I have someone install it for me as my back is acting up, but he did not mention anything and told me it went easy. But I do not have the transfer skid, just the first 3 panels.
Skid plates (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Ali M
- Start date
-
- Tags
- armor budbuilt skid plate
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
RET2
SILVER Star
You have avoided the problem area that was on the first batch shipped out. My understanding is that this issue has been corrected. I'm liking the red!
Yep I like the red, kinda if you see red, flip the beast back
Thought I'd add my 2 cents worth - I just had my BudBuilt stage 1 skid plates installed. The installer had to notch the engine cover plate in order to keep the factory transmission guard. I'm not a super serious off roader. Just wanted some more protection up front than what the factory installed. I really like the design and the look. i agree with others comments as to the excellent design and strength of these plates.
I recently had Slee do my front and rear bumper. As part of the install they also worked on my alignment. They noticed that my budbuilt engine skid plate did not allow for the full adjustability of my SPC UCA. Has anyone else run into this issue? I should add that I installed them last summer (2018) and have been super happy with them otherwise.
Taco2Cruiser
Crazy American Off Road
The engine skid does allow for full adjustability, but we recommend removing the engine skid as our skid plates protect the cam tabs, and it’s incredibly difficult to adjust cam tabs with something in the way that protects them. Kinda makes me wonder how the alignment was adjusted? Did Slee drop the skids or do they have some cool set of tools that can get in there from the top side?
What doesn’t make sense, regardless of where someone sets an adjustable UCA, the lower alignment cam tabs still only have their factory range. And that factory range is fixed to the frame with our skids.
So that is a false statement you were told, that a upper control arm is affecting a lower control arms position within the frame. It just doesn’t work like that, not frustrated at you at all, it’s more of a pet peeve for me because I was trained to do the old (and better) string alignments and it’s a common problem with people not truly understanding the theory behind alignments.
Now, I have seen shops adjust alignment cam tabs past the Toyota allowed range, but even then, our skids don’t hit. (I have a 2016 in the shop right now that had a 3.5” front lift and factory Upper Arms, it’s cam tabs are backwards from the poor quality of that shop, and they don’t hit either.) But I doubt Slee would do that as I’ve heard that they know how to do alignments right.
Please take a picture and send it to tech@budbuilt.com of what is “not allowing for full adjustability” and we’ll make it right. And take a picture of the whole engine skid, so I can see what version it is. Or I’ll let you know if it’s another issue that.
Rob
Last edited:
sleeoffroad
Supporting Vendor
I think the customer might have the terminology/ issue a little mixed up. The skid plates had nothing to do with the adjustment of the SPC arms, but they made adjusting the lower eccentrics impossible without removing the skid plates. When we do alignments we adjust both lower eccentrics and SPC upper ball joints to achieve the desired alignment as well as wheel location in the wheel well.
Thanks for the replies Rob and Christo. This is what makes this forum so great! You have cleared a lot up for me. Clearly I didn't completely understand what I was told when I checked out last week. The explanation of simply adjusting the SPC UCA castor/camber causing the LCA to bump into the skid plate didn't seem right to me - but I'm not a mechanic. So I thought I would ask people familiar with the skid plates. My Cruiser drives great and I am completely satisfied with the products and service I received at Slee and would recommend them to anyone!
Last edited:
Taco2Cruiser
Crazy American Off Road
Nice Christo, that’s why I added the comment below, because it just didn’t sound right.
@firstlc yeah, I love this forum. People just trying to figure it out. The only real problem is that we can only communicate through text.
Like... if you said that with christo and me in front of you, we probably would of just gave a look, then clarified. Where texts can slow things down and make things a bit difficult. Probably why I’m super pumped about LCDC. Finally be able to us my animated body language to talk 200s... all... day. Whoo!
Sometimes a phone call is better, but honestly I’ve been in Moab with intermittent cell service for the past 10 days. I wish I had been more on the stick for LCDC. I’m in Durango and just kinda figured I could just drop by for a couple hours - but that doesn’t seem to be how it works. Anyway, I’m on the waiting list now. Thank you again for your help.
Last edited:
I was looking at the BB armor systems (i.e., procrastinating work) and put together this table comparing the Stages, materials, weights, and prices (as of this instant). Not that it is terribly complicated, but I was popping between the stages, materials, etc. Sharing in hopes it is helpful to someone here.
Markuson
SILVER Star
Hopefully putting my BudBuilt 3/16 Stainless stage 3 on this Thursday... Gotta yank my KDSS relo first & replace bent link... Trying to get it done before blasting off toward Kokopelli Trail starting out of Grand Junction...
sleeoffroad
Supporting Vendor
I did speak to the tech again about the skidplate interference. It was not just the access, but the bottom A-arms contacted the skidplates at full droop when we had the alignment where we set it.
Please take some pictures and videos. Mine should be arriving in a month or so and I’m hoping to install myself.
kcjaz
SILVER Star
“KDSS relo”? Is this necessary for the Bud Built plates? Or are you doing that for some other reason?
Markuson
SILVER Star
Not required by BB skids. BB will build them to accommodate the position change with the relo...or without. It’s just a matter of some trimming. Not a big deal. I chose to do my skids with the assumption of no relo for other reasons related to my sway bars. If I change my mind and want my relo brackets back on...the skids could be altered a bit.
