what off road protection in what order?

can't swing everything at once- any consensus on what are the top priorities with the various skid plates, bumper protectors and sliders?

Thanks in advance

 

Sliders, then skids or skids, then sliders

 

What are you trying to do?
What is your current setup?

 

Sliders, skids, rear bumper, front bumper, exo cage, internal cage​

 

I don't often disagree with Chad but...

My opinion is when dealing with offroading in rocky areas (especially in Montana where help/ towing could be a way out):

1. xfer case & transmission
2. engine
3. driveshaft
4. rear-end / front suspension
5. sliders
6. bumpers

I always put "get you home" equipment first on lists.

 

+1

make sure you have an engine first, that is key

 

I don't really use my engine that much anymore​

 

Thanks for the suggestions thus far. No really hard core off-roading, but my elk/deer outings will often take me into very rough, rocky places; as mentioned above- it's likely to be very remote (almost certainly no cell coverage) country (Western Montana).

truck is stock, likely to stay that way suspension wise- save slightly oversized BFG's

 

Yep. Skids first. Protect your vitals.
If you smash your oil pan, trans or tcase, you are not driving out.
If you dent your bumper of smash your quarter panel, you can still get home.

Having said that, I have zero skids right now

 

Hyper milers dig it

 

It really comes down to $$...Don't stress on what first.Just start with what you can afford.
You buy slidders first...Hits rear bumper on rock
You buy Skids first....Hits front bumper on rock

 

Sliders.

And just don't rally with it. I did almost two years of off roading with stock skids, and we're talking pretty extensive mileage and difficulty of trails. They were well beat up, but i didn't smash them into stuff. I would do sliders first again. But if you're one who likes to slam into stuff to get over it instead of picking a line, skids.

I got skids before this trip since I would be way off the beaten path plus on sale.

 

Sliders 1st. Then IFS skid. Then mid skid. Then T-case skid. Then front bumper. Then rear bumper. Then gas tank skid. Then locker solenoid skid (if you have one)

 

FTFY ​

 

I'll be a little different and say front bumper with winch, sliders, skids, then rear bumper. If you get snow during hunting season then having a winch could really save the day.

 

this probably is pretty damn true

 

Over all I agree with TJ (Tokyo Joe)...except for a slight change...The areas in red seem to be the most common places of damage and some of the most important areas to keep your vehicle running. I have ExFiled myself from tight places with only one drive shaft in the past, most of the other things in black are pretty well covered by the frame or out of the way...those darn engines, transfer cases and trannys seem to get in the way all the time...and getting hung up on a rock or a tree on the side of the truck is just a pain in the ass...

Just my two cents and 45 years of off-roading all over the US, South America, Northern Africa and Western Asia...

 

I wheeled quite a bit in my truck when I first got it and it was stock, including some trails that I probably shouldn't have...oddly the PO had put an aftermarket t-case skid on my truck (and nothing else), and one time on a tougher 4x trail I came down HARD on that skid plate after having some trouble getting over an obstacle. I was really thankful that skid was there or else I would have been hitching a ride back with someone else and having to deal with somehow getting my truck fixed or off of a really tough trail 20 miles from civilization.

I agree with protecting what will get you home first (skids), then going with the other stuff. If you're going to add a lot of weight underneath with skids though then you're going to have to think about upgrading the suspension because all that weight will bring you down.

 

I have a friend who had a bent drive shaft in is 2002 Tacoma SR5 TRD; he drove 4.5 hours in "4x4" without his rear drive shaft because he was having it straightened and balanced at a certain shop.

 

Another thing to remember is an exhaust reroute is a good idea... If you crush the exhaust, the truck probably won't run anymore. And since Toyota cares little about owners, this is a problem they carried over to the third gens as well.

Look under the truck, it's the lowest part and it's only because it was cheaper for them. Thankfully it's an easy and usually cheap fix at an exhaust shop. My reroute looks like it should stock and cost $100.