PSA 4TH GEN OWNERS - FROM RCI OFFROAD

Hey Ya'll!
IF you purchased a "Sr5" "Sport" "Limited" 4Th gen Tacoma, You may have noticed that there is a fiberboard felt filler panel instead of a OEM Skid plate under your truck.

Not only is this annoying, there is ZERO Protection of the underside of the engine and is extremely prone to damage, even on road...

If you tried to bolt on a OEM Engine skid, or other skids you would notice there is no where to mount the plate to in the front of the truck. RCI Solved this by designing a Front Crossmember that will allow for OEM Skids or a RCI skid to be mounted to the underside of the truck!

Check it out at this link: https://rcimetalworks.com/product/front-skidplate-mounting-crossmember-24-present-tacoma/

Any questions?

 

When will your hybrid front bumper be out? Can you make the recovery points more front facing instead of downward facing unlike your Pike bumper?

 

So couple of questions.

1. How the heck is your crossmember $39? NYTOP’s is $300. If you don’t want to comment on another brand understandable, but that took me back a little. Just curious on what could possibly account for that gap.

2. Does this and your skids fit TRD Sport? I know in your post you mention TRD Sport but the item description under fitment only mentions Off Road and that it is suspected to fit all other models, but you are still verifying.

 

Everything Nytop sells is overpriced

 

Yeah I noticed, but $260 more is eye popping. Overpriced is them selling it for $150 instead of $39. Not $300. That’s outrageous. As an example, their full skid plate package is actually cheaper than RCI. So it threw me for a loop. Just raised questions of is this a cheap POS crossmember or is NYTOP just out of their minds lol

 

There was a comment on Tacoma4g that the hybrids have the crossbar regardless of model. Confirmed by a Hybrid Limited owner.

 

I was going to suggest that they triple their price so that people would take them seriously
(Had a reseller of our company's product actually ask us to raise prices for that reason).
If you examine the photographs of both, you'll see that the NYTop one looks thicker and has a welded rib down the center. So it has welding and machining involved (still way overpriced).
The RCI version looks like it was made by a simple stamping process (on edge of bar folded over for rigidity).
The welded-on version on my OR looks like a piece of C-channel with flat bar welded on to make a square tube. I haven't pulled the composite plate off to get a really good look at it.
I don't know what the actual strength requirements are for that member. If I was going to be hitting a skid plate hard a lot, I'd probably wait for something more like the NYTop part but from a more reasonable vender (or make one myself).

Edit: On closer look, the RCI product does have some welding on the ends where the bar is bent so it's probably a lot stronger than I thought at first.

 

Agreed

 

RCI is probably priced near cost. They will make the $$ on the skid plates. Good marketing!

 

I agree. I've heard but can't confirm that CBI is throwing a crossmember in with every skidplate package they sell just in case the customer needs it. Based on that I think the crossmember can be made for a relatively low cost like RCI is doing. Nytop crossmember is over priced.

 

It's called a loss leader for a reason. Think Costco chickens.

Customers will consider bundling it with their skids or other components as the crossmember will draw people to their brand and site.

Regardless. Props to RCI for releasing a part that a lot of people want at a great price point. I was considering multiple rack options for my truck, but now I may just scoop the RCI one..

 

I want to mount a real skid plate to my 2024 TRD Sport and I saw this at a reasonable price. What do you think?
https://rcimetalworks.com/product/front-skidplate-mounting-crossmember-24-present-tacoma/

 

I have a Sport with the air dam removed, so left with the felt/fiberboard. I don't do off roading but would like more protection but not a full blown metal skidplate. Why don't you guys come up with a 'plastic' plate for the Tacoma like most cars have these days? Price it a $100 and you won't keep them in stock!

 

Not a terrible idea, but a plastic plate isn’t much better than what’s on there now.

I found a Trailhunter skid plate that’s 13 gauge and weighs 21lbs, stamped steel that’s powder-coated for $330 shipped. I won’t be doing any heavy off roading but will help keep the bottom of the engine protected better.

 

I'm sure you can get a take-off from any of the TRD OR guys running aftermarket for that price or even less. And pair with RCI's crossmember.

 

are these currently in stock or will there be a lead time in manufacturing when they’re ordered?

 

This is simple and I would jump for that right now. I’d purchase the plastic front skid and crossmember right this second, package them for $150 with plenty of profit margin. Just to have something more flush than the felt one with the two channels hanging down (which I have no idea why Toyota went with that). It wouldn’t provide any more protection, but it would look far better cosmetically.

 

That's what concerns me the most with winter coming up. Those two little scoops are gong to be snow magnets. I had a Versa before this truck and it had a pretty extensive plastic piece underneath that I'd have to take off for oil changes. Over 15 years and I never noticed any cracks or damage. Something like that would be perfect for my truck.

 

I don't think the composite plate on the TRD ORs is by any means a total piece of shit. It's fairly adequate for probably 99% of Tacoma drivers. I measure it at 2mm roughly thick, which doesn't sound like much, but in the hand it feels reasonably secure.

Here's the OEM part number for it:
Cover Assembly, Engine Under, No.1 (toyota.com)
Cover Assembly, Engine Under, No.2 (toyota.com)

 

I must’ve missed where I said that.

Anyways, the skid that comes from the factory on the OR is just another way for Toyota to save money. And they’re grossly over priced for what they are. $305.23 for both. I just paid $330 for the Trailhunter skid shipped to my door. And it won’t weigh me down at 21lbs