Factory Skid/Splash Shield Woes

[marcfj60]

Is this level of cancerous rust normal on the factory skid plate/splash guard? I bought this truck in January. It had lived its entire life in San Antonio and Austin. There is no rust anywhere on anything, except for this massive cancerous spot that stretches across all 3 pieces of the OEM splash shield. I'm contemplating just replacing it with a more sturdy aftermarket skid that includes a removable cover to access the oil filter. Removing this bugger with the additional two plastic splash shields in the forward corners is not trivial. And then I couldn't figure out any features on the big heavy steel shield that help hold it in place while installing/removing bolts so I had to use my face as a jack to hold it up while aligning holes and putting bolts in. All my other Toyota 4X4s I've owned ('99 Tacoma, '99 LC100, '02 4R, '05 4R, '11 4R) have hook features that help hold it to the radiator support or cross members while you're installing/removing it so you can get the job done with only two hands and not have to use your face as a temporary support.

 

[doru]

You can remove/install each half and the central support separately. You can use the rear plate as "hooks" by sliding the front plate above it.
There is no need to remove the plastic front parts at the same time unless you work on fogs or parking sensors.
I never had an issue with alignment or bolts install. Just keep them clean (I always bath them with pb blaster when removing), and start threading them by hand. If you grease your shafts and change your oil per schedule, you'll removing them often enough to keep them from rusting too much. Replacing the bolts every 5 years or so may be a good idea in the rust belt.
I cannot comment on rust as I live very far away from you, but I don't have that issue.

 

[marcfj60]

You can remove/install each half and the central support separately. You can use the rear plate as "hooks" by sliding the front plate above it.
There is no need to remove the plastic front parts at the same time unless you work on fogs or parking sensors.
I never had an issue with alignment or bolts install. Just keep them clean (I always bath them with pb blaster when removing), and start threading them by hand. If you grease your shafts and change your oil per schedule, you'll removing them often enough to keep them from rusting too much. Replacing the bolts every 5 years or so may be a good idea in the rust belt.
I cannot comment on rust as I live very far away from you, but I don't have that issue.

After the fact, I was contemplating just removing the one side of the 3-piece plate the next time where it covers the oil filter housing. But I do believe I will still need to remove at least the one forward plastic splash guard to remove that one side of the steel splash/skid plate because one side of it mounts up to the steel plate. Maybe I can just take the two bolts out without removing the plastic part. I've got an experiment to perform next oil change. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[bloc]

If you aren’t already using one a 3/8” cordless impact with a deep socket makes getting the bolts out of the drivers’ side shield and plastic under-engine panel a 30-second affair. And not just that.. those tools are a game changer for lots and lots of mechanical jobs on cars. Just restart bolts and nuts and do final tightening by hand.

They do technically have a hook feature but it hangs on the plastic panel, so if that’s gone it doesn’t work. I addressed them swinging down by removing the bolt from the recessed hole at 1-o’clock in your second picture last.

 

[TXlandcrusher]

After the fact, I was contemplating just removing the one side of the 3-piece plate the next time where it covers the oil filter housing. But I do believe I will still need to remove at least the one forward plastic splash guard to remove that one side of the steel splash/skid plate because one side of it mounts up to the steel plate. Maybe I can just take the two bolts out without removing the plastic part. I've got an experiment to perform next oil change. Thanks for the suggestion.

I just changed my oil last week. You should only be removing one of the steel skid plates (the driver's side) to change the oil. Yes, you'll need to remove two screws from the drivers side plastic splash guard, but you don't actually have to fully remove that plastic splash guard.

 

[marcfj60]

I just changed my oil last week. You should only be removing one of the steel skid plates (the driver's side) to change the oil. Yes, you'll need to remove two screws from the drivers side plastic splash guard, but you don't actually have to fully remove that plastic splash guard.

I'm so accustomed to taking the entire skid plate off everything else I've owned that it never occurred to me that I could just remove the driver side section of the 3-pc skid plate. And now that I've crawled under it again and looked at it, I can see how this all would work and be much faster by just removing the 8 bolts needed to remove that section. I'm still going to have to buy the passenger side section and replace it as that's the side most damaged by the prolific cancerous rust. I'll have to do some grinding and painting of the center support piece as well where it's starting to rust.

