Bay Area First Gen Skid Plate Feeler

I DM'd 4xInnovation on here to check their leadtimes and the skids were already in production.

The dude I chatted with was really cool and very helpful.

Budbuilt's leadtimes were at 5+ weeks out (listed on their site at the time)

Budbuilt didn't answer my email.

After shipping 4xInnovation was cheaper.

4xInnovation is 1/4 plate - Budbuilt is 3/16

 

Hmmm...good info.

I've had to bend my 3/16 RAT products skids back straight like 3 times now. I just put it on the ground next to my truck and put the hi lift between the skid on the ground and my sliders and use the truck's weight to bend it. It's easy but a pain in the ass overall.

 

Sorry about that. I've been making it a point to just do every email when I come in the morning, but I messed that one up. Trust me, that frustrates me just as much as you. I need to probably lock my office door and not get so distracted by the shop floor but that's on me.

Side note for anyone out there about the front skid. We can do 1/4" steel, but we don't like to, as it is stronger than the frame crossmembers. With Bud and his destruction of nine 1st gen Tacomas (and 3rd gen 4Runners) over the years, he found that 3/16" is as strong as you can go to ensure frame safety. That's his big thing with his background in material science and failure analysis that he used during 30+ years as an engineer in the military industrial complex. Anyone can bolt something strong to something weak, but what we try and do is make our products overly strong, but always save the real expensive thing under there, which is the $10,000 frame, and not a $300 skid plate.

I've been working on the website a lot lately, so now if they are in stock, they will say either "in stock" or "build to order." If in stock, they ship in under a week. I've been able to keep the 3/16", 1/8". and 1/4' aluminum in stock. The 3/16" stainless steel ones are a little harder stock.

We'll be doing something for black friday this year though, sooo... that's cool.

Rob

 

Now THAT's badass man... Props for the response man. I really appreciate that (and I think others will too).

Wasn't any hard feelings when the email didn't get answered btw... I get how it goes. It's just that 4xinnovations hit me back (nearly immediately) and I just went with it.

Also... I get how your shipping is more expensive than 4x... the heavy items only have to travel half the distance.

But for real... big props on replying to this thread, and points well taken on the 3/16 vs 1/4. Hopefully others will take that in to consideration.

You got any other 1st gen armor products I can buy from ya???

 

I'm just glad 4xinnovations was able to help you out and get something under there. While I haven't met them, I've heard good things about their products.

I don't think we have anything more for you that is shippable. Outside of our flat belly skids, we go into our tummy tucks which gains almost 4" of ground clearance under the center of the truck. Basically the frame rails are the lowest point, but that is a whole other world of frame and drivetrain modifications.

Rob

 

THAT my friend, is exactly the next place I was going. I've looked at the Front Range Crossmember that eliminates the stock cross member and raises the T-case... Didn't know you guys had something like that. Also the 4xinnovations skids are 2 piece not 3 (like yours) so I'm looking to extend my coverage past the T-case.

 

glad I got BAMF

 

Why past the tcase Matt?

We have 1st gens. He said he wouldn't be making products for us anymore

 

So I can hammer down with you, of course

 

Great answer!

 

Plus what @BudBuilt said about having the skid weaker so it bends rather than the frame taking the all force of the impact. I never thought of that but it makes sense. It's like how your collarbone will break before other things break or tear. It's like a mechanical fuse.

 

Nobody wants your left over scrap plywood skid plates! This isn’t Canada.

 

Lol. I do. Trying to see if i can get tw express. Or just make the trip down to san jo

 

He’s SOPPOSED to be making a trip up there in mid-December, for a light snow run around Bowman lake. He’ll probually flake.

 

Ooooh! Lol. Im in for a snow run

 

It's all in how it's designed our 2nd/3rd gen skids will out last any skid on the market, There is structure built into them we don't just bend flat plate that you can flatten by jumping on it unsupported, We can drive a 10,000lb forklift onto our skids without bending them and they will still bend/give before the frame structure they are bolted too.
Not sure on the 1st gens as we haven't made any for that gen but the 2nd and 3rd gens our .250" skids have been proven on some of the most difficult trails in the country without failure to the skid or truck.