Skid Plate Updates? 2013 GX 460 platform - Victory, RCI, or... (1 Viewer)

[nw_fj62]

I think I might be in the market for an aftermarket skid plate... I was under the truck and I've "been blessed" with a great deal more trail patina after two trips than I was expecting....

I've read through many of the forums and looks like both WaTaco and R2M went RCI front skid.

I'm thinking either RCI or Victory and thinking bare aluminum (lighter weight no rust). I've had full slee underbody protection on a previous 100 series (always seemed heavy)....

For those that have reviewed both (and others) I'd value some inputs.

The victory looks clean, but I don't like now the oil filter access door is right on the forward bend - I'm sure I would hit it, and would be concerned about bending/jamming it.

I see CBI makes one as well, but it is another $150 more that the other and their website is thin on info. Says it is 70lbs?

I've got a trip planned for end of September - so would be nice to have prior (or I could put off to next spring).

 

[Tex68w]

You better order ASAP if you want one prior to your trip. I believe RCI can accommodate that timeline the last I checked with them. RCI gets my vote of the two and I agree that raw aluminum would be the way to go unless you just have to have black.

 

[Jstawgn]

Highly recommend getting steel front and you can get aluminum for the rest.
Aftermarket KDSS skid hang lower than OEM and would get hit a bit more.

I have Victory4x4 steel front skid on my GX470. It is quite a bit more streamline and give much better KDSS bar clearance than RCI. I recommend asking Victory for the latest picture. They update their products a lot and the picture does not always updated.

 

[giovanni]

I have the CBI front skid in steel, and it fits very nicely and looks like it gives very good protection.

 

[Acrad]

I have Budbuilts on my '12... oil filter access door and strength were part of development. I was told it was load tested as well. They are a small shop though so there is a substantial lead time. I run a Fumoto oil drain valve on mine. Some say they can leak over time but I have personally never experienced that in 25 years.

BudBuilt Off-Road

budbuilt.com

Budbuilt 460 skids with useable oil filter access panel

https://budbuilt.com/Complete-Armor-Systems_c_459.html I should be getting the first set. Tank skid is the same as their 4R and you can order that now. If you do you own oil changes you will appreciate the load bearing access panel door for the oil filter. Apparently many revisions to...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Washingtontaco]

I went steel, only because of training customers and purposely getting stuck to train clients.

I would recommend aluminum. IDK if oil access panels are even necessary. I changed my oil since installing my RCI skids and I made a complete mess. The drain plug pukes oil everywhere and the filter housing drips all over as well. Better to remove the forward skid plate. I ended up removing the forward and middle skids to get everything clean.

 

[nw_fj62]

Thanks all for the great inputs and suggestions. I have emails out to RCI and Victory today to confirm aluminum weights and production availability (requested latest picture from Victory). Bud Built NC looks interesting too - thanks for photos.

I haven't figured out a clean oil change in this beast yet (I suspect Toyota didn't make it easy on us either). I'll probably add a fumoto valve for directing spent oil, but filter housing removal (and gasket) baffles me (and a local quick lube place).

For fun - since it was scratched up, I painted the oil access lid (OE) this wknd. hard to miss now and if someone sees it in normal operations, it probably means the wheels aren't down where they should be...

 

[nw_fj62]

I have posted an update on this process to a new thread : RCI Skid Plate GX 460 - Weights & Experiences...Alu & Steel - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/rci-skid-plate-gx-460-weights-experiences-alu-steel.1238480/

Summary: I should have followed WashingtonTaco's input and ordered steel the first time...

 

[WallaWalru]

I've got Bud builts skids and I couldn't be happier. The oil filter and drain access panels make oil changes super fast.

 

[PachariAdv]

I have the full Victory 4x4 skids (steel) on our '11 460 and I'm not a fan... I had to chop the front skid up to get it to actually work w/ KDSS (supposedly they updated the design and this is fixed now). A bigger annoyance is how everything bolts up. Their hardware is really annoying and it's easy to lose stuff within the crossmembers.

 

[Tex68w]

I have the full Victory 4x4 skids (steel) on our '11 460 and I'm not a fan... I had to chop the front skid up to get it to actually work w/ KDSS (supposedly they updated the design and this is fixed now). A bigger annoyance is how everything bolts up. Their hardware is really annoying and it's easy to lose stuff within the crossmembers.

You still making YT vids?

 

[PachariAdv]

You still making YT vids?

Yep! Got a few new ones published recently... trying to be more regular this year.

 

[GXFamily]

I've got Bud builts skids and I couldn't be happier. The oil filter and drain access panels make oil changes super fast.View attachment 2559556View attachment 2559557View attachment 2559558

Bringing up a thread from the graveyard. It certainly looks like you can use the BudBuilt skid plate as a lifting point just as you can with the OEM skids.

 

[Acrad]

@GXFamily - Correct. It can also be leveraged as a lift point on the Budbuilts.

 

[GXFamily]

@GXFamily - Correct. It can also be leveraged as a lift point on the Budbuilts.

View attachment 3624335

Nice! This makes it far superior to other options..

 

[Hiluxforever]

Noted, probably get these once my ARBs are mangled.

 

[WBrown999]

I have Budbuilt on my 2022 and I am super happy. Dragged them over rocks at Northwest OHV and they still look great.

 

[Acrad]

They were actually designed off 460 mules so the oil filter access door placement is optimal for the 1UR-FE as well.

 

[GXFamily]

Has BudBuilt ever done a group-buy with a discount? I would be in for two skids for both of my GX.

 

[Acrad]

I'm not aware of a group buy over the years

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