Topic: Sturdy skid plates

[Destruct O]

I want to support the companies that make products for Toyota. What company would you recommend that makes sturdy skidplates for the IFS Tacoma.

[BLACKDOG]

Ignore the rig its on, but this is a pro comp skidplate.  They're money, but they are strong   Its got those "speed holes"  pressed into it, which actually gives it a lot of strength.  I've come right down on mine, and not done a thing to it. 



Check trailmaster and superlift as well, I know trailmaster used to make one, and I don't know about superlift.

My truck with it

[Destruct O [OP]]

The skid plate might be pricey but they are a lot cheaper than fixing a replacing the drivetrain that it is protecting.

[BLACKDOG]

The skid plate might be pricey but they are a lot cheaper than fixing a replacing the drivetrain that it is protecting.

exactly

thats why I have one

[Rockcrawlintoy]

http://www.budbuilt.com/new/ifs.html all the way

Drew

[Bender]

http://www.budbuilt.com/new/ifs.html all the way

Drew

I don't have the IFS skidplate, but I am a budbuilt customer.  No question about it.  Great products, great customer service.


BD - what's your logic for speed holes adding strength?   

[Rockcrawlintoy]

i think they use a dimple die. its makes a little cone kinda shape and makes a thinner peice of metal more ridged. the baja guys use this to make strong light parts

Drew

[BLACKDOG]

I don't have the IFS skidplate, but I am a budbuilt customer.  No question about it.  Great products, great customer service.


BD - what's your logic for speed holes adding strength?   

i think they use a dimple die. its makes a little cone kinda shape and makes a thinner peice of metal more ridged. the baja guys use this to make strong light parts

Drew

ya, I just forgot what the die is that is used. 

Here's a pic of the die and the holes it makes.  by creating  that flare around the hole, it spreads any pressure on it across more than one plane, which makes it stronger.    That would actually be a concern of mine with the budbuilt one, but with 3/16" you probably won't be denting it to badly.  Having the holes does allow for using lighter metal, I think mine is probably 16 guage steel, and it is strong.  Several people on the board have seen me come down on that thing HARD, and it doesn't do a thing

[Destruct O [OP]]

It seems 3/16" is the only thickness that Tacoma skidplates come in some. The only problem I see with some of these skidplates is if you lift your vehicle to the point were you need diff drop kit you are S.O.L. If that is the case it makes my suspension choice very very easy.

[Bender]

ya, I just forgot what the die is that is used. 

Here's a pic of the die and the holes it makes.  by creating  that flare around the hole, it spreads any pressure on it across more than one plane, which makes it stronger.    That would actually be a concern of mine with the budbuilt one, but with 3/16" you probably won't be denting it to badly.  Having the holes does allow for using lighter metal, I think mine is probably 16 guage steel, and it is strong.  Several people on the board have seen me come down on that thing HARD, and it doesn't do a thing

Interesting.  I'm going to have to do some reading on that.  I can see it being stronger than a drilled hole, but it's hard for me to believe that it's stronger than a solid plate. 

[skid]

Interesting.  I'm going to have to do some reading on that.  I can see it being stronger than a drilled hole, but it's hard for me to believe that it's stronger than a solid plate. 

Bend a 1" x1/8th" piece of strap,  Very easy with it flat, very hard with it standing up.

[Bender]

Bend a 1" x1/8th" piece of strap,  Very easy with it flat, very hard with it standing up.

Not quite the same, but I get your point. 

Thinking about it a bit more, it seems that the bending stregth would be better, but the shear strength would suffer due to the loss of material.  In the case of a skid plate, the shear strength isn't key so more bending strength = a 'stronger' skid plate. 

[mojavehanna]

Your kidding right? Pro comp skidplates are pretty much only for show, and as far as I know only work with their drop bracket lift kit... stay far, far away from these.

If you want an actual skidplate for an IFS tacoma check out budbuilt.com they have a really good setup consisting of a very beefy and well thought out front, intermediate, and belly pan skid system that will take a ton of abuse while protecting your vehicle. I have lots of experience with these and they are worth the money.

Ignore the rig its on, but this is a pro comp skidplate.  They're money, but they are strong   Its got those "speed holes"  pressed into it, which actually gives it a lot of strength.  I've come right down on mine, and not done a thing to it. 



Check trailmaster and superlift as well, I know trailmaster used to make one, and I don't know about superlift.

My truck with it

[mojavehanna]

I don't have the IFS skidplate, but I am a budbuilt customer.  No question about it.  Great products, great customer service.


BD - what's your logic for speed holes adding strength?  

I don't have the IFS skidplate, but I am a budbuilt customer.  No question about it.  Great products, great customer service.


BD - what's your logic for speed holes adding strength?  

Those type of skids are a joke, Ive seen them destroyed on several runs. They wont hold up to rocks like a budbuilt system will.

[mojavehanna]

Budbuilt front skids are 3/16" steel plate that gains rigidity by the side pieces being bent at a 90 degree angle from the horizontal plane. The front skid alone weighs about 70 lbs. they are not light but they do what they are supposed to do.

ya, I just forgot what the die is that is used. 

Here's a pic of the die and the holes it makes.  by creating  that flare around the hole, it spreads any pressure on it across more than one plane, which makes it stronger.    That would actually be a concern of mine with the budbuilt one, but with 3/16" you probably won't be denting it to badly.  Having the holes does allow for using lighter metal, I think mine is probably 16 guage steel, and it is strong.  Several people on the board have seen me come down on that thing HARD, and it doesn't do a thing

[mojavehanna]

Dont waste your money on a diff. drop to begin with, they do very little if anything to alleviate driveshaft angle. And yes, the budbuilt skid will clear a diff. drop, but Id still ditch the diff. drop and lower the front end down to 2.5" of lift and you should be good.

It seems 3/16" is the only thickness that Tacoma skidplates come in some. The only problem I see with some of these skidplates is if you lift your vehicle to the point were you need diff drop kit you are S.O.L. If that is the case it makes my suspension choice very very easy.

[BLACKDOG]

Your kidding right? Pro comp skidplates are pretty much only for show, and as far as I know only work with their drop bracket lift kit... stay far, far away from these.

If you want an actual skidplate for an IFS tacoma check out budbuilt.com they have a really good setup consisting of a very beefy and well thought out front, intermediate, and belly pan skid system that will take a ton of abuse while protecting your vehicle. I have lots of experience with these and they are worth the money.

Those type of skids are a joke, Ive seen them destroyed on several runs. They wont hold up to rocks like a budbuilt system will.

I don't know if the quality has gone down since I got mine, but I have HAMMERED on my skid plate, several board members can attest to that, and it has held up remarkably. I've also helped a friend install a pro comp skiplate on a truck with a superlift lift kit, and we didn't have any problems getting it mounted.  I haven't ever used a budbuilt product, but have heard good things about them. 

Budbuilt front skids are 3/16" steel plate that gains rigidity by the side pieces being bent at a 90 degree angle from the horizontal plane. The front skid alone weighs about 70 lbs. they are not light but they do what they are supposed to do.

The pro comp skiplate that I have is also 3/16" stainless, and as you can see from the pictures posted of my truck, the side pieces are bent up as well, probably at a 70* angle or so. My skidplate weighs about 50lbs, mabye a little more, so they aren't that far off. 

[mojavehanna]

Then I guess the old addage "they dont make them like they used to" still holds true. The Pro comp skids I have seen recently were made of sheetmetal and were "show only look alikes" and not true protection. If yours is 3/16" thick then you must have one made before Pro comp became principly aligned with the glam crowd.