB set and could not be more pleased. I just removed them all to change my diff and transfer case oils at 30k and forgot how perfectly everything goes together. I had some heavy scratches and one small dent that I cleaned up and provided a protectant paint to. Mount a set up and you will really appreciate the quality and attention to detail. Oil changes are a complete breeze as well, and the skids don't need to be removed for that.

One other testament, last week I went to my local DT to rotate the DuraTracs. I love my shop and a few of the guys in particular. They are completely awesome. However, I got some dumbass newbie who did not know where to lift the front end. This moron ended up placing rubber pads right between the front and second skid, even covering a small sloped area on the second skid. There is nothing behind the skids where he lifted my front end off the ground. I noticed the circular rings where they contacted the skids. Nothing budged. I did tell the manager when I went back the next day (apparently the kid can't read either, I requested my tires be set at 38 and he reduced them to 32 per the door sticker). I told him I did not want the punk to get in trouble, but he needs to be taught where to place the jacks or at least ask for help.

BTW Grant, why would the rear diff guard be more important to us Trail owners than any other 4Runner owner? Just curious as to your thinking.

 

[Mick1]

The BB diff guard provides protection to the E locker...

 

[GrantK]

BTW Grant, why would the rear diff guard be more important to us Trail owners than any other 4Runner owner? Just curious as to your thinking.

Because we have an electric locker rear diff and the SR5 and LE don't, so we need to protect the locker motor and wires.

 

[adio3x]

I believe he had the front BB skid modified slightly to tie them together. There might be pics/info in his build thread but I think he swapped his BB skids for ARBs. Pawzitiv also has BB skids and a SW front bumper and had some minor work done to make them fit together. I want to say it was just a minor modification to the front lip of the BB skid.

The KDSS version of the BB skids fits well with the SW bumper. Now the problem I had was the non KDSS didn't fit very well. It has this lip on it and theres no way to put a filler piece to make it more smooth with the bumper.

 

[K O]

The KDSS version of the BB skids fits well with the SW bumper. Now the problem I had was the non KDSS didn't fit very well. It has this lip on it and theres no way to put a filler piece to make it more smooth with the bumper.

Do you have any pictures? Did you need to do any modifications to get the KDSS version of BB's front skid to mate up with the Shrockworks aluminum piece?

 

[adio3x]

Do you have any pictures? Did you need to do any modifications to get the KDSS version of BB's front skid to mate up with the Shrockworks aluminum piece?

I ended up parting out my BBs, sold them to some FJ guys.

These are the non KDSS version, Pawzitiv has the KDSS version.

Disregard the arrows, its an old pic of when I was having problems mounting it.

Now I have ARB skids, they don't offer as much protection (being aluminum), still have that lip, but its not a huge step like the BBs.

 

[453030]

Because we have an electric locker rear diff and the SR5 and LE don't, so we need to protect the locker motor and wires.

You might be hard pressed to hit them without mashing the rest of the diff too, but I suppose it is possible. It sits higher than the adjacent gas tank; if I had to choose between the two I would take the gas skid for sure. But the Bud diff skid gives a lot of piece of mind. I would have it on a SR5 or LE too.

I had this photo handy, does not show too much but what the heck, photos are always cool.

 

[K O]

These are the non KDSS version, Pawzitiv has the KDSS version.

Thanks for the tip. I found his picture here, and I must say, it looks better than the non-KDSS, but it is not ideal.

Toyota 4Runner Forum - pawzitiv's Album: pawzitiv's 2010 T4R - Picture

 

[veloindy]

I'm also considering skids, and SW's was at the top of my list, mainly b/c of oil filter access. But in the pic's posted by adio3x above, it looks like the BB has a oil filter access too.

Am I correct in saying only the ARB does NOT have oil filter access.