Mod 10: RCI Metalworks Skid Plates

It really isn’t surprising that the standard skid plates (if you can even call them that) on the 4Runners aren’t great. The front skid is fairly thin metal, and the transmission skid is basically plastic. Not exactly what I would call a “comfortable” amount of protection for hitting the trails.

So I decided to do what anyone 4Runner owner would do; upgrade! When it comes to underbody protection, you have tons of options for the 4Runner. Companies like CBI, C4 Fabrication, RCI Metalworks, and ARB (to name a few) all make skid plate systems for the 5th gens. I had great success with some RCI Metalworks skids on Sirius Black, my 4th gen 4Runner, so I decided to hit them up again for some new skids.

For now, I am just starting off with the necessary bits to replace the factory skids. I don’t need a full set as Po is mainly geared towards longer off-road excursions rather than heavy-duty rock crawling, but I will likely finish that set as time goes on. However, I did decide to add in their A-Arm skids too. The lower control arms on 4Runners are fairly beefy, but one good slam on a rock and you could be out of commission. So I figured these were a logical upgrade for some nice protection.

Being an overland/light off-road rig, I wanted to keep the weight down as well. RCI Metalworks gives you the wonderful option of 3/16” steel or 1/4” aluminum for your skids. Steel is heavy, but gives you the ultimate amount of protection. And better yet, if you slam steel skids and dent them up, you can always take a big ol’ hammer to it to bash it back in to shape. Aluminum is significantly lighter than steel, which helps improve on weight and subsequently gas mileage, but they are more fragile when it comes to slamming them on rocks. Considering that weight is a concern of mine, I decided to ordered up aluminum versions of RCI’s front skid and A-Arm skids for Po.

Installation was a breeze. Couple of bolts off the old ones. Drop them out of the way. Couple of bolts for the new ones and boom, you are in business. I decided to paint my skids a flat black which I think came out great. I’ve recently had the opportunity to really test these puppies out and boy do they live up to the hype. I slammed the front skid a few times on some poor rocks and the skids did an amazing job at making sure I was able to drive home at the end of the day!