Time to go bashin!!!

[mcspeed.1]

Ive got to tell you guys, I have installed a lot of aftermarket parts on a lot of vehicles in my time and none have been as easy as the skid row skid plate I installed last night. I have got the front on at this time. The center is on backorder and I can't line up the diff skid until I get the center one. I have never had anything just line up correctly and bolt on. It looks so beefy I want to go ram a stump or something just to see what it will do (Just saying ya know). I can't wait to get the others on there, they should work awesome.

 

[fightman80]

got any pics???

 

[blcktpgsr]

I remember seeing one on ChildrenOfBodom's rig...they are a nice addition.

 

[mcspeed.1]

I'll try to get some pics up tomorrow. I'll show the front skid plate installed and the transfercase plate uninstalled. I still can't believe how heavy duty these are!

 

[mcspeed.1]

Ok, had all kinds of problems posting my pics yesterday and said screw it! So, i'll try again here with some of their pics from skid row.

 

[mcspeed.1]

OK, like I said it was the easiest item I have ever put on. Went out in the woods 2-trackin in the 1 1/2 - 2 feet of snow yesterday and I did get a stump with the front plate. Lifted the front of the truck enough so I knew I had something good under there. As you could guess, I had to hop out of my ride to see how the plate took it. I had to clear some snow out of the way and low and behold I was on about a 1 1/2 diameter hunk of a log that someone had cut off and I presume dropped out of the back of there truck rite in the middle of the trail. Hmmm, the plate wasn't even bending and later in the day when I got to get a better look at it, it wasn't even scratched. KICK Arse for sure. I just called them and the said they middle plate will ship this week. Here is a picture of what it looks like from the front of the vehicle as well - except it's powder coated black.

 

[GottaBeTRD]

drooooool.... i want one! if you dont mind me asking what did you pay for that? Im conteplating on getting one but im not sure cause i haven't lifted my runner yet too many things to do! haha Looks great though!

 

[mcspeed.1]

Cost! Well, that's the cool part! That great big freakin front skid plate pretty much replaces the entire stock skid plate and costs the same as the cheesy front skid pan from Toyota - $233.00. As a matter of fact I am pretty sure each one costs $233.00. I just figured that if im going to do stupid stuff with my ride I might as well protect it from breaking the expensive stuff. Keep in mind I have no lift on it and don't plan on lifting it (Yeah RITE, for another week or so!) due to the fact it is going to be mostly highway driven. For the cost of these skid plates I really don't think you can go wrong. At the very least for $233.00 I would recommend buying the front plate to anyone who is possibly going to play off road. Yall now what i'm saying don't ya!

 

[brian2sun]

Just an FYI..
If you're looking for a full set of skids, the Budbuilts are a better deal and a better product IMO. The Skidrows are still good quality so I don't mean to bash them (pun intended), but if you're in the market for skids, you should compare them to Budbuilts before making a decision.

The Budbuilt 2-piece set costs less ($500 + shipping) than the 3-piece Skidrow set ($700 + shipping) and the Budbuilt 2-piece covers more area than the Skidrow 3-piece. The Buds don't require drilling either (the Skidrow t-case skid does).

If you wheel it a lot, the Buds go all the way back to the rear crossmember in front of the gas tank with no gap. The Skidrows leave ~1' area uncovered and it makes for a very, very big hole to hang up on rocks. Bud's shop is a also a small business that only does Toyota stuff. Skidrow is primarily a Jeep-based company.

If you're just looking for a front skid only, the Skidrow is a better deal and I would recommend them for that, but not for full coverage under the truck.

 

[GottaBeTRD]

dang that budbuilt looks pretty good too! i was wanting a new skid down the road to protect my CAT. Skidrow has always been on my mind cause someone here a long time ago got theres for $140 something like that? Can you mix/match the 2?

EDIT: off topic are you shreddin on a bass in your avatar?

 

[mcspeed.1]

I thought about going Budbuilts. I did not like the way they mount the back of the front skid to the rack mounts. All points are mounted securely to frame points and use no hardware to mount them. Also the Skid row is a boxed and welded unit in the front where as the Budbuilts are not. The other aspect is the fact that even though the budbuilts do not attach to the frame after it is attached to the steering rack - where as both are hooked together with nuts and bolts the Skid row also attaches to the cross member and then attaches to the frame. After reviewing both units the skid row plates look to be heavier duty than the budbuilts due to there mounting points. Yep! They are more expensive and they come powder coated too and after mounting it in 5 minutes I would buy them again in a heartbeat. :bravo:

 

[brian2sun]

I don't mean to dog on the Skidrow plates, I do think they are made well, but just for the sake of comparison...

I thought about going Budbuilts. I did not like the way they mount the back of the front skid to the rack mounts. All points are mounted securely to frame points and use no hardware to mount them. Also the Skid row is a boxed and welded unit in the front where as the Budbuilts are not.

The Buds' sides are not welded to the very front part of the skid, but I honestly don't think it matters. That area is up pretty high, I haven't ever caught a rock there - you would have to straddle a boulder about twice as tall as what your rear diff would clear and it would still have to bend 3/16" steel. But anything can still happen.

The other aspect is the fact that even though the budbuilts do not attach to the frame after it is attached to the steering rack - where as both are hooked together with nuts and bolts the Skid row also attaches to the cross member and then attaches to the frame.

EDIT: Sorry, I misunderstood your post the 1st time. What I meant to say was..

The Bud also has 2 additional allen head bolts that attach it to the truck in front of the rack using the stock welded nuts in the middle of the LCAs.

After reviewing both units the skid row plates look to be heavier duty than the budbuilts due to there mounting points. Yep! They are more expensive and they come powder coated too and after mounting it in 5 minutes I would buy them again in a heartbeat. :bravo:

The big difference for me is that if you are letting a rock scrape all the way down, the Skidrows have a big open space at the end to let the rock go up into and cause the truck to hang up there between the end of the skid and the crossmember in front of the gas tank. I have met people that had issues with this when they're wheeling in rock gardens. Most of the time it results in getting yanked out by a winch or another truck because it causes the truck to high-center. The Buds have more ground clearance under the tranny also.

The Skidrows do come powder coated, but powdercoat cannot be touched up so it isn't my 1st choice of paint for something that's designed to bash rocks. I prefer spray paint for armor, but that's just a personal preference. Spray paint cost pennies to touch up, but having to re-powdercoat is expensive.

All in all, it's whatever you like better. Armor is armor, and any is better than the weak stock skids. I don't mean to belittle your purchase and I'm sure you will still love the protection the Skidrows give you. IMO, for more hardcore wheeling though, I do fully believe the Buds are more functional. But like I said before, if you're only buying a front skid, I do think the Skidrow is better.

GottaBeTRD,
Unfortunately, The two brands are not compatible with eachother. And yes!! I'm shredding my 1969 Fender Jazz Bass in my avatar!