200 Series Skid Plates - pics and install notes (2 Viewers)

[bloc]

Nah. I did my entire rear bumper for about $100, including using their special etcher. The POR15 cans are expensive but you could do 2 coats on all the skids with the smallest size can

Good to hear. The last time I used it was probably 15 years ago.. it was still worth the money even then.

 

[linuxgod]

Good to hear. The last time I used it was probably 15 years ago.. it was still worth the money even then.

I will say that prep makes a TON of difference for non-rusty material. For rust, POR15 adheres to everything (though cleaning off dirt is still advisable). For clean painted or new unpainted metal you really have to use the etcher, a helluva lot of sandpaper, etc otherwise it'll peel off after a year or two.

A well done powder coat is still ideal IMO but POR is good for coating rust. In any case if you use POR15 be advised it's not UV stable and will fade unless you use the top coat. (Chassis Black is the flat black top coat most of us want I think). Also, use very thin coats and be prepared to do 2 or 3 coats to get full coverage. If you brush it on (my preference) POR15 will self-level, but if you do it too think it'll run and it's seemingly impossible to get smooth once you put too much on without sanding the high spots and doing another coat. If you do spray you have to do multiple very light coats, none of which seems to give full coverage, in order to get a nice rinish. Again doesn't really matter for skids but for those using it for sliders or other visible areas...

 

[skrypj]

Rattle canned ours we used a rust inhibiting version I can’t recall which. I would suggest ensuring you have clean threads on your truck and apply a good anti sieze to the hardware

This. I feel like the cheaper/easier the better on something getting dragged over rocks. It takes 2 seconds to touch em up with a rattle can.

 

[gasman4u]

Love seeing the support and recommendations for these as mine arrive tomorrow.

Anyone have any suggestions on what to paint them with? I got the front skid TRD Grey, and the rest primed for paint. This was due to time it would take for them to get to me, as well as cost mainly.

I know they will get scraped etc, that’s the point, but to increase durability, is there any specific paint or rhinoliner or something that has been found to help the skids out?

I too got TRD grey for my front, but as @linuxgod mentioned I too have the aluminum skids. If it were mine and they were steel, I'd either go with POR15, or some sort of rattle can Rustoleum-like rattle can rust inhibitor in matte black. Easy to source, readily applied, and cheap. That's my take anyway.

 

[DrivenLyfe]

I too got TRD grey for my front, but as @linuxgod mentioned I too have the aluminum skids. If it were mine and they were steel, I'd either go with POR15, or some sort of rattle can Rustoleum-like rattle can rust inhibitor in matte black. Easy to source, readily applied, and cheap. That's my take anyway.

Thats awesome man! How do you like it? I haven’t opened the box yet to see what the TRD finish really looks like.

That’s what I am thinking. I need to do some research. Does POR15 and Rustoleum have similar dry times?

 

[gasman4u]

Thats awesome man! How do you like it? I haven’t opened the box yet to see what the TRD finish really looks like.

That’s what I am thinking. I need to do some research. Does POR15 and Rustoleum have similar dry times?

Full disclosure: I receive ZERO compensation from Budbuilt for the following:

I have zero regrets and would purchase them again in a second. I have everything Budbuilt offers for protection and would recommend them for any of the Toyota's they offer products for to anyone who will listen (clearly a fanboy, cheerleader, whatever). The TRD gray looks good on my silver LC to me. I have NOT tried to paint my aluminum skids as they don't need it and no one sees them but me. I did use some high end (never-seize regular grade) anti-seize stuff on the hardware on initial install and whenever I have to pull them for maintenance.

 

[rlynch356]

remember you have to Top Coat POR-15 -
also eastwood Chassis paint is very good and similar

 

[lbcadvntr]

My slee skid set actually improved my mileage by a small but repeatable amount.

I was already interested in adding skids, this helps justify the cost
How the heck did this happen?
Did you go alum or steel?
Don’t the slee skids add 100lbs or so?

 

[LCH21]

I was already interested in adding skids, this helps justify the cost
How the heck did this happen?
Did you go alum or steel?
Don’t the slee skids add 100lbs or so?

The Slee skids are steel and weigh around 130 pounds. The net gain is around 100 pounds. I too noticed about 1.5 MPG increase at highway speeds after installing the Slee skids. Bloc and I have discussed this in the past. My theory is the skids smooth out the airflow underneath the vehicle, decreasing drag. Just as adding a roof rack can cause a decrease in MPG, anything that helps smooth out the airflow should increase it. Mine you, this is only at higher speeds. I have found over the years that anything over 45 MPH, wind resistance starts becoming a problem. After installing the 285/65R18 KO2s, the increase was gone. Oh well.

I would have loved to have gone with aluminum skids but aluminum is sticky when trying to slide over rocks and such. There is a company that makes aluminum skids for Jeeps that are covered with UHMW polyethylene that makes them very slippery and durable. I wish we had that option for our LCs.

 

[mfeferman]

Adding the victory 4x4 plates and their LCA plates definitely has me slicing through the wind at 85mph and 10mpg. Of course, the trail tailor HWP and that crazy-heavy HF Apex winch really help out, too.

I wonder if skinning aluminum with a super thin layer of stainless could work.