Why Replace the OEM Front Skid Plate? (6 Viewers)

[GTV]

Maybe this is a stupid question but what's wrong with the OEM front skid plate? Seems like a well designed, low profile (both visually and functionally) beefy thing that could take a reasonable hit?

I ask because I am in the market for skid plates. I'm on the list at Dissent but I'm wondering if I really need all of that. Since my 100 has become a DD and only vehicle my primary objective is to 1) thwart catalytic converter theft and 2) get rid of the flimsy OEM composite mid plate. I certainly venture off road but don't do anything extreme as I rely on my 100 getting me to where I need to be on a daily basis.

I have little doubt that the Dissent skids are well designed and built but they do come at a cost and they are not available individually or immediately. Asfir certainly doesn't look as well thought out but they are readily available piecemeal and a mid plate might be all that I need. I haven't seen either in person so quality is all speculation on my end.

What says the group? Any bones to pick about the design of the Asfir mid plate?

 

[Kabanstva]

If you’re not doing anything crazy offroad just stick to factory. All these skid plates are sacrificial. I’ve broken my Dissent skid and witnessed first hand a Slee steel skid plate get mangled on a 100 on a somewhat difficult trail.

 

[GTV]

If you’re not doing anything crazy offroad just stick to factory. All these skid plates are sacrificial. I’ve broken my Dissent skid and witnessed first hand a Slee steel skid plate get mangled on a 100 on a somewhat difficult trail.

Did Dissent take care of you on that? Were you able to only replace the broken skid?

After reading this thread I've talked myself out of Asfir products. I appreciate really good design and Asfir comes up short. If Dissent sold their mid plate separately I would have bought one months ago.

I would really prefer aluminium to save weight but that doesn't seem to be an option with my criteria. Guess I'll see what's out there in steel.

 

[Kabanstva]

Did Dissent take care of you on that? Were you able to only replace the broken skid?

After reading this thread I've talked myself out of Asfir products. I appreciate really good design and Asfir comes up short. If Dissent sold their mid plate separately I would have bought one months ago.

I would really prefer aluminium to save weight but that doesn't seem to be an option with my criteria. Guess I'll see what's out there in steel.

My dad is a welder. He was actually the one that noticed one of the main welds on the front skid was cracked when he was doing something under my truck a couple years back and he just repaired it at his work. It was like a 5-10 minute fix if I remember correctly. He didn’t say anything bad about the product, said it’s not unusual to see that if you’re using and abusing a skid plate like we do. I never mentioned it to Dissent since it’s not their fault, I mean you’re slamming thousands of pounds of Land Cruiser on rocks on a piece of aluminum , at some point somethings gotta bend or break.

 

[yngmrostrvile]

Maybe this is a stupid question but what's wrong with the OEM front skid plate? Seems like a well designed, low profile (both visually and functionally) beefy thing that could take a reasonable hit?

I ask because I am in the market for skid plates. I'm on the list at Dissent but I'm wondering if I really need all of that. Since my 100 has become a DD and only vehicle my primary objective is to 1) thwart catalytic converter theft and 2) get rid of the flimsy OEM composite mid plate. I certainly venture off road but don't do anything extreme as I rely on my 100 getting me to where I need to be on a daily basis.

I have little doubt that the Dissent skids are well designed and built but they do come at a cost and they are not available individually or immediately. Asfir certainly doesn't look as well thought out but they are readily available piecemeal and a mid plate might be all that I need. I haven't seen either in person so quality is all speculation on my end.

What says the group? Any bones to pick about the design of the Asfir mid plate?

I have the three Asfir plates and I found nothing wrong with their design.
They were great to work with and shipping was quick.
Their product was well packaged and arrived unscathed.
Installation was easy.

 

[GTV]

I have the three Asfir plates and I found nothing wrong with their design.
They were great to work with and shipping was quick.
Their product was well packaged and arrived unscathed.
Installation was easy.

My biggest gripe is having to remove the entire plate to grease the driveshafts. A removable access panel would be ideal, a hole would suffice I guess. I'm not crazy about the idea of spending $465 and having to hack a hole in it.

 

[suprarx7nut]

I have Dissent skids and Dissent front bumper. If you have an armored front bumper I think it's nice to have a cohesive assembly that ties it all together. Aesthetically and functionally.

The mid and rear section are the big ones for protection, IMO. I think the Dissent one would work if he sold it that way and if you didn't do anything up front, but you'd save less than a third of the overall material and you'd miss out on the best looking piece. I think the factory front one also has some wind deflector ears that can get crunched up on the sides.

Pic before the good wheels and tires.

