What is your favorite skid plate

[Enzo4370]

Hey guys, new to the forum and hoping you can help me out. Im looking to get some skid plates for my 5th generation 4runner. There are a few different companies out there that make skid plates and wondered which ones you all liked. I am leaning towards either the RCI aluminum skids or the steel schrockworks skids. Any of you guys out there have those skids? Pros/cons? Pics? Thanks for the advice.

 

[wfo9]

Something you need to do (or at least plan to do) if you get full skids is to get the crushed cross-over exhaust pipe from the driver side routed up higher so that it will not rattle against the transmission skid. I hope to get mine finally done later this week.

I think most of the aftermarket skids will come very close to that pipe (you can use spacers to get it down lower), but as soon as you smash down on a rock it will get real close again and start to vibrate (especially when in reverse). This would not be an issues if spacers were not required. It has been a big PITA for me and several others I know that have 5th gens with full skids that wheel them in rocks.

Personally, I like aluminum skids. They seem to slide easier and no issues with corrosion, plus much lighter. However, they are not as strong as steel for some scenarios. They have worked well for me so far and I really enjoy not having to worry about rust, powder coating, or painting...Skids get really nasty even if you don't wheel it much. I've been happy with my RCI skids so far, but I have only slid them over things. No big drops and I plan to keep it that way.

 

[STX4Runner]

[MENTION=106176]wfo9[/MENTION], I've had the same problem with my skid plate being crushed up into my exhaust and was planning on calling RCI to see if they could make me a modified skid to fix this. I'm interested in what you do to the exhaust, though. I didn't think there was enough room to reroute it, cause I've looked a couple of times. Please show us what you do when you have it done.

 

[st8rocks]

After I bashed my skid I had the exhaust hitting the skid. The easiest solution was to put an adjustable clap around the rubber exhaust hanger (driver side) and tighten. This brought the exhaust away from the skid so it didn't touch.

Pics for [MENTION=120033]Enzo4370[/MENTION]

 

[RickC5]

I also have an RCI plate and it looks just like the one in the photo above--all scarfed up from smacking rocks. The RCI KDSS plate hangs down lower than the stock plate, which pretty much required me to add the Daystar spacer kit to get more ground clearance in the front. Now I have 10" of clearance and am not hitting as many rocks. Love the RCI plate!

 

[Titanpat57]

RCI Aluminum skid lover here. For the 20 times I offroad a year compared to the 22,000 miles I drive yearly, the trade off in weight is well worth it. I'm very happy with the durability at this point.

 

[wfo9]

[MENTION=106176]wfo9[/MENTION], I've had the same problem with my skid plate being crushed up into my exhaust and was planning on calling RCI to see if they could make me a modified skid to fix this. I'm interested in what you do to the exhaust, though. I didn't think there was enough room to reroute it, cause I've looked a couple of times. Please show us what you do when you have it done.

Will do, there seems to be plenty of room to get it up higher and still allow movement. Just an inch higher would put it well above the cross member (right now it is lower). I would eventually like to build a complete custom y-pipe and eliminate the post cats, but the potential for rattle is the main issue at the moment. The design choice Toyota made there still baffles me.

I don't think this issue is specific to the RCI skids. It seems that any flat skid would be very close.

The clamp on the bracket is not a bad idea for a quick fix, I would just worry a little about causing a crack in the manifold...

And one more thing, if you are doing skids might as well protect the other common impact spots. Gas tank skid and the frame bracket skids for rear LCAs.

 

[st8rocks]

The clamp on the bracket is not a bad idea for a quick fix, I would just worry a little about causing a crack in the manifold...

I moved mine maybe 1/2 inch off the skid. I doubt it will put that much stress on the manifold to crack it... I hope. :bathbaby:

 

[Jetboy]

Does anyone know if the TG transfer case skid will fit on a 4runner? IMO it looks a little better fit around the crossover pipe. When I get around to building my armor I'll probably replicate it. If it fits I'd just buy it.

 

[wfo9]

Does anyone know if the TG transfer case skid will fit on a 4runner? IMO it looks a little better fit around the crossover pipe. When I get around to building my armor I'll probably replicate it. If it fits I'd just buy it.

I bet it would. Only issue is that it would not be a smooth transition with it notched down. Not a big deal, but could be something to hang up on. I would rather have it flat and just get that pipe out of the way.

Those brackets in the pic can go away with a full skid setup. I'm pretty sure they only provide protection for the exposed after cats.

 

[Ol'Baditude]

I don't think this issue is specific to the RCI skids. It seems that any flat skid would be very close.

It's not. My Bud Built aluminum skid contacts the exhaust, mostly in reverse, but also on startup when it's really cold out.

Has anyone tried just wedging a thin slice of thermal insulation (that heat resistant stuff they put around furnace pipes, etc.) between the skid and the pipe? Seems to me that would eliminate rattle, without the need to relocate the pipe or the skid.

