Is a full skid plate necessary?

Hey guys, I was curious what people's thoughts are on skid plates for a 2021 Tacoma SR 4x4 Auto trans with hardly any off roading taking place. I usually only off road on well maintained USFS roads in Western N.C, Upstate S.C, Northeast G.A, and was curious if it is worth getting one. I have part of one (the front most skid shield) but am missing the second half (the back half that goes underneath the front diff). I usually only go on federal land roads to chase high elevation brook trout but don't do much else.

Is it worth keeping the skid plate and adding the second component or is better to simply remove the skid plate all together?
Thanks!

 

If you're sticking to well maintained FS roads you should be fine.

On the other hand decent skids are relatively cheap insurance on the off chance that you wind up in an awkward spot and need them.

The transfer case is pretty low hanging and right in a sweet spot to take a hit.

 

If you have the money, go for it.

 

Okay, any clue as to what brands or OEM/after market that might be of good suggestion? Thank y'all!

 

They are overkill for your use case.

 

I’d say rock with what you have until you start banging on shit

 

Will do hahaha
Are the Toyota TRD one's any good? I saw some for 400/500$ but it seemed expensive for what it is.

 

TRD tax for sure, i suggest full RCI plates when you are ready for skids

 

For $6-700 you should be able to get a full set of skids, especially if you wait for a sale.

RCI makes good stuff but there are dozens of other companies with similarly decent offerings.

https://rcimetalworks.com/product/0...GpOXiTIHTYM-aLT-BkRV3rFsTSVBXxxk9pN1cBlWwLSU1

 

Cool, I'll have to check them out, seems like a decent price for what it is. Thanks!

 

I have the aluminum front only. I think that not a lot of people think about weight penalties: going jogging in a suit of armor isn't particularly fun for me.

 

I'm another vote for keep what you have, but don't worry about more unless you start getting into situations it could be an issue not having them.

If you're not getting high centered or straddling stuff that is getting close, don't stress about it. These trucks can handle a lot, well beyond a rough forest service road, before needing more. Just drive safe and watch for stuff that approach the limits.

 

Many, including me, re-route the exhaust that dips below the transfer case. Only $100 for my vehicle (see the picture). If you do not want to buy skid plates you can at least get that much more clearance.

For light forest roading, you can post in your regional forum (https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/regions.36/) to find an off-cast "back plate" for protection against random small rocks. Toyota TRD Pro skid plate (front and back coverage) can be had for $300 during sales through the year if you feel you must do *something*.

 

This perspective isn't really shared enough around here. I'm with you on this one; buying skids and sliders in the name of "just in case" when you willingly admit that you're just gonna daily drive it and go down maintained dirt/gravel roads is kinda a wild concept, yet so many (including myself unfortunately) still do. We buy into these trains of thoughts that "its better to have and not need vs need and not have" when its not actually the case. If we know we're just daily driving, occasional forest roads (that we're already driving usually), the added weight to carry around 24/7 just doesn't make sense. It didn't stop me, but I admit it doesn't make sense. Its not a just in case, if we know deep in our souls we're never going to go rock crawl. The only thing my skids have been good for (as a non-offroader) has been a sturdy jack point.

To anyone who's reading this the wrong way, I'm not saying no one needs skids. I'm not saying weekend warriors don't need skids. I'm not saying they're not good insurance. I'm saying for some people's usage case, its not insurance; its more comparable to a flex spend account with no rollover at the end of the year that you contribute to monthly while you're completely healthy/don't anticipate any upcoming surgeries/medical needs. You carry around all this "just in case," but you don't actually reap any of the benefit - you actually only reap the negative effects of having it.

 

There is always an unspoken suffix to the pithy "better to have and not need than to need and not have," which is, "but neither are better than having what you need and not what you don't." I see it equal to those who overpay their income tax. Sure, you are avoiding the penalty, but there are better ways of doing things. Over-planning is poor planning, IMO.

The sports car forums love to chat up "gram strategy," i.e. small grams shaved from many parts can turn into kilograms. The opposite of that goes largely ignored here. Skids, bumper, winch, topper, rack, RTT, generator, dual battery, fridge, 33's, tools... can easily add up to the equivalent of tossing another car into the back of your truck. It makes a pretty instagram photo, sure. But its a pig. Driving light vehicles back to back against heavy vehicles, I have quickly realized that there is no disguising weight; it does influence handling more than people realize.

 

I went through this Vermont public roadway only with an ifs skid. Should I have them?.... probably.

For forest roads id keep the stock setup up front just to keep sticks and stuff away from your serpentine and cooling system.

 

Looks like mud an stick season. Is that guy wearing spring green camo?

 

Aluminum engine and transmission skids make sense for you

Rock sliders maybe, it’s nice to protect the pinch weld/lower body from sticks kicking up, the occasional slide into something, etc

 

No quite mud season but it was early june. Theres always mud here.

 

Many people lose their rear thin OEM aluminum skid for off-roading ... could find someone willing to part with the one they gave up for nothing if you want a little more but minimal weight.

But you seem to have survived this long so maybe you just stick with it.