Skid plates (2 Viewers)

[RET2]

In my pic I just laid them out to get all in 1 shot. I numbered them albeit my marker wasn't the best in hopes that Rob would chime in with the old "knee bone connected to the hip bone" kind of direction. Those 3 L standoff brackets are throwing me a bit. Rob's insight on installing the crossmember first to support subsequent pieces was helpful. My hope is he will say install in order x,y,z etc. BTW there were NO directions or documentation beyond the yr old Toyota mag.

 

[uclafan]

In my pic I just laid them out to get all in 1 shot. I numbered them albeit my marker wasn't the best in hopes that Rob would chime in with the old "knee bone connected to the hip bone" kind of direction. Those 3 L standoff brackets are throwing me a bit. Rob's insight on installing the crossmember first to support subsequent pieces was helpful. My hope is he will say install in order x,y,z etc. BTW there were NO directions or documentation beyond the yr old Toyota mag.

Thanks, I was hoping for some documentation, and I was wondering about the L brackets as well. Could they be for your fuel tank plate? Guess we'll wait for Rob to chime in.

 

[RET2]

Documentation? ROFL For once I was actually going to read the instructions but alas NADA

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

Here you go, not shown is the crossmember piece

View attachment 1566629

This is for everyone, not so much directed at RET2 personally.
Ok... whoo!!! install, here we go. As far as documentation for install, I need to make it... sorry I haven't done it yet. Disclaimer: if you order stainless steel hardware, get ANTI-SEIZE and apply to all fastener threads. Stainless is awesome, but when they are brand new, they like to bind, and the anti seize is a must.

1) Cross member first. One at a time, remove the passenger side transmission crossmember to frame bolts with the supplied longer bolts, the factory nuts should be reused. One the inside of the drivers side frame, there are 3 splash shields, remove the middle one. Bolt the crossmember in place the new longer bolts in the transmission crossmember and to the driver side frame rail with a supplied M8 bolt with washer. The splash shield will need to be trimmed to fit around the new crossmember, but will retain all its mounting points. This is the only cutting needed, and its so a $40 splash shield that can be easily unbolted and bolted back on. No permanent modifications to the actually truck needed. The isn't a templet, just take your time, trim away what you need (it will be very intuitive once the crossmember is in place), leave about a 1/4" of clearance.
2) Engine skid. That is the one that has 5 mounting brackets, with the circular door (for the engine drain plug), and the set down for the front differential. 5 mounting bracket face toward the front of the truck. Side note, isn't that just gorgeous? Bolt that suck in place with 5 M8 bolts and washers and 2 carriage bolts. Keep it loose, just get it to where it is holding itself up.
3) Transmission skid. That's label "number 1" by RET2 in the photo. The top of the skid in that photo faces the front (narrower side faces front, wider side faces to the rear.) Since you have kept the engine skid that was just mounted loose, those two slots you can see in the photo, those slide in with the carriage bolts that hold the rear of the engine skid in place. so the order from top to bottom of where the engine and the transmission crossmember meet is: frame, transmission, engine skids. The rear of the transmission is held with two long carriage bolts and two two massive washers and nuts (trust me, you'll know you have the right hardware, its the biggest stuff in the bags). Those long bolts go through the the back of the transmission skid, through the transmission crossmember, the put the big 'ol washers, and top it with a nut. Keep it loose, another skid is coming!
4) Transfer Skid aka The Alamo (I just made that up) if your in the rocks, its the only armor available that isolates the transfer case from impacts. Its labels number "8" by RET2 in the photo. The two slots face forward. Slide the transfer case skid slots in between the transmission skid and the transmission crossmember (seeing the flow, edge face rearward, so rocks don't have anything to grab onto). The rear of the transfer case skid is held to the crossmember with the the shorter carriage bolts and washers with nuts.
5) Front skid. The black thing in the photo. It's got reinforcing ribs on the inside (you don't see that on average armor). Take the armored door off (its for the oil filter), and slide the front skid onto the front of the engine skid. You'll notice the reinforcing ribs will hold the front skid up while you gather more fasteners (thanks Bud). there are 5 counter sunk bolts that will attach the front skid to the engine skid. 3 from the front skid to engine side themselves, and 2 front the oil filter door to the engine skid. you'll find 1 of the shortest counter sunk bolts, and that one attache the oil filter door to the front skid. The front of the front skid is held to the radiator crossmember with M8 bolts and washers.
6) Tighten it all up! Doesn't need to be death tight, 15 ft is perfect. I'm a torque'n fool, I torque everything to spec, but with skids, I get them snug. enough that I know they won't rattle off, but not enough to pull the crossmember metal through the skid plate mounting points (yeah, I've seen that)
7) Fuel armor, whoo! This is super easy, but I need to take some pictures as that will be sooooo much easier. Basically those three brackets are used, along with the frame rail, and it is also secured to the transfer case skid (because why not, it's armor.) "Gee, I wish my skid plates were not as strong as they could be." -said no one ever. The small piece in the photo that's labeled "7" is a heat shield for where the exhaust crossover get close to the fuel tank (because the colder the fuel, the more energy it helps make).

