BudBuilt Skid Install (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

afgman786

SILVER Star
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
Threads
40
Messages
4,222
Location
Gainesville, VA
Hey all, just wanted to provided a write up on BudBuilt Skid plate install. Wasn't difficult when I took time to slow down and thing it out instead of just attacking it. Hoping this will help someone else out in the future that is trying to wrench on their 200, but like me and getting into wrenching more than just oil changes and brakes.

I had the stage 4 skid plate kit which includes:
-Cross member
-Gas tank skid
-Transfer case skid
-Transmission skid
-Engine skid
-Front skid

Tools used:
-basic hand tools (10mm, 12mm, 13mm, 14mm, 17mm, 19mm, 9/16)
-2 jack stands
-floor jack
-4 ramps
-a friend

First thing I did was remove all my factory skids, here are all the pictures, I started at the front and worked my way back on the rig.

The transfer case skid came off as well, quite a few bolts all around the transfercase that required to be removed, then put the bolts back to fill the holes.

20191013_112541.jpg


20191013_112556.jpg


20191013_112601.jpg


20191013_105520.jpg


20191008_120606.jpg
 
Last edited:
There is also a heat shield on the frame rail on driver side (left side) that needs to be removed, this will get cut and be put back.
On the passenger side, remove the 2 bolts holding the cross member in. This is where the cross member sent with your skids will attach. One side is a large L bracket that bolts up to that, comes with 2 longer bolts and washers, you will resue the factory nuts.
Next you will bolt the other side of the cross member into the driver side frame rail, there is a threaded hole behind the heat shield you just removed.

20190929_110147.jpg


20191006_115237.jpg


20191006_115248.jpg


20191008_114842.jpg
 
After attaching the cross member the fun begins! The first picture is a lay of off all the skids in order. Top of the picture will be front of truck. First plate to go on is your transfer case skid, which has the 3 bolts and nuts that will line up with the 3 slots on the additional cross member from BudBuilt you installed.

After that you will attached the Trans skid to this, this skid will have 2 bolts that run thru the factory cross member, this is where it overlaps the transfer case skid. At the other end you will have the engine skid next. Before putting the engine skid in place there were 2 brackets that needed to be removed, they have 3 bolts each holding them in place. The engine skid would not go on with this in place. For the engine skid, it bolts to the transmission skid on one end and to the front cross member at the other 4 bolts total.

Also to note, the first skid is the transfer case skid and everything else stacks on top of one another where they overlap

20191006_115100.jpg


20191008_120341.jpg


20191008_120347.jpg


20191006_135438.jpg


20191008_120402.jpg
 
The final skid plate to go in this order was the front skid plate that attached on top of the engine skid at the back and to the front of the truck at the other. The place where connecting to engine skid was small screws requiring the allen key provided. The front had bolts, also provided.

The last piece of the puzzle was the gas tank skid for me. This comes with a heat shield you bolt onto the side, as seen in the picture. There is a slot where a bolt is meant to run through gas tank heat shield and the transfer case skid (I did not do this, very tight space and poor planning to do this correctly. However, I do not have any rattle from the heat shield so not worried.

The brackets for the gas tank skid go on from the inside of the skid, with the capture nuts coming out away from the skid so you can tighten the bolt from the outside as pictured.

The flat side of the gas tank skid runs along the frame rail which has openings for bolts to run thru. I had White Knuckle sliders, and had to go get washers to level where the skid bolted to the frame. For me there were only 2 threaded slots I was actually able to run the bolts thru, the other 2 slots in the frame rail were not threaded.

20191006_133844.jpg


20191006_133906.jpg


20191006_151058.jpg


20191008_120458.jpg


20191008_120509.jpg
 
Nice work and write-up, so much want!!
 
Also, don't forget to cut the heat shield you took off the driver side frame rail and put that back.
I attempted with 18gauge sheers and they snapped on the first cut. Here is how much I cut and put back.

20191014_123904.jpg
 
👌Awesome write up! I’ll definitely follow your guidance when I get the stage 4 as well.... did you get the aluminum/ stainless steel? And the big question~ Do you feel any difference driving with the BB stage 4 skids ? Can you feel the extra weight when accelerating and braking? Thank you for your help!

-Christian
 
👌Awesome write up! I’ll definitely follow your guidance when I get the stage 4 as well.... did you get the aluminum/ stainless steel? And the big question~ Do you feel any difference driving with the BB stage 4 skids ? Can you feel the extra weight when accelerating and braking? Thank you for your help!

-Christian
I went with the rock armor heavy boys! Can't feel the weight at all. No problems accelerating/braking.
Glad this will help you out
 
Any idea of what the weight of all of the stock skids you took off was?
How were the instructions included with the skids? (I'm guessing not that great if you took the time to do this write up. ha)
 
Any idea of what the weight of all of the stock skids you took off was?
How were the instructions included with the skids? (I'm guessing not that great if you took the time to do this write up. ha)

There are no instructions yet, that's why I did the write up. However, Rob was more than helpful with the install! I blew his inbox up like crazy and felt bad, so figured I'd do a write up and post up here. That way others don't bug the heck out of him like I did.

The weight of stock was a lot less, I want to say probably 50lbs or so for everything I took off.
 
There are no instructions yet, that's why I did the write up. However, Rob was more than helpful with the install! I blew his inbox up like crazy and felt bad, so figured I'd do a write up and post up here. That way others don't bug the heck out of him like I did.

The weight of stock was a lot less, I want to say probably 50lbs or so for everything I took off.
And thank you for being patient with me and install instructions. Joining BudBuilt in January, and restructuring almost every aspect of this business combined with heavy summer orders was a bit much. I’m doing a video install of 5th gen 4Runner skid on Thursday. And with what I learn from that, I’ll be making video installs from here on out. That will make things much easier.
 
And thank you for being patient with me and install instructions. Joining BudBuilt in January, and restructuring almost every aspect of this business combined with heavy summer orders was a bit much. I’m doing a video install of 5th gen 4Runner skid on Thursday. And with what I learn from that, I’ll be making video installs from here on out. That will make things much easier.

Thanks again for all the help!
Along with not reporting me for abuse with the amount of unnecessary messages I sent because I didn't slow down haha
Can't wait to beat on them next weekend
 
threaded.

20191006_133844.jpg
Just turn that heat shield around/the corner with the cut out faces the rear of the truck. That way it provides clearance for the front factory fuel tank strap.
 
Just turn that heat shield around/the corner with the cut out faces the rear of the truck. That way it provides clearance for the front factory fuel tank strap.

So... it's already on the truck like that. Do I need to drop it and turn it around? Went in without an issue or hit anything
 
It will lose the battle versus what it is pushed up against. Might just be helping future installer.
 
It will lose the battle versus what it is pushed up against. Might just be helping future installer.

Of course it has to be the heaviest piece that I made a simple mistake on... :bang:
I had you on the phone too at that time and didn't bother asking the direction of the heat shield. But did bother asking what side the brackets go on.. man oh man
 
Of course it has to be the heaviest piece that I made a simple mistake on... :bang:
I had you on the phone too at that time and didn't bother asking the direction of the heat shield. But did bother asking what side the brackets go on.. man oh man
No worries, if we ever run into each other, I'll move it around for you. Won't take more than five minutes.
 
Gas tank skid notched to go around my white knuckle sliders. Also fixed the orientation of the heat shield.

20200404_161605.jpg
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom