Ham fisted mechanics and skid plates

So last time i had my truck in for a service at a lube shop, yeah I know, I was in a hurry and it was cold out so I wasn't;t doing my own.

The mechanics removed the skid plate to drain the oil as they didn't have an oil sucker to go through the dip stick like most modern shops. Not a big deal, shit happens. However when they put it back on they cross threaded a bunch of the bolts/nuts and i have since lost one bolt and another is probably due to come out here soon, a third its threaded into the nut, but I am pretty sure the nut has broken free of the frame or however they are held on as I can push the bolt up and it moves but wont't come out.

Anyways, anyone have this issue before? If so how are you fixing it? Retapping? Any threads on this on here? I didn't see any in my search, but my google fu is lacking these days.

Thanks

Steve

 

I forget how they're mounted, but I'd probably drill em out and JB weld a rivenut in there.

ETA: compress the rivenut as well.

 

Good think is my bolt is nor broken in there just no threads in a few of them. I will need to start digging into the service manuals and see what i can find. Seems to be a big problem with a lot of other peeps on here as well.

 

I believe the stock ones are rivenuts.

 

what skid plates are you running? Most 3rd gen skid plates come with a hole to drain oil and sometimes a removable panel to remove the oil filter.

remove bolts, chase the threads to see if they are salveable, or drill out and tap to a bigger size. As for the one they hit with the impact and snapped loose, no ideas on that one.

 

I would try to retap them if you have the tools.

 

Only the TRD pro skid plate has a removable panel for the filter. My sport skidplate had to come off for oil changes. Not a very smart design

The nuts for the skid plates are just tack welded so it's pretty common for them to break. Drill the bolts out and replace nuts with rivnuts is probably easiest route

 

I was thinking he had aftermarket ones like RCI that have the panel because I can't think of any reason they would be so negligible with the stock skid plates. They are so light you can hold them up with one hand and thread in the bolts. If they were aftermarket and heavy I could understand (but not forgive) them straining to lift them and quickly slam the bolts in.

But with stock skid plates, that's just sad.

 

Get a pro skid plate. It uses different mounting holes.

 

Oh I see...I dont know how you could f*** it up that bad either, theres hooks on the fwd side the hold half the weight while you thread the bolts in! It's a wonder how these people even figure out how to put pants on in the morning

 

Hopefully they didn’t strip out your oil pan bolt.

 

From what I understand, this isn't an option if you have a front air dam and wish to keep it.

 

Ive seen a picture around here of someone that made it work.

 

Don’t take this the wrong way but what crappy skid do you have that uses whimpy bolts? My skid is held in place with large grade 8 bolts...

Most aftermarket skids come with a removable panel. Your sport doesn’t have a skid plate, it’s a splash guard.

 

You don't suck the oil out the top of Tacoma, there is no benefit, the filter is underneath.

The suck method is for german cars and DIY'ers, not a Toyota shop.

 

Why aren't you calling the shop and have them fix it or pay for the fix?

 

Yah we got this all sorted out there Joe

 

I prefer to think of myself as a sausage fingered mechanic, not a ham fisted mechanic.

Cut off the bolt that is spinning. Remove the nuts that can't be salvaged by a tap and install rivnuts. Pick up some factory bolts to replace the damaged one. Nothing worse than 2 or 3 different socket sizes need to to remove one small piece. Use neversieze on the hardware when installing and stop going to quick lubes. They aren't mechanics, the ones I know that worked at places like that barely qualified as 8th grader's! ( last grade in school not age )

 

If I could do that I would change it tomorrow.

 

It was in a discussion about removing the chin spoiler or not. If I come across it I’ll post it. Basically just notched out the plastic where the skid had to come through.