That's it. I absolutely promise I will take pictures Friday after work. I just got done rebuilding the two axles and an automatic transmission, so I'm a little smoked right now. But my actually job hasn't been too busy the last two weeks, so I feel up to it. The pictures will make this even easier. @RET2, if you could take a picture of the fasteners laid out nicely and grouped together, I can label them and post it. Bud never stops refining, it's that engineer background in him that says things are never done (I don't really trust products that never update anymore because of this) so I won't be surprised if there is something changed in the fasters. I already noticed a slight change in the fuel tank skid from mine that avoid a frame rail seam. It was found on mine, but I was ok with Chip notching it out on the first run of the 2.0 skids.

lastly, can we just admire those aluminum welds? That's all done by hand, 'Merica!

RET2, you've got my cell, give me a call if you need help

 

[RET2]

This is for everyone, not so much directed at RET2 personally.
Ok... whoo!!! install, here we go. As far as documentation for install, I need to make it... sorry I haven't done it yet. Disclaimer: if you order stainless steel hardware, get ANTI-SEIZE and apply to all fastener threads. Stainless is awesome, but when they are brand new, they like to bind, and the anti seize is a must.

1) Cross member first. One at a time, remove the passenger side transmission crossmember to frame bolts with the supplied longer bolts, the factory nuts should be reused. One the inside of the drivers side frame, there are 3 splash shields, remove the middle one. Bolt the crossmember in place the new longer bolts in the transmission crossmember and to the driver side frame rail with a supplied M8 bolt with washer. The splash shield will need to be trimmed to fit around the new crossmember, but will retain all its mounting points. This is the only cutting needed, and its so a $40 splash shield that can be easily unbolted and bolted back on. No permanent modifications to the actually truck needed. The isn't a templet, just take your time, trim away what you need (it will be very intuitive once the crossmember is in place), leave about a 1/4" of clearance.
2) Engine skid. That is the one that has 5 mounting brackets, with the circular door (for the engine drain plug), and the set down for the front differential. 5 mounting bracket face toward the front of the truck. Side note, isn't that just gorgeous? Bolt that suck in place with 5 M8 bolts and washers and 2 carriage bolts. Keep it loose, just get it to where it is holding itself up.
3) Transmission skid. That's label "number 1" by RET2 in the photo. The top of the skid in that photo faces the front (narrower side faces front, wider side faces to the rear.) Since you have kept the engine skid that was just mounted loose, those two slots you can see in the photo, those slide in with the carriage bolts that hold the rear of the engine skid in place. so the order from top to bottom of where the engine and the transmission crossmember meet is: frame, transmission, engine skids. The rear of the transmission is held with two long carriage bolts and two two massive washers and nuts (trust me, you'll know you have the right hardware, its the biggest stuff in the bags). Those long bolts go through the the back of the transmission skid, through the transmission crossmember, the put the big 'ol washers, and top it with a nut. Keep it loose, another skid is coming!
4) Transfer Skid aka The Alamo (I just made that up) if your in the rocks, its the only armor available that isolates the transfer case from impacts. Its labels number "8" by RET2 in the photo. The two slots face forward. Slide the transfer case skid slots in between the transmission skid and the transmission crossmember (seeing the flow, edge face rearward, so rocks don't have anything to grab onto). The rear of the transfer case skid is held to the crossmember with the the shorter carriage bolts and washers with nuts.
5) Front skid. The black thing in the photo. It's got reinforcing ribs on the inside (you don't see that on average armor). Take the armored door off (its for the oil filter), and slide the front skid onto the front of the engine skid. You'll notice the reinforcing ribs will hold the front skid up while you gather more fasteners (thanks Bud). there are 5 counter sunk bolts that will attach the front skid to the engine skid. 3 from the front skid to engine side themselves, and 2 front the oil filter door to the engine skid. you'll find 1 of the shortest counter sunk bolts, and that one attache the oil filter door to the front skid. The front of the front skid is held to the radiator crossmember with M8 bolts and washers.
6) Tighten it all up! Doesn't need to be death tight, 15 ft is perfect. I'm a torque'n fool, I torque everything to spec, but with skids, I get them snug. enough that I know they won't rattle off, but not enough to pull the crossmember metal through the skid plate mounting points (yeah, I've seen that)
7) Fuel armor, whoo! This is super easy, but I need to take some pictures as that will be sooooo much easier. Basically those three brackets are used, along with the frame rail, and it is also secured to the transfer case skid (because why not, it's armor.) "Gee, I wish my skid plates were not as strong as they could be." -said no one ever. The small piece in the photo that's labeled "7" is a heat shield for where the exhaust crossover get close to the fuel tank (because the colder the fuel, the more energy it helps make).

