Are Skid Plates Good?

[TrailWhale]

I have the upgraded Toyota skid plates. They weren't too expensive ($~550 ish shipped i think) and were easy enough to install myself with a friend and a 6-pack. I have been on some pretty gnarly forest roads (gnarly to me with my kids in the back, likely not gnarly to a "real offroader") around Idaho where the skid plates gave me the confidence to continue instead of nope-ing out. Of course I'm just a giant wimp, and I don't think i have a single scratch on those skid plates yet.

Still happy to have them though! If the cost isn't prohibitive, there isn't much of a downside to having them.

 

[Trail250]

I took the OEM non-TRD skid plates through a trail, and they got pretty bashed up. Bought some Victory 4x4 skid plates, and they held up, only got scratches on that same trail, and it smacked off a good-sized rock. The OEM crumpled like a soda can.

 

[Stage7]

I took the OEM non-TRD skid plates through a trail, and they got pretty bashed up. Bought some Victory 4x4 skid plates, and they held up, only got scratches on that same trail, and it smacked off a good-sized rock. The OEM crumpled like a soda can.

What do you mean by non-TRD? Are you referring to the OEM First Edition skid plates that come as an option on other trims or the ones that come with the 1958 and non premium package LCLC?

 

[Trail250]

What do you mean by non-TRD? Are you referring to the OEM First Edition skid plates that come as an option on other trims or the ones that come with the 1958 and non premium package LCLC?

Yeah the thin sheet metal skids that come stock on 1958 and other trims.

 

[Stage7]

Yeah the thin sheet metal skids that come stock on 1958 and other trims.

Yeah, those aren't going to do much for you on a trail. If you are sticking with OEM the skids that come standard on the First Edition aren't bad. I do think that Victory 4x4 has a good set that does not attach to the crossbar of the radiator which seems to be the weak link in this forum and others.

 

[Blue Bear]

Yeah, those aren't going to do much for you on a trail. If you are sticking with OEM the skids that come standard on the First Edition aren't bad. I do think that Victory 4x4 has a good set that does not attach to the crossbar of the radiator which seems to be the weak link in this forum and others.

I have the OEM First Edition style steel skid plates - they more than did the job sliding over rocks and such on the trails in Colorado this summer. They are much more robust than the stock skids that come on the base LC. I like the ease of installation and removal of the OEM skids versus some of the after market ones.

 

[RideWithYanu]

Yes, skid plates are good, if you’re driving in conditions where hard objects may come into contact with the underside of the vehicle. It really is quite that simple.

 

[fftfk]

I have the OEM First Edition style steel skid plates - they more than did the job sliding over rocks and such on the trails in Colorado this summer. They are much more robust than the stock skids that come on the base LC. I like the ease of installation and removal of the OEM skids versus some of the after market ones.

I have the OEM FE skids as well and they came in very handy when doing some light offroading in Colorado. I did Animas Forks/Picayne Gulch, the Mines (easy - could do it in a Camry), and California Pass. All were listed as easy/medium trails. California Pass has had some substantial erosion that made it more difficult than in years past. I did make use of the OEM skids.

When I got home I crawled under my LC and saw how banged up they were and how low the unprotected transfer case sits...I immediately ordered the RCI transfer case skid plate for piece of mind. 99% of my driving is on road but if going off-road - where things can and do break...the piece of mind of the skid plates is well worth it.

 

[ChrisMA1B]

I think yes they are worth it, even if only driving on the highway. Some years ago I was driving my brand new Ford F-150 in heavy traffic on the Interstate. I hit a truck battery (big!) that I did not see due to the traffic, and it hit my transmission pan and punctured it. It was a Friday and by the time I got it to the nearest Ford dealer they could not work on it until the next Monday because they had to order the part and it did not come in until late Monday. I had to rent a vehicle until it was fixed. Needless to say I added skid plates after I got home. S*** happens even on the road. Similarly when I married my first wife, we took my International Scout II on our honeymoon camping in eastern Canada. I had heavy duty skid plates under the Scout, which my wife questioned, and I said you never know...She was driving it on rough road and hung up the skid plate on a rock, saving us big bucks and a long inconvenient tow. Saved her serious embarrassment and she never questioned skid plates again.

 

[Blue Bear]

I'm not saying you need rock sliders, but here's a pic showing the damage to my Slee sliders from a rock on a trail in Colorado. The amount of protection you need is highly dependent on the type of travel you are doing. Doing some moderate off road stuff on rocky trails in Colorado changes the equation a bit. I'm glad I had the sliders or I would've had some significant body damage to my drivers door. The guoge in the sliders is pretty significant despite the sliders being made of steel, not aluminum.