Skid plates (1 Viewer)

[uclafan]

@Taco2Cruiser, Obi Wong Kenobi and I are expecting our skids next week, and were wondering if you know whether there are instructions included? I'm thinking that the install should be fairly straightforward since it sounds like there was a considerable amount of time and thought put into the design, but it doesn't hurt to ask in order to save myself some potential "bonus" time underneath the truck in case the install doesn't go as smoothly as I'm anticipating. Also, I thinking that the plates come with the requisite hardware, or do we use the stock bolts underneath the frame?

Thanks.

 

[RET2]

@Taco2Cruiser, Obi Wong Kenobi and I are expecting our skids next week, and were wondering if you know whether there are instructions included? I'm thinking that the install should be fairly straightforward since it sounds like there was a considerable amount of time and thought put into the design, but it doesn't hurt to ask in order to save myself some potential "bonus" time underneath the truck in case the install doesn't go as smoothly as I'm anticipating. Also, I thinking that the plates come with the requisite hardware, or do we use the stock bolts underneath the frame?

Thanks.

Mine have been setting in Vista for a week... thank you Fed Ex freight so I'll post pics when they arrive Monday pm.

 

[uclafan]

Mine have been setting in Vista for a week... thank you Fed Ex freight so I'll post pics when they arrive Monday pm.

Congrats @RET2, sounds like there are a few of us in So Cal sporting the belly armor shortly! Are you installing them yourself?

 

[RET2]

Yes sir I am,you are welcome to watch, I do have an extra creeper and a 4 post lift and enough air tools for a NASCAR pitstop

 

[Ali M]

Mine is shipping next week with budbuilt sliders as well.

 

[RET2]

Sounds like there will be some serious metal on the trails shortly. Just when I was starting to feel special

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

@Taco2Cruiser, Obi Wong Kenobi and I are expecting our skids next week, and were wondering if you know whether there are instructions included? I'm thinking that the install should be fairly straightforward since it sounds like there was a considerable amount of time and thought put into the design, but it doesn't hurt to ask in order to save myself some potential "bonus" time underneath the truck in case the install doesn't go as smoothly as I'm anticipating. Also, I thinking that the plates come with the requisite hardware, or do we use the stock bolts underneath the frame?

Thanks.

I was planning on taking some pictures to help Bud make some instructions, but I can bump that up a bit.

They are pretty easy, but since the mounting design is, umm, substantial... there are a lot of fasteners. I mean dang there are tons of mounting surfaces, but when you are trying to hold up 4 tons of Toyota, it would be crazy to have like 6 mounting bolts try and support all that weight.

Anyway, I’ll post some stuff to this thread. I’m rebuilding FJ axles and a transmission this weekend for my buddy, so I’ll get some pictures up through the week. Pm if you need quick questions answered and we can just talk over the phone.

 

[uclafan]

Yes sir I am,you are welcome to watch, I do have an extra creeper and a 4 post lift and enough air tools for a NASCAR pitstop

@RET2, would be great to see your setup and give you a hand, although San Diego is just a little out of the way. Good luck with the install and it'd be great to see some pics when you get to it. Hopefully we'll see you on the trail sometime.

 

[uclafan]

I was planning on taking some pictures to help Bud make some instructions, but I can bump that up a bit.

They are pretty easy, but since the mounting design is, umm, substantial... there are a lot of fasteners. I mean dang there are tons of mounting surfaces, but when you are trying to hold up 4 tons of Toyota, it would be crazy to have like 6 mounting bolts try and support all that weight.

Anyway, I’ll post some stuff to this thread. I’m rebuilding FJ axles and a transmission this weekend for my buddy, so I’ll get some pictures up through the week. Pm if you need quick questions answered and we can just talk over the phone.

