Help me choose a skid plate

This is true, the pro plate is not compatible with other manufacturers skids for going further back.
Edit.. oppps I meant some

 

Looks like the SOS Concepts skid doesn't have any provisions for drainage. Not really confidence-inspiring for when I've gotta trudge through hurricane flooding.

Styling is definitely a secondary concern. I don't care if the skid is covered in glitter, so long as it does what I need it to do.

How important is LCA tab coverage, anyway? I understand that the answer largely depends on what the truck is used for... in which case, I go back to my 70 mph crowbar example.

Tangentially related: dibs on StripperBomb Offroad (TM).

 

But do you have to remove the skid to access the kid?

 

As in? They have holes for fluid changes which would be the low spots. I don't think any armor company designs their armor around water retention due to floods. I just think the assume you hit a highway sooner or later.

 

What happens when you bash the tabs flat? Do you need to replace/fix them? Probably a dumb question, I know, but I'm new to this Tacoma thing.

 

Take a look at budbuilt, they are beefy!
https://budbuilt.com

 

Do you have to drop the skid to do an oil change? They don't mention anything about a drain plug access hole in their description.

 

No, there is an access panel for that

 

I'm talking about their 2nd gen skid. I don't see a hole there, but it's kinda hard to tell from the picture they have listed.

 

My bad, I forgot that your oil filter is up top, and I don't know the location of your oil drain.

 

It's all good, man. I'm sure there are 3rd gen guys who will stumble across this thread in the future.

 

I believe the drain is in the same general location. With a fumoto valve and a short hose can fix that problem though. From what I've seen and read on here, the 3rd gen pro skid fits 2012 to 2015 tacos also. I am not sure about 2005 to 2011.
Edit. The cam tabs can be bent back to some degree, but a lot of people will get the Total chaos cam tabs and get those welded in, if it becomes a issue.

 

This sort of damage is what I'm trying to prevent by installing an appropriately-designed skid plate. Does that help to narrow the list of options down at all?

 

As far as I know, none are going to have that option. There are seperate LCA skids/ covers, but don't think the go as far as the cam tab. I could be wrong. Give a search for them.

 

Will do. I should probably ask if banging up my cam tabs is a realistic concern for a daily driver that rarely leaves pavement. I'm all for more armor, but there are limits to what I'll likely encounter when bebopping down the highway on my way to work.

 

Nope. Not a worry at all unless you are bombing through a trail at 20 to 40 mph or rock crawling.

 

With that said, what do you think about wider skid plates that cover up to the LCAs? Useful, gimmicky, or depends on how bad your luck is?

I'm considering shelling out for beefier skid plates because I have had some pretty atrocious luck with vehicles in the past. Any preventative measures I can take now are a totally justified expenditure, in my mind.

 

Depends on how bad your luck is...like the guys on here that have had a few deer assited suicides to their record

 

I'm getting an ARB bumper for that. Also for the E-nothings weaving through traffic at Mach Jesus in their V6 Mustangs, which they bought at 35% interest.

So, looks like I'd be best served by a wider skid plate that covers out to the LCAs. Mobtown, ArmorTech, and BudBuilt (if it has an access hole for the drain plug) are possible contenders. The SOS skid plate looks a little narrower than the above 3 options, so I'm not sure if it's the best choice.

 

My only contribution to your decision is to consider the way you intend to use the skidplate.

If you're running high-speed it might be better to get one made of a softer material which can crush, rather than transfer energy into your frame. I tend to go faster (45-55mph) when i'm on those access roads and hitting a whoop wrong will smash that skid into the ground. I run an RCI plate in aluminum and the vertical mounting support was too rigid even with the aluminum, and crushed in part of my frame (thankfully only minor damage, not enough to cause issues). I cross drilled holes in the verticals of the replacement skid to ensure it would crumple as intended.

For lower speed stuff, crawling and the sort, a stiffer material will do ya better as it will be used more for sliding over obstacles. It's a tradeoff.