WildBill1990
New member
Wondering which option everyone considers more important. Most of my driving is around town except during hunting season and my two 4X4 trips per year. All opinions welcome, I'm trying to decide which one to do next.
Skids or Rock Sliders
- Thread starter WildBill1990
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Motory
New member
What kind of terrain are your 4x4 trips? Are you lifted already? It sounds like 98% of your driving is on road so unless your trips involve crawling over rocks or navigating through tight spaces, you probably dont need either and that money might be better spent on other mods.
But on my personal vehicle, I'd rather have sliders over skids.
But on my personal vehicle, I'd rather have sliders over skids.
Victory 4x4
Official Vendor
Both are important but we recommend sliders first. They will protect your rocker area as well as the body/doors of the 4Runner (from rocks/trees/or careless people's car doors in the parking lot). They also double as a step to get in/out and access the roof.
Skids are also important protection (and make oil changes easier) but if you aren't doing too much offroading you could upgrade the stock skids down the line.
WildBill1990
New member
Depends where you live and what you do. In the midwest, a snorkel sounds like the best upgrade...skids and sliders will just make you sink faster.
Right now I don't necessarily disagree with that statement haha
WildBill1990
New member
4x4 trips are typically going to consist of Moab, Ouray, and some of the LBL in KY. Will have a front bumper soon and installing the Bilstein 6112/5160 combo in the near future. Just trying to plan how much to save up for the next mod.
ScarfaceT4R
New member
**CAN make oil changes easier....unless you buy a TRD Pro skid :frusty:
Victory 4x4
Official Vendor
mteolus
New member
Well when unlifted I did Como Lake Rd. in Colorado to just below Jaws 1. I dented my skids on the way down (a little too fast and bounced) and did not need sliders. So seems like I am in the minority, but I would go with skids first. I think a damaged transfer case would be much worse than rocker panel damage.
Now that being said, a while back I had a stock 1992 Toyota Pickup Longbed with the torsion bars all the way up to get maximum clearance and 31.10.50 tires and never needed either and I did just about every 14er 4x4 access road and most of the San Juan 4x4 roads (didn't do Black Bear). I did Tincup Pass in a Chevy Tahoe and bottomed out once but never needed sliders.
So as you can see, probably a lift would be the first thing you would want to do for what you drive. That's what I did first.
The 4Runner comes with skids. They aren't as good as aftermarket skids, but they're also not nothing.
They come with no protection for rocker panels, so rock sliders should be first.
For 2 4x4 trips a year I wouldn't recommend either, although rock sliders can double as steps so maybe that's useful for you day to day
They come with no protection for rocker panels, so rock sliders should be first.
For 2 4x4 trips a year I wouldn't recommend either, although rock sliders can double as steps so maybe that's useful for you day to day
mteolus
New member
There is a thin front skid and a thin gas tank skid. Nothing to protect the transfer case nor the exhaust pipe. Can't remember if it protected the tranny though.
Mutant138
Banned
Get sliders first. Stock skids work well enough to get by (Don't believe me check out the latest posts on my build/adventure thread). Cannot tell you how many situations I wished I had some sliders in my first 10K.
My next purchases in order:
3" Lift
33" Tires
Sliders
The rest of the armor
My next purchases in order:
3" Lift
33" Tires
Sliders
The rest of the armor
ScarfaceT4R
New member
If you buy ours it will
I dig that design w/ that easy access panel to the oil filter!! I seriously wish I went with you guys. Oficially putting the TRD Pro skid up for sale & ordering that aluminum powder coated version. Making oil changes less of a damn headache.
Victory 4x4
Official Vendor
Awesome! Once you have the skid protecting it, you can also install a Fumoto valve which will make it even easier.
mteolus
New member
Thanks for reminding me, I will be getting that!
MAST4R
New member
I have full skids, including rLCA heavy duty upgrade and rLCA bracket skids. If you go into bigger ledges and rocks those two upgrades are more important than either the sliders or any of the bigger skids. I also have sliders.
As others said, it depends where you go.
Rock sliders are very important, but only for certain scenarios. They are not the "must have" people make them out to be. Thus they are overrated. You have 17" to the rocker stock and around 14 or so with the sliders no mater what the guys who make them say (14.5 max). So hitting the slider becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The exception is tight forest trails where you need side protection, then sliders may be the #1 need after tires.
For irregular use, in the SW, even on standard difficult trails, all a TRD series needs is tires and an attentive driver.
For regular use anywhere in the SW, you want both armor and sliders AND/OR a lift depending on how regular the use and how difficult the trails. Miles pile up, you get distracted, you hit. It is inevitable with regular offroading.
I will put it like this, for capability:
1/ Tires
2/ 1.5-2" lift or 3/16 skids throughout. Either way need rLCAs and bracket skids
gap
3/sliders
4/ the balance of #2.
And keep it light.
As others said, it depends where you go.
Rock sliders are very important, but only for certain scenarios. They are not the "must have" people make them out to be. Thus they are overrated. You have 17" to the rocker stock and around 14 or so with the sliders no mater what the guys who make them say (14.5 max). So hitting the slider becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The exception is tight forest trails where you need side protection, then sliders may be the #1 need after tires.
For irregular use, in the SW, even on standard difficult trails, all a TRD series needs is tires and an attentive driver.
For regular use anywhere in the SW, you want both armor and sliders AND/OR a lift depending on how regular the use and how difficult the trails. Miles pile up, you get distracted, you hit. It is inevitable with regular offroading.
I will put it like this, for capability:
1/ Tires
2/ 1.5-2" lift or 3/16 skids throughout. Either way need rLCAs and bracket skids
gap
3/sliders
4/ the balance of #2.
And keep it light.
Last edited:
jakeromyces
New member
I bought sliders the first week. I don’t have any delusions that’ll I’ll be rock climbing anytime soon on account of where I live, they were a purely cosmetic add for me.
I went with the Shrockworks bolt on sliders. I think they look a lot better than the predator tubes mine came with.
I went with the Shrockworks bolt on sliders. I think they look a lot better than the predator tubes mine came with.