Thanks Rob, good luck with the FJ rebuild. One of my questions, for the Stage 3 skids, is it easier to work from the rear to the front? I guess that it is probably not too hard to figure out where the bolts go once you get the first piece up, and I would think that this kit comes with all the requisite hardware? Is there any overlap between the pieces? Looking forward to getting this mounted up next week!

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

Thanks Rob, good luck with the FJ rebuild. One of my questions, for the Stage 3 skids, is it easier to work from the rear to the front? I guess that it is probably not to hard to figure out where the bolts go once you get the first piece up, and I would think that this kit comes with all the requisite hardware? Is there any overlap between the pieces? Looking forward to getting this mounted up next week!

I personal like to get the crossmember on first. That will tie into the frame rail and the transmission crossmember. Then I like to put the engine skid on next. Keep the engine skid off the crossmebers about a half inch when getting it up in there, as the transmission skid has laser cut oval hole that allow you to slide the trans skid in behind instead of have to fit both skids (and all their weight) together at the same time, while trying to find the threaded captive nut. This is my favorite part of the new skids, not as much to physical effort in the installer part.

The transfer case then slides in behind the transmission skid, the same way the trans locks in with the engine skid. Now at their point nothing is tightened up. But once all but the front skid is on, I tighten it all up. Also, these don’t need to be cranked down on, don’t use a torque wrench, just get them snugged to what you feel could be about 15-20 ft lbs. The new bolts in he transmission crossment are the j lot things you need to torque down, I’ll get you those once I get done with this other truck.

Now the last plate is the front plate, (and you’re going to love how I locks in, it’s pretry cool) I’d ties into the engine skid by sliding the rear ward edge of it on the front edge of the engine skid. It can hangs there also, then secure it with the 5 bolts (2 of those are for the filter door) and secure the two front bolts.

If you have an ARB bumper, that little splash pan under the bumper can work with the skid plates, but it does require two hole drilled in the ARB splash shield. Again, no drilling on the frame or skid plates, just the ARB thin little splash shield (it actually helps the ARB splash shield because instead of those two tone bolts that originally hold it on, it is now secured with some bigger M8s)

The pictures will help sooooo much. But I must emphasize, skid plate fasteners don’t need to be gorilla tight, just snug them up, and give an extra little 1/8 turn yeah know.

I changed the oil two days ago, it was nice to not have to remove the skids, but you do need a good wide mouth funnel to keep it clean as the engine oil drain plug door is right below the plug, but since the plug is on an angle, the initial blast of oil goes out to the edge. That was where Bud had a decision point, make the oil changes require a funnel, or have the edge of the engine skid be weaker by having the door go all the way to the end. Figured that people that need real armor are also inclinded to use a funnel to keep the oil from going everywhere, and they probably don’t want the lowest point on their arms to be weaker on the edges. The filter was a dream through since the drain for them at is strait up and down.

 

[Obi Wong Kenobi]

Gonna be fun installing these. Thanks for the tips Rob and hope I won’t be scratching my head too much when the time comes to put these on!

 

[RET2]

JUST GOT CON

Been looking at Budbuilt products and they have a full length under carriage armor package (4 plates) including a plate protecting the fuel tank.

Aluminum Skid Plate | Land Cruiser 200/LX570 | BudBuilt Overland

Has anyone bought similar parts and what do you think of their steel vs aluminum vs ARB skid plates?

I'll let you know as soon as I unpack mine

 

[uclafan]

JUST GOT CON


I'll let you know as soon as I unpack mine

View attachment 1565363

Congrats @RET2, hopefully we'll see this underneath your truck soon. Can you shoot a picture of the attachment hardware when you get a chance, wanted to get an idea of how this is all packaged together when I get mine later in the week.

 

[RET2]

Congrats @RET2, hopefully we'll see this underneath your truck soon. Can you shoot a picture of the attachment hardware when you get a chance, wanted to get an idea of how this is all packaged together when I get mine later in the week.

