Skid plates for sr5 dbl cab 4wd

Will TRD skid plates fit this 2023 model?

Researching light usage (no rock crawling) full underbody protection from loose rocks, ice, snow, and frequent branches on construction. farm, and hiking sites. Looks are unimportant. Just want to protect plastic, rubber, hoses, wires, and deter cat theft.
I can weld, drill, or paint as needed.

 

I added a trd skid plate to my sr5 with no issues. I had already removed the plastic air dam. The two won’t fit together but since mine was already gone, it was a non-issue. I noticed no difference in noise or mpg loss with it gone and it looks SO much better without it.

 

Define: “Full underbody.” I have sliders, IFS skid, transmission skid and transfer case. I also have a HD polymer gas tank skid.

 

2023 Tacoma SR5 4wd 6' bed double cab. Looking at 3-piece and 4-piece "full underbody" skid plate systems for construction/farm road protection.
Forum posts indicate it seems unnecessary to buy A-Arm plates as well, they are durable and less prone to damage.
Waive-offs and recommendations from non vendors welcome.

This is my last truck, expect to run 300K miles/ 12-15 years as I have in past.
Like the aluminum for lighter weight and less corrosion, however concerned about bimetallic corrosion of my steel truck frame preferential to aluminum.
Thinking I can use stainless M8 hexcap bolts, and glue heavy rubber washers between the metals for corrosion isolation.
Thoughts? IF YOU HAD ALUMINUM PLATES FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS, HAVE YOU LOOKED AT CORROSION ON THE STEEL TRUCK CROSSMEMBERS AND BOLTS? WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND?


B1. Backwoods 1/4" aluminum $925 from reseller, don’t see on manufacturer website any longer... old stock?
76.9 lbs w/steel crossmember. 3-piece plus front crossmember having two brackets.
with Cali cat converter shield pair $190 compatible most shields

AB2. RCI 1/4" aluminum bare $1148
with RCI cat guards pair alum. $100

B3. CBI aluminum $1188 w/discount. Thickness and weight not listed.
with Cali cat converter shield pair $190 compatible most shields

B4. Caliraised 1/4" aluminum $1450 51 lbs.
with Cali cat converter shield pair $190 compatible most shields

C1. Ironman no alum; 1/8": 4mm plate = ~1/8 steel $800. No.

C2. ARB 3mm steel- rejected as too thin $966. No.

C3. C4 Fabrication $1200 bare 3/16 steel, 158 lb. No.

 

I love my trd skid plate

 

"Full protection": engine, lower control arms, transmission, transfer case, read differential, gas tank ... considered necessary by few. I have RCI steel engine/transmission/cat-guards, and probably do not NEED the transmission plate if you examine my off-road activity.

Many are good with just IFS/engine plate (goos ones have a access plate for oil filter changes). Also saves weight/money.

 

These are aluminum MORE offroad with BAMF diff skid. No signs of metallic corrosion. Best of the best.

 

Sweet setup!

 

Greenlane Off-road out of BC Canada has some nice 1/4” aluminum skid plates. Nice quality and craftsmanship.

 

Ordered these the day of truck purchase. Rented a DIY garage bay for four hours (yay) and installed the RCI full set, 1/4" raw aluminum. Dry fit everything then re-installed and re-bolted.
Nicely engineered, expecially like the catalytic protectors.
Thought it would cover the gas tank, it does not.

To mitigate bimetallic reaction, I glued two stacked neoprene fender washers between the aluminum plate bolt locations and the truck steel. (Hillman #2871 1/2" ID x 1.5" OD x 1/16 ea, boxes of ten for about $10.)
Many of these steel bolts have to come out years hence for maintenance of drive train and transmission.
Had planned to substitute stainless bolts but too expensive locally sourced.
Liberally buttered up every bolt thread with Permatex anti-seize.

The overly-heavy RCI steel crossbar that supports the rear of the Transmission Protection plate is a very poor fit on the 2023 Tacoma.
The two ends are at the wrong angle to meet the frame, do not extend far enough, feature unusable bolt holes on the bottom, and the single bolt at each end is too small diameter and very difficult to reach backside.
Second pic shows right passenger side, looking towards front. Toyota has what may be a jacking brace here interfering with the RCI end.
I would like to see RCI move the entire brace rearwards a couple of inches and avoid messing with the brake line support on driver side. Means making the plate longer.

This installation needs two clips angles. Given the time to fab and fit, I will wait and make a substitute crossbar out of aluminum angles.
Too much money spent for something that did not fit right.
Happy to have the protection however.

 

I had no problem with the transmission plate connecting to that not-really-a-support rear crossmember. Initially did, but then I saw the front slide-U-holes were not fully seated forward under the engine plate. Once I fully seated the slots, no problems.

That rear crossmember was warned as NOT STONG ENOUGH TO BEAR TIGHTLY TORQUING THE BOLTS. If you have to play games with that weaker crossmember, beware.

 

@RichochetRabbit, are you talking about the Toyota crossmember in front of the catalytic converters, or the RCI crossmember supporting the rear of their transmission plate?

The Toyota crossmember is a pretty light built-up sheetmetal boxed tube*. The 5/16" dia x ±3" vertical through-bolts provided by RCI want to compress it. I tried to torque these bolts to 30 ft-lb and finally stopped, concerned I was squishing the tube. The bolt on the driver side is a contortionist nightmare to get to the nut. I Agree best to be cautious.

The RCI crossmember is a heavy gauge pressed shaped sheet as well, but C shape open to the bottom. The RCI plate throughbolts to the top surface with three carriage bolts, can torque the heck out of these and not worry much.

Hoping this writeup can be helpful to the next person with a similar model.

(*editorial- everything on the Toyota frame looks Pretty Light to me. All postformed sheetmetal with small reinforcement patches, rather than cold rolled or hot rolled steel Sections. I suppose its High Strength steel?
So much for the days of two hugely robust frame rails and a couple of crossmembers like my early flatbed.... gone the way of the pushbutton gear selector and wood wagon side panels I guess.)