need simple skid plate for '10 stock taco

just about to pick up my new pickup, a '10 2wd 4.0L v6 dbl cab prerunner w/ sr5 and tow pacs and im on the look out for a decent skid plate. im not a off roader per say and i dont see lift kits and super trick suspension in my future but it will see some rocky action on occasion as i navigate some west texas region mountain bike trailheads and downhill shuttle runs. this type of thing just claimed the tranny pan on my passat wagon which is part of the reason for the new yota. apples and kumquats... i know, but ya get the idea. so whats the hot setup for us stock folk? id like to keep access to the service bits so i dont piss off the mechanics and cost myself a ton in extra labor. i know the allpro ifs unit is cool but there seems to be a compatability issue with sway bars. what say you?

 

Welcome to TW! Scroll down main page to vendor section. There are a ton of different brands with reviews from alot of TW members

 

good call. ill check it out. still, ive found the thumbs up from regular and knowledgable owners can far surpass the vendor reviews normally written as the box is bein opened. at least thats how it worked on the bike forum. plus im so damn green i dont know who builds what yet. i just popped in there and felt like ray charles in a maze.

thanx!

 

Many members do post rtheir personal reviews and pics in the vendor section

 

very cool. what manufacturers do ya recommend i look through?

 

Bud built and ATO are the two that come to my mind immediately. ATO is more hard core though. It's 1/4 metal and the budbuilt is 3/16 which should be more than enough for most users.

http://www.budbuilt.com/new/05+Tacoma.html

 

just looked at the budbuilt and its pretty sweet but no access to maint points which is a deal breaker for me. maybe somethin between this and the wussy lookin factory option? seems all that will do is keep road kill off my bumper so i passed on it.

 

I thought that the little hole in the center of the mid skid was for oil?

http://www.budbuilt.com/new/05 taco.JPG

 

i got used factory skid plate, cuz i got a good deal on it. its not too bad, simple bolt-on

 

I'm looking for something like this as well. The Budbuilt skids look awesome, but they're expensive (I know quality is) and I think they cover maintenance points. I also am not expecting to drive down the side of a mountain, but I encounter grass covered rocks, and lots of other junk out in W. Texas where I hunt.

If there is nobody that makes a decent skid set a tier below the budbuilt ones I may look into buying sheet steel and taking it to a metal shop and having them bend it and drill holes, but I don't know how feasible or cost-prohibitive that would be.

 

I'm with you guys. Would love to add an additional skid over stock, but don't want to blow a ton of money.

 

Maybe bud can tone it down for you or ATO can work with you and use thinner steel and put in the maintenance points you want. That's the beauty with working with smaller company.

 

Hit up MetalMiller on here. He makes a mean skid plate!



He can do different designs and cutouts.

 

The only maintenance I'm concerned with is changing my oil. It doesn't look like you can change the oil without removing the Bud's skids?

 

perhaps yer right. the thing i should do is to take a hard look at whats stock. memory said it was non existant but i could be wrong. the option plate was about 2 hunny and only covered the bottom of the bumper to the chassis if i recall, nuthin under the expensive bits, and thats what scares me.

as for the holes some of us are askin for, well thats just to make life easy for us wussy off roaders who dont need the full tilt boogie plates thay cost us another $100 in labor at the shop come service time. ill know more tomorrow mornin after i get the keys to my shiney red toy. man... i sure wish they had some speedway blue sr5's left but thats life.

 

not a bad point! when im fat n happy again, ill ask them. for now ive gotta recover some from the purchase. maybe a job would help.

 

nice! i want 1 in the shape on my penis. no, wait... that would be weaker than the option plate.

 

ok, i picked up the truck today and took a good look under her bra. sure enough, theres a good skid plate from the front cross member to just in front of the oil pan. i was refering to the little alloy mustache plate i saw on another truck in the lot and didnt see this plate for some odd reason. that said, id love to find somethin that covers back to the end of the tranny pan. just seems to make sense to a guy who knows no better.