That's it. I absolutely promise I will take pictures Friday after work. I just got done rebuilding the two axles and an automatic transmission, so I'm a little smoked right now. But my actually job hasn't been too busy the last two weeks, so I feel up to it. The pictures will make this even easier. @RET2, if you could take a picture of the fasteners laid out nicely and grouped together, I can label them and post it. Bud never stops refining, it's that engineer background in him that says things are never done (I don't really trust products that never update anymore because of this) so I won't be surprised if there is something changed in the fasters. I already noticed a slight change in the fuel tank skid from mine that avoid a frame rail seam. It was found on mine, but I was ok with Chip notching it out on the first run of the 2.0 skids.

lastly, can we just admire those aluminum welds? That's all done by hand, 'Merica!

RET2, you've got my cell, give me a call if you need help

Rob for Mudder of the Year award Thank you sir!!

 

[uclafan]

I just picked mine up today, thanks @Obi Wong Kenobi for helping out with the shipment. Thought that I would post a few pictures, excuse the ratty background on the garage floor. I labeled the parts in what I think the order is going from front (1) to back (4), hopefully these are correct in order and also orientation (@Taco2Cruiser please verify)? I will post a few more pictures of the skids, sorry about the pink post-it notes, these were the only ones that I could find. The parts are heavy as advertised and looks to be beefy and high quality. Don't know if I'll be able to take any photos during the install as it might be tough trying to get the undercarriage shots without a lift. I will try to match these photos to Rob's written instructions and report back.

 

[uclafan]

A few more closeups. These are nice looking welds, and being stainless, hopefully don't have to worry about rust!

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

A few more closeups. These are nice looking welds, and being stainless, hopefully don't have to worry about rust!

View attachment 1567172

View attachment 1567173

The order from front to back should be:
1, the side with two holes goes forward
3, the side with the 5 brackets goes forward
2, the side with the two slots goes forward
4, the side with the two slots goes forward

PM and when it’s a good time for you, we can talk it out.

I’m going to be making the directions for Bud tomorrow.

 

[RET2]

Thanks guys

 

[uclafan]

The order from front to back should be:
1, the side with two holes goes forward
3, the side with the 5 brackets goes forward
2, the side with the two slots goes forward
4, the side with the two slots goes forward

PM and when it’s a good time for you, we can talk it out.

I’m going to be making the directions for Bud tomorrow.

Perfect, thanks Rob, let's try this again to see if I got it right....again, 1 is the front and 4 is the rear.....

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

Perfect, thanks Rob, let's try this again to see if I got it right....again, 1 is the front and 4 is the rear.....

