PRO Skid Plate reinstall

Has anyone reinstalled the PRO skid plate by themselves? If so, how did you did it...support blocks, etc.

I am going to attempt it tonight and was thinking how I was going to do it

 

Just lifted up with chest and forearm and screwed it in...start with the two bolts and spacers at the front of the truck then mid then rear.

 

Haha, this is how I did it. Tried raising it on a floor jack but aligning all six bolts was a no go. So I laid on my back and rested the skid on my belly. Lining up the bolts was a breeze. Don't over torque btw, 32 ft/lbs for the larger bolts and 22 ft/lbs for the rear smaller bolts.

 

This

 

I can’t afford one. If anyone wants to send one my way, I’ll do a write up on it and possibly even make a video.

 

Look above you brother you could probably recoup money on the 2nd skid you bought.

 

Just now got through. I tried, without jacking truck up, on my back with plate on my stomach. No GO!! So I got a big piece of cardboard (as big as plate) with plate on top so it would not slide. It stuck like glue. I slid the floor jack underneath the cardboard perfectly in the middle, pulled it on top. Jacked it up right to all the holes all at once. Attached the fronts just a little hand tight. Then middles ones a bit, then back ones a bit. I tightened them like you would a wheel and tire. A little all the way around, slowly.

PERFECT!!

 

Yup, just did it in the rain last night. 4 front bolts are 17mm, which you have to remove first for a sport or OR. The back two bolts are 12mm, which holes will be empty. I drove my truck two small ramps for more room and slid myself under the truck with the plate on my chest. I was able to get the two front bolts hand tight, then I flipped myself around to get the two rear bolts in a few threads. This allowed the middle two to line up easier than trying them 2nd.

A bit of four little words and my wife who was laughing at me, said I called my truck a bag of dicks....

I have a thread with pics of the tuck on the ramps

EDIT

 

No way would I do that in the rain. My nice warm, dry garage for me.

 

I used floor jack to align and I worked around to tight bolts with my creeper. I started to thread rear small ones first then the others. Finished up with torque specs. I forgot to apply anti-seize though.

 

I used a lift

 

Paid $240 for one on the TRD 40th anniversary 40% off TRD sale.

 

Anyone try removing the bolts once installed? I decided I wanted to put some loc-tight on the bolts and feel like they are stripping coming out. Got a couple out and had a fight to get one back in.

Any one else experience this?

 

How stout are these things? I like the idea of an aluminum skid plate for weight savings. I don't do anything crazy. But I did bang up the stock OR "skid plates" pretty good. I was thinking of going RCI but these TRD's look fairly beefy.

 

Since this aluminum, you have to work them slow. I would not put loc-tight. Then you will "never" get them off. I loosened the fronts first a little then the middle, then the backs. Then started over again. I finally took out the backs first since they are small and might strip easily. Then the fronts then slowly took out the middle to even the load. Just used my knees on my back with no jack. The truck is high enough on the PRO.

 

They are hefty. Maybe 1/4 to 3/8's inch thick. Just a guess. It is about 30+ lbs, just a guess

 

Are the bolts aluminum? I guess maybe they were. Didn’t think of that. The original ones were steel, if I ever take it off again I’ll see about replacing with steel. I’m guessing the bolt stretched and not the backing nuts on the frame.
I’ve never heard of issues with getting bolts off when using loc-tite. I used it in every brake job, starter alternator transmission repair for years.

 

They are 1/4” thick. Far beefier than the factory tin. I bumped em a couple times last week and it was more than adequate protection.

 

Loc-Tite is just that....Lock Those Suckers on Tight... Yes, I know it is not permanent, I have used it many times. But it does make it harder for sure.

I was a welding machine operator and it had lots of vibration. Without Loc-Tite, everything would come loose very fast.