 

[JOSHD]

My biggest gripe is having to remove the entire plate to grease the driveshafts. A removable access panel would be ideal, a hole would suffice I guess. I'm not crazy about the idea of spending $465 and having to hack a hole in it.

I have the ASFIR front and middle skids. There is an access hole to grease prop shafts. I will see if I can get a pic when I get home.

 

[GTV]

I have Dissent skids and Dissent front bumper. If you have an armored front bumper I think it's nice to have a cohesive assembly that ties it all together. Aesthetically and functionally.

The mid and rear section are the big ones for protection, IMO. I think the Dissent one would work if he sold it that way and if you didn't do anything up front, but you'd save less than a third of the overall material and you'd miss out on the best looking piece. I think the factory front one also has some wind deflector ears that can get crunched up on the sides.

Pic before the good wheels and tires.

View attachment 2883707

You're rig looks great, even better with the new 17's. I don't have any intention of going down the full armored route, I like my mods plentiful but subtle, keeping it under the radar and fairly pedestrian. Especially important to me since it's my only set of wheels. Maybe someday it will be relegated to weekend duty and then it would be Dissent front to back, no question.

 

[suprarx7nut]

You're rig looks great, even better with the new 17's. I don't have any intention of going down the full armored route, I like my mods plentiful but subtle, keeping it under the radar and fairly pedestrian. Especially important to me since it's my only set of wheels. Maybe someday it will be relegated to weekend duty and then it would be Dissent front to back, no question.

Thanks.

After re-reading my response I should also add, the Dissent front vs factory front is night and day. The Dissent front might withstand the entire vehicle weight, at least without completely folding. The factory steel one will totally collapse with a fraction of vehicle weight. I assume it's a similar situation with the Slee and other quality brands where it's a huge jump over factory in terms of protection. I'm unsure of ASIFR or whatever that one is. That Dissent front has quite a bit of gusseting. See the screengrab from my painting video below. I've x'd out the little tab pieces I have resting on the skid - those are not a part of the skid assembly, just spacers. That may give you a feel for the skid assembly's strength over the thin factory sheet metal.

Nothing's "wrong" with the factory front skid, but the armored versions from Slee and Dissent should provide way more protection on the trail or a remote highway in an animal strike.

I also can't recall weight differences, but I think it's minimal. The Dissent piece is much more rigid and not much heavier, if at all.

 

[OEMGUY0720]

^^True to Toyota’s initial design for its factory skid plates from light to heavy duty 4WDs (prados to lcs) are two things: weight and crumple zone. Weight being it has to have a decent amount of protection from the safe operating speed when on 4L and in the event it catches an obstacle big enough to make, skid plate will take hit and absorb it then operator makes a detour to prevent further damage. Unfortunately the term “send it” to most of Toyota engineers isn’t popular, they are methodological with their 4wd equipments

I’ve had ARB UVPs on all 3 of my previous yotas, looks damn good but damn they’re heavy. I like the dissent (too bad its not available yet), I like the tiny details.

 

[Moridinbg]

I am in the OEM skid plate camp too. I do not do any (intentional) rock crawling and mainly play in the mud and the OEM plate has served me very well so far.

 

[nukegoat]

mainly play in the mud

Wrong site buddy

 

[GTV]

Thanks.

After re-reading my response I should also add, the Dissent front vs factory front is night and day. The Dissent front might withstand the entire vehicle weight, at least without completely folding. The factory steel one will totally collapse with a fraction of vehicle weight. I assume it's a similar situation with the Slee and other quality brands where it's a huge jump over factory in terms of protection. I'm unsure of ASIFR or whatever that one is. That Dissent front has quite a bit of gusseting. See the screengrab from my painting video below. I've x'd out the little tab pieces I have resting on the skid - those are not a part of the skid assembly, just spacers. That may give you a feel for the skid assembly's strength over the thin factory sheet metal.

Nothing's "wrong" with the factory front skid, but the armored versions from Slee and Dissent should provide way more protection on the trail or a remote highway in an animal strike.

I also can't recall weight differences, but I think it's minimal. The Dissent piece is much more rigid and not much heavier, if at all.

View attachment 2884860

The difference between the ASFIR front skid and the Dissent is not even close. It's obvious a lot of thought went into the design of the Dissent piece while the ASFIR is more like, "how quick and easy can we knock out a set of alloy skids?". I like how yours are black, that would be a necessity for me.

 

[krice118]

For the record, I have done countless off road trips., WY, Moab, CO, etc with factory skids....... I did most of my wheeling with homemade sliders, 33s and the rest stock. You will be surprised how capable these are right out side the box.