Need help with TRD skid plate install

Hi everyone,

Today, I am working on installing the TRD skid plate onto my 2020 Tundra Platinum. I have two bolts that are giving me troubles and I'm wondering if anyone on here could help with either checking I have the correct hardware from Toyota or if anyone could just give some advice.

Here is the stock bolt location I'm struggling with (location 3, front of skid plate):



The OEM bolt that comes out of the standard Platinum skid plate looks like this. Notice how there are two thread widths, with a narrower thread width near the end of the bolt:



The longer replacement bolts that came pre-installed on the TRD skid plate look like this. Notice it is longer and has only one thread width:



I'm able to start the new bolt by hand into the chassis of the truck, then ratchet it in some of the way easily. However, it soon bottoms out, at this point:



I cannot get the bolt to proceed any further. I suspect it's because this new bolt does not have the narrow thread width at the end of the bolt, so it is effectively bottoming out at a narrower bore from the old bolt.

Can someone confirm the new bolt I have is the right bolt? If it is, what am I doing wrong?

 

Do you have the spacers? There should be a spacer for the rear ones.

 

I am not working at the rear. The problem is at the front.

 

It looks to me like the stock ones were cross-threaded which would explain why the new ones won't thread on easily. The fronts should go in without issue...its the rear with spacers that was a PIA to me.

 

I have the rear bolts (with spacers and nuts) and center bolts in and tight. Just the fronts are giving me trouble.

Back to the original question, can you confirm whether the new front bolts I have are correct (even if it means crawling under your Tundra with a 12 mm socket)? I don't understand out I'm replacing a multi width (tapered?) bolt with a standard bolt.

 

oh ok. hard to tell from the photos. good luck

 

It's dark here, but I'll climb under my sequoia tomorrow am if you haven't figured it out. The stock one isn't "multi-width", it is messed up from being cross threaded which made the threads look like that.

 

PS the install instructions say not to tighten anything until the end due to tight fitment. Maybe your bolt is getting pinched?
http://toyotaparts.sparkstoyota.com/install/PT938-34140inst.pdf

 

I would take the skid plate back off and get a look at the threads in that hole up front. I they are messed up run a tap through it and clean it up.

 

Yeah, I didn't tighten anything down until after already giving up on these two front bolts. I just wanted to snug it up so I can move the truck around while figuring this out. I will at least have another go by loosening all bolts and realigning one more time. Aside from that I need other comments from people who can look at their front bolts for me.

 

I think I should be able to check it without pulling the skid plate off. The hole in the skid plate is slightly larger than the thread width. I'm trying to avoid taking the skid plate off because it required a buddy helping to get it up and on the truck in the first place.

 

I'm willing to bet that the threads are buggered up from the last person that did your oil change and put the bolts back in with an impact.

 

The truck is 2 weeks old. No work done yet.

 

Wow, the factory cross threaded it then.

 

Understand that for sure, I would definitely check out those threads or just run a tap through them and clean them out, then it should be no problem.

 

If someone is willing to take a 12 mm socket out to remove one bolt from under their TRD skid plate, I'd appreciate it.

 

I'm gonna run outside and do my good deed for the day....standby for pic of bolt

 

Are both of the front bolts that way?

 

From what I remember from installing mine the 3 bolts on the stock skid go into different holes than the two supplied with the TRD. I believe there is supposed to be a spacer of some sort that goes between the trd and the frame piece there which is why they’re longer

a
Edit: ahhh, looking at it. May be the same holes. Who knows..

 

If the truck is brand new you could put all the bolts in besides that one and take it to the dealership and have them fix it. It is definitely cross threaded and being 2 weeks old only a Toyota employee had the means to do it.

 

Yep

 

Thanks! I think that confirms I have the right bolts. Just need to figure out if there’s some pre-existing cross thread.

I just finished loosening all bolts. Stand by...

 

Just a thought.. try to use the bolt from the old skid plate and see if it will work.

 

I tried. Far too short.

 

Yeah, you have the correct bolts. I'm perplexed as to why/how the Toyota factory messes up 2 bolt holes!

 

It's too short because the thread is halfway gone.

 

No. It's too short because of the beefy TRD skid plate plus spacer on top of the skid.

 

Trust me. A buddy of mine and I both HAND THREADED those front bolts in initially and they went in no problem. There's no way we cross threaded them in by hand.

Either way, I now have the success story!

Dropped the skid plate and threaded the bolt by hand in the absence of the skid plate. This confirmed both holes were factory cross threaded at about 15 degrees off perpendicular. I grabbed the 8 mm x 1.25 pitch tap and fixed that up.



The tap cleaned out a bunch of the lazy Texan assembly line metal.



I reinstalled the skid plate without help. It's not an easy job for one person, but I followed all the directions right down to those last two front bolts. They went in straight this time and torqued down properly! I added some Voodoo Blue Loctite for good measure:



Thanks for the help! My back and shoulders will be sore tomorrow.

 

Glad you got it figured out...Awesome