 

[marcfj60]

If you aren’t already using one a 3/8” cordless impact with a deep socket makes getting the bolts out of the drivers’ side shield and plastic under-engine panel a 30-second affair. And not just that.. those tools are a game changer for lots and lots of mechanical jobs on cars. Just restart bolts and nuts and do final tightening by hand.

They do technically have a hook feature but it hangs on the plastic panel, so if that’s gone it doesn’t work. I addressed them swinging down by removing the bolt from the recessed hole at 1-o’clock in your second picture last.

I'll have to rig up my cordless impact with a 3/8" adapter and put it to some good use next time. Also, now I have some good ideas on how to make the job easier by only removing the driver side skid plate section and nothing else (Besides the bolts holding it on).

 

[AZLX570]

Yeah, that is no big deal rust wise. Pretty standard. Super easy/cheap to replace if you can find some secondhand. They are the same for LC/LX.

I actually got replacement skids for mine for free from a member on here (paid for the shipping). Lots of people take their OEM ones off to replace with aftermarket.

 

[marcfj60]

Yeah, that is no big deal rust wise. Pretty standard. Super easy/cheap to replace if you can find some secondhand. They are the same for LC/LX.

I actually got replacement skids for mine for free from a member on here (paid for the shipping). Lots of people take their OEM ones off to replace with aftermarket.

I got an offer from Bud Rosenberger (BudBuilt) to ship me one for the shipping cost as he has a pile of them.

 

[CharlieS]

That foam pad might be trapping moisture too.

 

[stonepa]

Toyota skids rust over time. Getting ready to replace my gas tank skid as I type this.

 

[marcfj60]

Toyota skids rust over time. Getting ready to replace my gas tank skid as I type this.

I expect it in places that are wet or put salt on their roads in the winter. But I'm not accustomed to seeing it in south TX or NM.

 

[stonepa]

I expect it in places that are wet or put salt on their roads in the winter. But I'm not accustomed to seeing it in south TX or NM.

Some soils in the desert southwest are reactive with steel and make mild / thin metals rust. No road salt needed.

 

[TimCFJ40]

where that is rusted from the inside, perhaps a busted battery leaked acid in the skid and it sat there for a bit? It definitely is worse than I would expect from a Texas truck, and seems very concentrated there.

 

[marcfj60]

where that is rusted from the inside, perhaps a busted battery leaked acid in the skid and it sat there for a bit? It definitely is worse than I would expect from a Texas truck, and seems very concentrated there.

I wondered that as well, maybe some kind of corrosive fluid. But all I could think of that's in the engine bay that I'd expect to do that was battery acid.

 

[marcfj60]

Some soils in the desert southwest are reactive with steel and make mild / thin metals rust. No road salt needed.

I've driven on some dirt roads that are treated with Magnesium Chloride to attempt to manage dust that ended up accelerating some surface rust on my poorly made, old popup camper frame.

 

[marcfj60]

Some soils in the desert southwest are reactive with steel and make mild / thin metals rust. No road salt needed.

I'm still finding lots of Texas dirt/gravel road limestone dust and chunks wedged and stuck in places underneath 6 months after I bought it. And since I bought the truck from a dealer, I have no actual history (besides what I can download from the Lexus Owners site) on where previous owners drove it (beach, mountains, etc) and could have picked up some corrosive compounds that got the skid plate going.

 

[stonepa]

I've driven on some dirt roads that are treated with Magnesium Chloride to attempt to manage dust that ended up accelerating some surface rust on my poorly made, old popup camper frame.

Yeah they use a lot of that in West Texas not only for dust control but as a way to get rid of brine water from fracked wells. That stuff is worse than road salt and difficult to wash off.

 

[AZLX570]

I got an offer from Bud Rosenberger (BudBuilt) to ship me one for the shipping cost as he has a pile of them.

Do that and don't overthink it. Such minor rust. It's literally under the car and it's over 10years old if it's a 2015.

 

[marcfj60]

Do that and don't overthink it. Such minor rust. It's literally under the car and it's over 10years old if it's a 2015.

I'm not used to this level of rust living in NM all my life. I don't have good perspective on what real rust is since I've never lived in the rust belt.