WILCO

 

[RET2]

Here you go, not shown is the crossmember piece

 

[Island1064]

Sweet, been trying to buy from bud since August , got them on the phone was told to hold for availability, never got answers from my emails since September.
Almost ready to give up.

 

[Markuson]

Sweet, been trying to buy from bud since August , got them on the phone was told to hold for availability, never got answers from my emails since September.
Almost ready to give up.

Pretty sure they are still in the ramp-up process.
A lot of new development going on at BB, along with harsh testing.
Small shop...quality stuff.

For me, it's easier to wait because extra $$ is tight at the moment...but definitely want the full BB monty.

 

[RET2]

Sweet, been trying to buy from bud since August , got them on the phone was told to hold for availability, never got answers from my emails since September.
Almost ready to give up.

@Markuson has it right just hang in there, the quality is without a doubt top notch. Production and documentation are Meh? But those are soon forgotten after you get the product and really forgotten the first time you come down on a rock. Being persistent will yield results. The person that answers the phone needs to go though.

 

[uclafan]

I personal like to get the crossmember on first. That will tie into the frame rail and the transmission crossmember. Then I like to put the engine skid on next. Keep the engine skid off the crossmebers about a half inch when getting it up in there, as the transmission skid has laser cut oval hole that allow you to slide the trans skid in behind instead of have to fit both skids (and all their weight) together at the same time, while trying to find the threaded captive nut. This is my favorite part of the new skids, not as much to physical effort in the installer part.

The transfer case then slides in behind the transmission skid, the same way the trans locks in with the engine skid. Now at their point nothing is tightened up. But once all but the front skid is on, I tighten it all up. Also, these don’t need to be cranked down on, don’t use a torque wrench, just get them snugged to what you feel could be about 15-20 ft lbs. The new bolts in he transmission crossment are the j lot things you need to torque down, I’ll get you those once I get done with this other truck.

Now the last plate is the front plate, (and you’re going to love how I locks in, it’s pretry cool) I’d ties into the engine skid by sliding the rear ward edge of it on the front edge of the engine skid. It can hangs there also, then secure it with the 5 bolts (2 of those are for the filter door) and secure the two front bolts.

If you have an ARB bumper, that little splash pan under the bumper can work with the skid plates, but it does require two hole drilled in the ARB splash shield. Again, no drilling on the frame or skid plates, just the ARB thin little splash shield (it actually helps the ARB splash shield because instead of those two tone bolts that originally hold it on, it is now secured with some bigger M8s)

The pictures will help sooooo much. But I must emphasize, skid plate fasteners don’t need to be gorilla tight, just snug them up, and give an extra little 1/8 turn yeah know.

I changed the oil two days ago, it was nice to not have to remove the skids, but you do need a good wide mouth funnel to keep it clean as the engine oil drain plug door is right below the plug, but since the plug is on an angle, the initial blast of oil goes out to the edge. That was where Bud had a decision point, make the oil changes require a funnel, or have the edge of the engine skid be weaker by having the door go all the way to the end. Figured that people that need real armor are also inclinded to use a funnel to keep the oil from going everywhere, and they probably don’t want the lowest point on their arms to be weaker on the edges. The filter was a dream through since the drain for them at is strait up and down.

Rpb, thanks for the instructions. I was trying to follow the instructions along with the picture that @RET2 posted, and was wondering if you could tell the order that the skids are bolted on from the cross member forward by the way the pieces are laid out in his photo? In other words, is the piece shown on the bottom of the photo bolted on first, and the next piece up on the photo bolts on next, etc? I realize that they may not be in order, and it looks like he has the stage 4 kit with the fuel tank protection (left hand long plate), but I was trying to familiarize myself with the layout so I have a good idea of how it all matches up when I install mine in the next few days. I don't know if the instructions included will reveal the answers, but thought that I would ask. Thanks.

 

[uclafan]

Here you go, not shown is the crossmember piece

View attachment 1566629

Congrats @RET2, any way to tell from the posted photo which part goes where?