 

[STX4Runner]

Will do, there seems to be plenty of room to get it up higher and still allow movement. Just an inch higher would put it well above the cross member (right now it is lower). I would eventually like to build a complete custom y-pipe and eliminate the post cats, but the potential for rattle is the main issue at the moment. The design choice Toyota made there still baffles me.

I don't think this issue is specific to the RCI skids. It seems that any flat skid would be very close.

The clamp on the bracket is not a bad idea for a quick fix, I would just worry a little about causing a crack in the manifold...

And one more thing, if you are doing skids might as well protect the other common impact spots. Gas tank skid and the frame bracket skids for rear LCAs.

Yeah. I got the gas tank skid and rear LCA bracket skids before my most recent Moab trip in October. I now have the full RCI set and they have been banged around pretty good, but held up well and I would recommend them to anyone. I have to older style RCI transfer case skid that is tucked up but has the exhaust cage protecting the lower hanging crossover. I like this design as it's tucked up pretty high, but want to see if Josh can make me a stronger exhaust cage as I keep bending it and wind up with the exhaust rattles you described.

 

[Jeremy556]

Bud's

 

[Enzo4370]

A lot of good info. Seems like rci skids are the overwhelming majority as far as store bought goes. Even with possible problems with the exhaust system but your right a quick tighten with a clamp should fix it easily. I'd probably go with the aluminum as well. My truck is my daily driver and would be foolish if I put the weight of the steel on there. Save my gas mileage. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[st8rocks]

A lot of good info. Seems like rci skids are the overwhelming majority as far as store bought goes. Even with possible problems with the exhaust system but your right a quick tighten with a clamp should fix it easily. I'd probably go with the aluminum as well. My truck is my daily driver and would be foolish if I put the weight of the steel on there. Save my gas mileage. Thanks for all the advice.

If you can hold out RCI usually does a 20% off sale at some point during the year. I picked mine up over the summer.

 

[Curly Jefferson]

A lot of good info. Seems like rci skids are the overwhelming majority as far as store bought goes. Even with possible problems with the exhaust system but your right a quick tighten with a clamp should fix it easily. I'd probably go with the aluminum as well. My truck is my daily driver and would be foolish if I put the weight of the steel on there. Save my gas mileage. Thanks for all the advice.

If you are worried about fuel economy a 4Runner is the wrong vehicle to be driving in the first place. I highly doubt a few pounds of the additional weight of a steel skid plate would make much difference though.

 

[2014 Warthog]

Though you are asking about skids, I just wanted to point out that over all, the number one piece of armor I would get over anything else on a new truck is a set of rock sliders.

They are the number one thing I bash most often, and when I went to Big Bear last time, someone with a brand new 5th gen was there, the very first thing he dinged was the rocker panel and bottom of the rear passenger side door.

Sliders are generally also a long lead-time item (similar to bumpers). Might want to think about/investigate and order those sooner rather than later

Oh and to be on topic, I have the RCI skids, steel, kind of wish I had gone aluminum, I still need to get the gas tank skid and given the size and the fact that the driver side is already over weighted by the tank, driver and battery, I am definitely getting aluminum on that one. I smashed my stock one pretty good on that same trip to bigbear

 

[Jetboy]

FWIW - IMO every lb matters. All else equal a lighter 4runner will outperform a heavier one. If you add 5-800lbs of weight and go from 265s to 285s, I'd guess you're actually getting worse not better capability offroad.

By carefully choosing all of your mods/accessories you can realistically end up as much as 500lbs less. I built steel sliders, but aluminum ones would be better. At some point when I set up to weld aluminum for by boat I might take them off and sell them to replace with aluminum sliders. Aluminum skids. Synthetic winch rope, etc. A little here and there adds up.

OTOH most of the weight from skids is probably in the mud they hold. Adding more drain holes could go a long way toward reducing weight even with steel ones.

 

[MeefZah]

After I bashed my skid I had the exhaust hitting the skid. The easiest solution was to put an adjustable clap around the rubber exhaust hanger (driver side) and tighten. This brought the exhaust away from the skid so it didn't touch.

Pics for [MENTION=120033]Enzo4370[/MENTION]

So, a stupid question. Does the RCI front skid replace the 4Runner front skid AND the short little mid skid that has the oil drain plug door in it? I assume it does based on your top picture, because the RCI skid looks to be about as long as both of the OEM skids put together, and the drain hole in the RCI skid loosely lines up with where the oil drain door is on the OEM skid.

And yeah, I realize this is a two-year-old thread...

 

[st8rocks]

So, a stupid question. Does the RCI front skid replace the 4Runner front skid AND the short little mid skid that has the oil drain plug door in it? I assume it does based on your top picture, because the RCI skid looks to be about as long as both of the OEM skids put together, and the drain hole in the RCI skid loosely lines up with where the oil drain door is on the OEM skid.

And yeah, I realize this is a two-year-old thread...

Someone correct me if I'm wrong....

But the RCI front skid will only replace the factory engine skid and not the secondary skid behind it. You will remove the plastic air dam in front of the factory engine skid. Get the RCI filler plate.. Worth it!