How important are belly pans

Beyond the front skid how important is a full set of skid plates? I'm sure they offer some protection. It how often are rear skids acctually employed? I live out east so my exposure to rocks like one would find in the Rocky Mountain National park, or Moab is somewhat limited. Also while on topic how much more protection do the steel plates offer over aluminum for the additional weight.

I'm trying to decide on the MObtown Labor Day sale, and their site states that the aluminum plates are not intended for off road use, however the weight difference is significant, and I'm concerned that the advantages of adding the Toytec 2.5 lift may be negated by the weight of steel plates, plate bumpers, winches etc..

Tell me what you think please

 

I'm no expert, but I've clobbered my share of skidplates over the years.

Heavy duty skid plates are needed if you are going to drag a significant portion of the weight of your truck on them. I currently have no plans to do that kind of off-roading. For the occasional oops, I think aluminum would be fine and light-duty steel stock units are probably OK. If you have a big hit, the aluminum or stock skids are going to show it. For some folks, that means taking them off and hammering them back into shape, for others, it's just character. Lighter duty skids will absorb some of the impact as they deform if you take a heavy hit.

 

Depends entirely on the type of terrain you expect to drive the truck in. I do a ton of forest service roads, dirt roads, the occasional creek bed, etc. with no protection other than sliders, and no immediate plans to add anything. If I do add some skidplates, they will be aluminum, as I will not intentionally put myself in situations where I need them, and aluminum will do the trick for the 1% of time I accidentally get into a situation that needs the protection.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. I am sorta leaning in the direction of disaproval as I don't see myself encountering anything to severe in most of my travels. Out here the rugged terrain is mostly deep sand, and baby head rocks, and I tend to be on two wheels in the more rugged stuff (hence my current broken arm). That said maybe I'm just being cheep in not wanting to upgrade the springs on a brand new suspension. I/we are trying to build this truck as a go anywhere vehicle, though I'm not so sure I wouldn't chicken out of Lockhard basin in favor of a more gentle pass anyway.

I don't see the stock OR skid being anything more then a show piece so I can see upgrading that, but a full set of belly pans I'm not sure of

Keep the advice coming please

 

I'm in the same situation and am also interested in this.

 

I really like the new TRD aluminum engine skid. It's expensive but I like the looks and design features (oil filter access panel and can be used as a jacking pad). There are several aftermarket options out there. It's good to have choices. If the price eventually comes down on the TRD skid I might get one. Otherwise I'm running stock skids until they prove inadequate or I find myself doing trails that make me wish I had something better.

 

They just say "not intended for offroad use" so whiners dont whine when they get gouged. My pelfrey aluminum IFS skid has taken a hell of a beating

 

I find good steel skids to pretty valuable insurance. I don't do'a lot of trail driving like 'technical rock crawling or stuff like that, but I do travel some knarly Jeep trails when I hunt. I also traverse a lot of ranch ground, both on and off access roads and some of the shit I encounter are old steel t-posts or other farm/ranch objects abandoned in the field hidden by overgrown pasture or scrub. I've run over the edge of a rusted out t-post and had the sob jab up and bust an oil pan once.

For me it's just cheap insurance. I may be days away from civilization (by foot) so it this was a primary necessity for me. Before I even think about other mods- this was the first.