I installed a transfer case skid and it's loud as hell

As an aside, here’s some new tech that flexes.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=97t7Xj_iBv0

 

I agree that excess flex isn't good. But on dirt bike's chassis is just as important as suspension. Different motor mount materials, triple clamps, titanium vs aluminum axles, steel vs aluminum frame's, and beefing up certain parts of frames while leaving other parts thinner for more flex determine the ride characteristics, including traction all come from the chassis more than one would think. I have hours of experience with different setups and it's quite fascinating how they can change the ride. Having a frame like a KTM that's made of steel vs aluminum, absorbs bumps better so you can run a stiffer suspension setup to charge into rough terrain harder without sacrificing a smooth ride.

Now I'm not saying that the skid is causing the Tacoma to drive weird or be much more rigid that a normal person would notice this at all while driving. The new Tundra is a fully boxed frame, which is much more rigid. To combat having to rigid of a ride, they implemented the new coil rear suspension which is much more supple and smoother of a ride than traditional leaf packs. If they put the traditinal leaf pack on the boxed frame, the ride would be much more rigid and passengers would feel every bump in the road.

 

You just repeated the common myth. Show me some evidence that the amount of frame flex is comparable to the range of motion of a dirt bike suspension.

Frame flex is undesirable for many reasons. It changes the alignment of vehicle, puts stress on the various moving parts, etc. It’s also undamped, thus prone to causing “springiness”.

 

If you have ever ridden a dirt bike with a bent frame, you might understand more intuitively why frame flex is a bad thing. The frame is there to keep all those moving parts in alignment.

 

Not buying it, that just makes no sense unless you have an exhaust leak right around where the transfer case skid is? Whether there is a skid plate there or not that does not affect exhaust flow or change the sound if there are no leaks. Any dampening from bolting up to the frame would also be negligible as the exhaust doesn't even touch the frame, only the rubber exhaust hangers which would negate the majority of vibrations anyway.

What's more is you have people with the same skid plate stating they hear no noise further embellishing its likely a problem with your setup an not a wide spread problem from the skid plate itself. I've got RCI's an never noticed any changes in sound as you shouldn't.

 

Brother idc if you dont buy it, im not selling lol. Theres always a contrarian coming in threads with a whole lot of gib. Im guilty some times.

A giant steel plate “could” reflect sound and create a resonant sort of chamber. This one is loud. SCIeNCE! Gonna get a video up ASAP for the truther type.

 

Allday

 

Scientists require a before and after video, driving the same speed, down the same stretch of road, using a decibel meter for comparison, plus, another bone stock Tacoma as control, witnessed by a 3rd party with no affiliation. SCIeNCE!

 

FAIL

 

When I added a skid plate to my motorcycle it did the same thing. Next I added Dynamat to the inside of skid plate, problem solved.

 

Out of curiosity, have you tried removing it and checked the sound level? If you have an iPhone there’s an app for a dB meter call Decibel X that works pretty good.

 

used to race downhill mountain bikes before i got sick. man, i miss that. lots of the guys i raced with raced dirt bikes too.

 

Yep I used Audio Tools ios and its 6db louder installed, but because its mainly only at 2-3k rpm and using an ipad its not that reliable.

Not overly concerned with sound level as much as the audible pitch. Gonna make a video later tonight.

Thanks for the info.

 

I’m a sound tech at my church and I know that 6 dB can be significant depending on what the sound source is. Good luck figuring this out.

 

So you got a skid plate and got free braaaaps? Sounds like a bonus to me.

 

I just installed my Pelfreybilt transfer skid 3/19/2022 which is thick as hell and we checked for exhaust clearance which looked perfect. First thing I noticed was a low sounding droning noise at low speed and rpm so I think you're onto something with the resonance chamber effect. I think some do and some don't, cause the noise. Whatever, I'll just have to listen to louder music ‍♂️

 

Get some silicone grill mats and RTV them to the top of the skid plate. It will kill the resonance.

 

Just here to throw out the old adage: "you can have two Tacomas, with exactly the same set up, and have two entirely different results."

Now consider that these two Tacomas likely have different wheels, tires, lift, no-lift, other aftermarket add-ons, one driver is fat the other is skinny...etc. and it's even more reasonable that the results seen from a singular like part install might be different.

Just sayin.