Destroyed my stock skid, vote on what you think I should replace it with!

Bummer about the phone! I cringe every time my Razr maxx falls out of my pocket for fear of a shattered screen. So far just nicks in my screen guard, but I replace it every few weeks since it gets so scratched from all the metal dust/chips im around on a daily basis.
When you've got the coin saved again, hit me up for a skid if you decide on mine.

 

you asked for it!

and i threw in a pic of the phone... it's kind of weird cause its in a mirror, but I think you can figure it out haha

Edit: and i know some of you will notice that the front two screws are out... i just did that, im going to take it off for now so thats why the bolts are missing.

 

If width is your primary concern, Budbuilt has the highest coverage skid by far. It completely protects the front of the LCA cam bolt:



That said, I still voted ATO because that's the fab shop who's work and attention to detail impress me most. Hence why I went with Armor Tech for EVERYTHING on my truck. I could've gotten similar stuff less expensively by going with group buys or other vendors. I wasn't interested in similar...sometimes the details are the difference.

Really, you should pretty much shop this one by shipping costs.

I WOULD be wary of 3/16s front skid. The front skid has the least clearance, typically, between the back of the skid plate and vital truck parts. It also has the most weight above it with the engine and front drivetrain/suspension. So, to get down to brass tacks, it's at higher risk of deforming from hits and worse things will happen if it does.

I'm a fan of 1/4 front skids. Just sayin'.

You may be talking about my truck during this incident:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/ar...entire-weight-your-truck-ato-t-case-skid.html

I was very impressed with how the skid held up. The crossmember was bent upward some as was the skid, but without it I'd have caved in my t-case, driveshaft, and possibly the ass-end of my trasmission housing. I was a little taken aback when I looked under the truck and saw the whole thing was balanced on, essentially, a rock point the size of a basketball. We could tip the truck corner to corner and side to side, It was prefectly (accidentally) balanced on the t-case skid and crossmember.

 

This is good advice. Those t-case skids with the bumps/cutouts for the exhaust crosspipe just make me laugh when I see them. That's asking for this to happen:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/118545-remove-differential-drop-your-05-tacoma.html






MJP2 crushed in his skid plate housing that was making room for his diff drop, cracked the differential mounting arm, pushed the differential upward into the crossmember and oilpan, bending the first and breaking open the second. Basically, fucked his front end hard.

I'm not a fan of skids with hangup lumps in 'em. Just sayin.

 

Yeah, they're parking them and getting into a humvee when the shit gets truly nasty

 

For sure. IIRC most of the military-use tacomas were stock except for utility mods...things like gun mounts in the bed, sound dampening for the engine, that sort of thing. They were never really intended to leave dirt roads.

 

Those welds failed.

It should also be noted that he races (really) his truck. As in race truck.


It wouldn't be good to hit your crossover drop at those speeds but it should hold together. The welds broke on his. They should have been stronger than the parent metal.

Not asking for that at all.

 

Buds skids are also a bit different than the rest. You'll need a set basically. The stop/start points are goofy.

 

Pssh. He models it on jackstands, occasionally taking it outside to break it

I stand by my previous position of "rugosities on skid plates are to be avoided where possible".

 

Also John, I know I'm not sliding off wet muddy rocks every weekend but I've done my fair share of big rocks out here and I've caved my 3/16 IFS skid a couple times but IMO, for the average guy on here 3/16 is plenty. Even I'm fine with 3/16 I've just had to pound out my skid a few times. I did make that one myself too.

Eventually I'll add some bracing. For most though, 3/16 is more than adequate, IMO.

 

There's this, not sure how verifiable it is:

http://www.brian894x4.com/MilitaryTacoma.html

I'd agree with that, I just figure for an extra $40 or whatever, why not? The buyer's already in it to win it for a few hundred. Just my opinion, certainly not the only one. Plenty of 3/16 skids out there doing just fine I'm sure.

 

LOL

That's fine and I agree to an extent but some people don't want to spend the money to re-route and don't want the hassle, yet they want more protection on the t-case.

It might hang you up but I seriously doubt anyone will ever rip off a cross over drop down.

 

And to be fair, if they did it wouldn't leave them walking. Just a loud drive home.

I have an overcommitment problem It's not unreasonable that other people would have different stopping points from guys like you and I.

 

Fixed

 

To get back to the discussion at hand: I would advise the OP to shop on shipping cost. Since most any of the aftermarket front skids are gonna meet his needs, I'd look for one with possibility of pickup.

 

Hmm...
I drive through Davis heading down to the Bay Area on occasion.

 

you sir.... know how to make me want to buy your shit
hahaha

 

Another photo of yours:


Here's the damage from mine. I hit the skid near the passenger side bolt, the front driver's LCA mount/skid (Hardest hit I've ever taken and all that's there is a little dent in the skid), and the rear passenger LCA mount. Looks like I should go for some better skids, too...now to find someone who does pre-tacomas.

 

Hahaha. Thanks, seriously though I could probably drop off the skid on my way down there, or at least shipping should be cheap to just jump over the mountains

Definitely something I'll be trying to come out with. I would have already off off my shop helps' 95, but we just SAS'ed it recently so no more measuring his rig. hahah