View attachment 1567213

View attachment 1567214

nailed it

 

[uclafan]

nailed it

Great, ok, next question, I'm trying to install the cross member, and I think that 2 longer bolts to mount to the frame are supposed to be included? I checked and don't think that they were included. I took a picture of the bag that I think the bolts were supposed to be packaged in, and am showing a picture of the bolt that came off the truck. Unless I'm doing something wrong, it doesn't appear that there's any way the existing bolts will work. Can you verify that the longer bolts were supposed to be included? Thanks Rob.

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

Great, ok, next question, I'm trying to install the cross member, and I think that 2 longer bolts to mount to the frame are supposed to be included? I checked and don't think that they were included. I took a picture of the bag that I think the bolts were supposed to be packaged in, and am showing a picture of the bolt that came off the truck. Unless I'm doing something wrong, it doesn't appear that there's any way the existing bolts will work. Can you verify that the longer bolts were supposed to be included? Thanks Rob.

View attachment 1567291

Yeah, there should be two longer bolts included. They replace those two bolts in the transmission crossmember to frame mount. I would check the packaging again, but give the shop a call, I'm sure Chip is send you anything you need a fast as he can.

 

[FerzLC]

What flavor of plates are those? Stage 1-4 or Overlanding 1-4? What should I order if looking to replace stock plates and adding additional protection?

 

[uclafan]

What flavor of plates are those? Stage 1-4 or Overlanding 1-4? What should I order if looking to replace stock plates and adding additional protection?

They're the Stage 3 plates, in stainless steel. Definitely heavy, I think the weight of the 4 pieces is over 150 lbs (@Taco2Cruiser has the weight listed on the forum somewhere). The overloading skids are for people who are more weight conscious, and built out of aluminum (I think)? I don't know what you are using your LC for, but even if I don't intend on rock crawling, my sense is that there are some expensive bits and pieces on the undercarriage, and I think the tradeoff for the weight penalty and the relative maintenance free nature of stainless is worth the piece of mind of the protection. I didn't have a good sense of how overbuilt these skids are until I was loading these to take them home, and again when I am lifting for the installation, but almost have the confidence that you could drive over an IED and survive (not that I would want to test them out in that manner). I saw that you're in Santa Rosa, hopefully you survived the fires ok?

 

[RET2]

Hey I was the first one on my block to get the stage "incomplete" variety

 

[FerzLC]

@uclafan. Thanks. That’s exactly the info I was looking for. I will go with the stage 3 and sliders. Not ready to do a lift yet and would like the additional projection when off road up North Cal and in Tahoe.
Yes I do live in Santa Rosa and thankfully didn’t lose our house. But I am directly effective, not only at my job (I work for the City of Santa Rosa Water) but also have many people that I know lost their house. It absolutely astonishing how many houses are gone. Pictures and videos do no justice.

 

[uclafan]

@uclafan. Thanks. That’s exactly the info I was looking for. I will go with the stage 3 and sliders. Not ready to do a lift yet and would like the additional projection when off road up North Cal and in Tahoe.
Yes I do live in Santa Rosa and thankfully didn’t lose our house. But I am directly effective, not only at my job (I work for the City of Santa Rosa Water) but also have many people that I know lost their house. It absolutely astonishing how many houses are gone. Pictures and videos do no justice.

Sorry to hear of the losses, it's been a bad fire season. I am in the public water sector as well in So Cal, and know many of the counterparts in No Cal who were dealing with the potential flood situation earlier this year to the fire season more recently. Hope that the recovery effort is speedy and that the region gets the resources needed to get back on its feet.

 

[uclafan]

More pictures of the install, and general impressions so far. First, in preparation of the crossmember installation, I took the cage surrounding the transfer case off, pics of the part after the cage removal and the cage shown here.

 

[uclafan]

Next, I removed the middle shroud on the driver's side and trimmed it with a oscillating saw (Fein) to accommodate the crossmember tubing. With the obstructions removed, I tried to install the crossmember, only to find that the two existing bolts were too short once the crossmember was fitted. The longer bolts were not in the kit, and Bud told me that the longer bolts are on order and will be mailed out once they come in. Photos of the modified shroud and the bolt location shown here.