What does a skid plate do?

Skid plates give additional protection to your off-road vehicle under chassis parts. They are usually made from durable steel or aluminum and braces against the impact of rugged trails or scrambling rocks. This off-road accessory covers the underside engine parts and prevents unnecessary contact with the ground that may cause damage.

Are skid plates necessary?

Having a set of skid plates installed on your off-road vehicle increases your protection against untoward damages brought by rugged trails. The materials used in your underbody engine parts are not usually made to withstand heavy impact. Having skid plates installed can save you a lot of trouble, especially when traveling in unfamiliar terrain.

What are skid plates made of?

Skid plates are typically made of either aluminum or steel. Aluminum skid plates are lightweight and offer good protection but are not as strong as steel skid plates. Steel skid plates are heavier and more durable than aluminum, but they’ll also add more weight to your vehicle.

How much do skid plates weigh?

The weight of the skid plates depends on the materials used in their composition. Basic aluminum skid plates will weigh the least, typically around 15-20 lbs, while steel skid plates may weigh over 40 lbs. The exact weight of your vehicle’s skid plate will depend on its make and model.

How to remove skid plates?

Skid plates are often designed to give easy access to your underbody engine, especially when changing your oil. However, if you need to remove skid plates, you need to jack up your vehicle and secure it properly while the jack stands. Locate the mounting point for the skid plates and unbolt them accordingly.

Is there such thing as a universal skid plate?

Not really, there isn’t such a thing as a universal skid plate, since skid plates are vehicle specific, and even part specific. For example, you can have front skid plate, rear skid plate, transmission skid plate, so on and so forth. And you can have a transmission skid plate fit a 5th gen 4Runner, but it won’t fit the transmission of the 3rd Gen 4Runner.