Need skid plate advice please!

Hi everyone, I'm hoping someone can help me clarify a few things.

I'm looking to improve my skid plate coverage a bit. I'm not looking to do advanced off road sports, but I want capability for basic to intermediate-level off road travel. I'm not planning on repeatedly bashing or dragging my undercarriage but I want some protection for those inevitable times that it happens.

1. I would assume that I only need protection for the front end and transmission (to point C) and that covering the transfer case and further back would be unnecessary since most impacts will happen towards the front and then I can back off the obstacle rather than continue to push over it. Would you agree? Do I even need to cover the transmission or would a longer front plate that reaches point B be sufficient for my modest offroading needs?

2. My OEM front plate covers only as far back as point A. To cover the space between points A and B, would I need to replace the OEM front plate with a longer one that extends further back to point B? Is there a smaller one that can bridge the gap? Are there transmission plates that extend further forward? I know that most people would just replace the OEM front plate but I don't need anything fancy so if I could keep that and fill the gap with something smaller and cheaper I would.

Thanks!

 

I'd go w/ @Mobtown Offroad aluminum skids. If you want to see them they're in my build thread. Good quality and light for skid plates.

 

1. This is more or less right. If you cover A-C, the next spot to hit is the exhaust. If you get up and snagged on something on a skid over A-C, you will then drop on the exhaust and tcase. If you cover B-C, you should cover D -- the exhaust and transfer case too. If you cover A-B, then just back up and reapproach if you hit your skid. This is a bit different for a DCLB, which is long enough that you probably should just cover everything since you'll beach that whale (speaking from experience).

2. The standard IFS Skid from most manufacturers covers A-B. There is no smaller skid, you'd have to replace the factory one. There's nothing that goes further forward, you have to replace the factory skid and add another plate to cover B to C with a mid skid.

The most cost-effective option is ordering a full set of skids from SOS Offroad Concepts, http://sosoffroadconcepts.com/05-15-ifs-skid/ - add mid-skid, add t-case skid, don't get them painted... $650 + shipping (or do local pickup). Wipe them down well with acetone and paint with

$39 Rust-Oleum, Black Automotive 248915 Ounce Truck Bed Coating Quarts, 32 Fl Oz (Pack of 1), 2 Pound

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0070S7U4Y/ for a great finish that is trivial to clean up if trail damage occurs. As of yesterday, use the code TAX19 for 20% off, bringing you down to $520 for full skids before paint and shipping. That's a HUGE deal (thread on the deal is here: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/20-off-tax-time-sale-from-sos-concepts.592846/).

I have skids, sliders, and front and rear bumper all from SOS. They're a great small business, and they make a quality product.


Edit: I saw a recommendation above for aluminum skids. I'd avoid those, unless you're a mall crawler. I took a big hit on my IFS skid on my truck on an easy trail and it was jarring. I just picked a bad line down an embankment into a creek and fucked a rock. It could have happened to anyone. Anyways, it would have absolutely destroyed an aluminum skid. My SOS skid had a good dent and a scratch, which touched up with a quick dab of paint in the garage. If I hadn't had the skid, I have no idea what bad would have happened, but I really don't want to think about that.