200 Series Skid Plates - pics and install notes

[grinchy]

Trail Tailor rear lower control arm (RLCA) skid
Use a jack on the rear diff flange to move the rlca in and out for positioning. The angled side of the skid faces out. The straight side faces in. Pray that the holes you need to drill for the self tappers don't fall on the weld. Torque for the rlca bolt is 111 ft lb.
It took me around 5 hours to do the first one, most of that in deciding which part went on which side, and breaking drill after drill off in the weld. Big cheater bar to break the bolt loose.
The front may gap up to 1/2", it'll pull in with the self tappers. Don't over tighten.

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

Rival 4x4 aluminum fuel skid
Solid quality and nice finish. Install straightforward took around an hour.
$260 delivered.
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Looks like they didn’t think of a heat shield for the fuel tank with the exhaust flange right there.

Probably need to address that, wait till you see a melted resin fuel tank, it’s pretty wild looking.

I learned the hard way with some All Pro skids on my FJ. I didn’t dump fuel, but I did have to buy a new tank.

 

[grinchy]

Looks like they didn’t think of a heat shield for the fuel tank with the exhaust flange right there.

Probably need to address that, wait till you see a melted resin fuel tank, it’s pretty wild looking.

I learned the hard way with some All Pro skids on my FJ. I didn’t dump fuel, but I did have to buy a new tank.

Good call. I'll invest in some exhaust wrap.

 

[CharlieS]

I finally got my stock skid off (rusted rounded bolt head). Now to drill and tap.

The stock shield does have a vertical section near the exhaust that goes up a lot higher than the Rival part.

 

[grinchy]

Heat shield blanket for transfer case and fuel skids.

 

[JetSurfer]

Good call. I'll invest in some exhaust wrap.

You could just add a shield like BudBuilt fuel skid

 

[grinchy]

Yes, sure could, but I don't have a piece of material around in the right size, and it doesn't address the removed transfer case heat shield replacement.

 

[JetSurfer]

Super happy with the final result. Can’t wait to put them to the test in VT

 

[grinchy]

Super happy with the final result. Can’t wait to put them to the test in VT

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Any gotchas or suggestions for install? Decisions/criteria for choosing AL vs. one of the steel options?

 

[JetSurfer]

Any gotchas or suggestions for install? Decisions/criteria for choosing AL vs. one of the steel options?

Don’t bother trying to keep the stock hardware labeled or organized- you won’t use it.
Put the carriage bolt in the crossmember to assure the holes will line up after you snug up the crossmember.
Front to back taking everything out, and back to front putting it all in
Leave everything loose enough to wiggle the plates as you install. There is plenty of play in the holes and they line up easily.
I had a long chat with Rob at BudBuilt about what materials. I’m in salty winter NY- so I wanted SS or aluminum for corrosion protection- basically went aluminum front and fuel and stainless centers due to the fact that there was some weight savings, and the centers would be the only part that would ever support the full vehicle weight of high centered.
Super high quality, easy install with hand tools. And I just used ramps- at my summer place- on a stone driveway.

 

[supercarrera]

Any gotchas or suggestions for install? Decisions/criteria for choosing AL vs. one of the steel options?

I thought you already had the Total Chaos skids Grinchy.

 

[supercarrera]

Ah nevermind I thought you were saying you were still deciding. Need to learn to read more carefully!

BTW how are you liking the TC so far? That's the direction I'm heading.

 

[grinchy]

I thought you already had the Total Chaos skids Grinchy.

I'm aware I have a lot of posts in this thread , but I am hoping we can get a lot of feedback and info across all the options in here with time, and even better, help it be a guide for those who are looking at different armor and skid options . . . I'm hoping it'll stay non-partisan and more informational. Time will tell . . .

 

[grinchy]

BTW how are you liking the TC so far? That's the direction I'm heading.

Good! Got them sorted with the stainless fasteners (sourced later) finally. Have already scraped off finish in some mud pit transitions on the bottom of the angled part of the front. They're simple, inexpensive, and lightweight. The front is large, but only five bolts to take out to do maintenance (diffs, oil change, etc), it is fast to do, but a bit awkward.

No reservations here.

 

[slowride]

Don’t bother trying to keep the stock hardware labeled or organized- you won’t use it.
Put the carriage bolt in the crossmember to assure the holes will line up after you snug up the crossmember.
Front to back taking everything out, and back to front putting it all in
Leave everything loose enough to wiggle the plates as you install. There is plenty of play in the holes and they line up easily.
I had a long chat with Rob at BudBuilt about what materials. I’m in salty winter NY- so I wanted SS or aluminum for corrosion protection- basically went aluminum front and fuel and stainless centers due to the fact that there was some weight savings, and the centers would be the only part that would ever support the full vehicle weight of high centered.
Super high quality, easy install with hand tools. And I just used ramps- at my summer place- on a stone driveway.

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Hey Jetsurfer,

Thanks for the picture of your semi-stock front bumper from below with the Bud skid plates.

I'm going back and forth on the stainless vs. aluminum question myself.

I noticed you don't have the plastic guard pieces LH/RH that wrap around the tow hooks and are under the fog light area installed.

Where you able to install them but decided not to or is there no way to re-install them with the Bud skids?

Ironically, we have a farm in cental NY too... Up near Woodstock...

 

[CharlieS]

Those plastic trim pieces were able to be reinstalled on mine ('13), and the hardware was included from Budbuilt. The skid was drilled and tapped for the fasteners.

 

[slowride]

Those plastic trim pieces were able to be reinstalled on mine ('13), and the hardware was included from Budbuilt. The skid was drilled and tapped for the fasteners.

Awesome, thank you...

The cruiser gets run through a full service carwash 4-5 times a week with a strong underbody blaster...

I was concerned the electricals in those exposed areas might get too soaked, even for a cruiser.

 

[JetSurfer]

Awesome, thank you...

The cruiser gets run through a full service carwash 4-5 times a week with a strong underbody blaster...

I was concerned the electricals in those exposed areas might get too soaked, even for a cruiser.

I took those side pieces off a while ago. Next will probably be ditching the stock cover and Trail Tailor hidden winch mount in favor of something like the new Dissent front bumper

 

[CharlieS]

Rival 4x4 aluminum fuel skid
Solid quality and nice finish. Install straightforward took around an hour.
$260 delivered. (with Heat shield blanket $310 total)

20.2 lb + brackets. Under 22 lb total. Remove 16.8 lb factory skid
Around 5 lb total add.

*Edit - I tacked on $50 to cost to buy heat shield blanket for the mid-pipe. This blanket also heat shields the transfer case

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Installed my Rival fuel skid. Would love a Budbuilt, love all of their stuff, but the price difference was staggering. It installed easily and quickly, and everything fit well. The company was communicative, and let me know every step of the way where it was as it made its way across the ocean. It definitely doesn't have the nice heat protection that the Budbuilt does, so I'd say that is a downside. I did the same as @grinchy and used some heat wrap and stainless ties on the exhaust pipes. It isn't quite as elegant a solution, but it wins for practicality.

 

[BigMF]

View attachment 2315241

I recognize those "dimples" on the far side of the gas tank, along the frame. I spent plenty of time installing mine recently.

Anyway, what's the purpose of the rectangular hole? I think it could actually hinder you if it got hung up on a pointy rock.