Skid Plate Comparisons

Having managed to finally destroy my factory skids beyond any hope of hammering out the dents one more time, it is time to buy some real skid plates.

I have read a zillion skid plate posts over my time on TW, so sorry for creating yet one more.

There are a lot of solid products out there from Bud Built, ATO, Relentless, 4x4 Innovations, Pelfreybilt, Famous Fabrication, All-Pro.

I am worried about coverage for the lower control arm camber/caster adjustment points, so I want wider coverage in front with the IFS skid.

It seems that only Pelfreybilt and Bud offer this protection. Are there others I am missing? Any thoughts about how important or not this coverage is?

Thanks.

Now to try and remove the broken off bolts for the factory skids...

 

I think a combination of a front skid and LCA skid (such as BAMF's) would be a good alternative...

 

relentless is pretty wide, covers the cams pretty well

I think you may as well weld on some cam tab gussets though if you're that concerned

You'd have to be running over some weird shit to hit those with this skid (relentless)



Here is mine, very similar to an All Pro, made it myself


I've posted long winded posts about skids before so please see my posts in these threads
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/off-roading-trails/252030-2nd-gen-skid-plates.html
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/276945-skid-plate-brand.htm

 

Thanks for the links. Good info.

 

I think you can go a bit wider. I decided on the Pelfreybilt, as it has good side-to-side coverage.

Here is a pic from the Pelfreybilt.com site:

 

I'm starting to research skids. I really like how wide the Pelfreybilt IFS skid is. But what's with the little rock catcher sticking down from their transfer case skid (the box for the exhaust crossover). Looks like a bad idea. Does anybody know if this has caused problems?

Another concern that I have with a lot of the different skids out there, is the multiple levels that exist with the three skids. The trans skid is held up tight, but the ifs and t-case hang down from that. Seems like you could get 2-blocked between them. I don't think it would happen often; but in a real tight situation, this seems to be problematic. Has anyone had an issue with this?

I like the idea of individual plates - a lot easier to install. But I think it would be better to have them on a smooth plane, from ifs skid all the way back to the t-case. I wonder if the extra ground clearance on the trans skid is really worth it.

 

The pelfreybilt is wide where it doesn't really need to be (all it's really doing there is protecting from splashes) and skinny where it could stand to be more wide. That being said I've never hit my LCA cam tabs or anywhere off the side of my IFS skid (except the bottoms of the LCAs) in all my years of wheeling it and I have the same width bottom but also have a skinnier front where it meets the front crossmember.

The exhaust cross over protection is optional on several different brands. It hasn't been an issue for me yet. I can always close the hole and re-route my exhaust if it does down the road. Don't like it -- don't get it.

The IFS skid is about as tucked up as it can be. The t-case and mid are on the same plane. No it's not worth it to drop them so you can have an entirely flat belly. There is no issue with the small 45* lip that would only get hung up in reverse, if at all.

 

I think you could but not necessary and it would probably just impede alignment adjustment and let me tell you it's no fun dropping all the skids, just to put em right back on. I've done it more times than I'd like.

 

Interesting. Relentless t-case skid hangs down to clear the exhaust. So there is lip to catch in the forward direction. For example.

 

Like I said, it's optional on several different t-case skids. It's optional on Relentless.

Its optional for your convenience...

 

I have the V6 with the cross over pipe. The t-case is more exposed than the tranny. So the third skid isn't optional in my mind.

 

I think maxamillion is saying the exhaust protection is optional. If you want a flat t-case skid, you will have to reroute your exhaust.

 

I noticed that the relentless tcase skid has a more tapered bump out for the exhaust. I could live with that. I also have seen a lot of t-case options that were flat & the need to re-route the exhaust. But i don't get the impression that many people even do that.

I appreciate your guys' input.

 

Thanks. Do you know if many people even go with the third plate?

 

I like the Relentless Tcase skid better than the Pelfreybilt.

Relentless:


Pelfreybilt (exhaust bump too extreme for my liking):

 

The exhaust reroute is a cheap and easy job for any muffler shop. Since the exhaust bump concerns you, just get the reroute done. Several threads on here with examples. This would open up the option space on skids for you.

I have hit my LCA cam tab hard on one side before, thus my concern for wider coverage in this area.

Pelfreybilt was able to ship in one day.

 

Just FYI, an example of the Pelfreybilt IFS skid with BAMF LCA skids can be found in this thread:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/ba...4409-b-m-f-lca-skids-here-49.html#post5257265

pics from that post:

 

Ok thanks. I'll look into that as well.