RCI Off Road Fall 2016 Group Buy CLOSED

Pretty much it in a nut shell.

 

Aluminum is a more expensive metal.

 

If your intention is to bash your skids on purpose I would go with steel...if they are just there to protect you if you misjudge an obstacle and / or the truck is your daily driver and you want to save a little weight then go aluminum. Figure losing .2 highway MPG for every 100 lbs you add to the truck.

 

I think between us and the 4 runner folks we are going to be keeping RCI busy until Christmas...

 

currently running a full RCI skid set

if i get a exhaust re route, do I need to update my skids. or maybe just the trans and t-case?

 

@Subway4X4 can attest to aluminum vs steel skids

 

I am pretty sure you just need the reroute / 4 cylinder version of the transfer case skid but I would email RCI and ask to be certain.

 

Let's get this show on the road!

 

Any word yet?

 

Not since Friday. I was hoping to get things started yesterday on 4runner forum, but that didn't happen. I know Josh was trying to get an open position filled before we started this. I followed up with him this morning, and I'm hoping to hear something today still about it.

 

In depending on pricing.

 

I am in for sliders, I literally have everything else from them including bed rack. Ha

 

I am in for sliders (price dependent) if they make them for a 2016 DCLB. (Their pull down menus say they do....the text description of the product on their website says they don't)

 

In for skids and sliders if 20% off

 

I got sliders from the last group buy for a discount, not as much as what Skids had on them, but it was still worth it.

They have been abused pretty hard and have done their job very well. These were the bolt on sliders as well.

 

Didn't see my name on the list.....

 

Lighter, definitely not stronger than steel. I should have gone steel.

If you look at the pic below, the tranny skid should be a straight line, not curved. Also note the washers I had to add to the provided RCI spacer (if you have stock exhaust that is not rerouted, like mine). If the washers weren't there, then the spacer would be flattened.

Photo Credit @HolyHandGrenade

3/16" Steel should be stronger, but a buddy of mine had similar bending issue with his steel RCI tranny skid. The long span of the skid (Aluminum or Steel) is unsupported along the length and prone to bending. He had to add steel reinforcement to his steel tranny skid along the length of the span.

Anyhoo, the aluminum skids have done their job. Nothing in the underbelly of my truck that the skids were designed to protect, has been damaged. And the truck has been bashed and abused dealing with some serious shit at Rausch Creek. I'll use the aluminum skids until they can no longer protect the belly of the truck. Then I'll switch to steel.

 

Interested

 

There are a couple of problems with the trans skid. The first, is that there is no reinforcement across the span between the two crossmembers.

The second is that the up turned bends on the sides end inches before where the skid bolts to the rear crossmember. I (well my Wife actually) bent my trans skid all the way across where that upturn on the sides ends.

The third is that the spacer is hollow and thin. That's a steel spacer in @Subway4X4 's pic. That's the second one he's squished on rocks.

As you can see from @Subway4X4 's pic, if you're going to do any serious wheeling don't waste your money on aluminum. Not only are they weak, they're also soft. When dragging on rocks they dig in instead of just scraping across like a steel skid.

See where it bent where the upturns end? This should be sitting flat on the bench.


How we fixed it. Hammered it flat and welded three lengths of 3/8" x 1 1/2" stock on the top side of the skid.

 

List has been updated. I emailed RCI last night letting them know about the interest on this forum. Hoping to have some answers today, and hopefully some good news with those answers.

Thank you for being patient with the GB. I assure you that this WILL happen, but I can't tell you exactly when. All that I can tell is it will take place soon.

Mike