(Cat Shields) Anyone else make a nut retention bracket for TRD skid plate compatibility?

I added my cat shields first, and then bought a TRD skidplate second. Didn't realize there's no way to get a hand up around both items at the same time to reach those nuts, so right now I just don't have the two rear skidplate bolts in place, just resting on top of the cat shields bolts. ~2 months ago I ordered a nut retention plate for my cat shields from Valhalla, but it looks like he's not going to get around to it for some time I guess.

I'm quickly approaching when I wanted to do my transmission fluid swap, and that's going to require taking off the TRD skidplate, then the cat shield, and I don't want to have to do that process twice, you know? So I was hoping someone might have a lead on somewhere else that sells a TRD skidplate-compatible shield that has a nut retention plate they might sell separately.

 

The skidplate I bought (RCI) came with two thinner, longer bolts that feed through the tranny skid plate, then through the TRD plate, and into the frame itself, no nuts on the top to reach for. The standard TRD plate should feed into those slots, so no retention plate should be necessary?

 

Valhalla is the only one that I know of. Did you message @Classy63 for a rough timeline?

 

I messaged him 2 weeks ago on this forum, FB, and his website inquiring about a nut plate and never heard back.

would love to know if anyone out there is also making them.

 

Interesting, there's definitely just a hole in the crossmember above those bolt holes on my truck. Nothing for anything to bolt into there for me.

Yeah I checked out and paid for the bracket and the additional shipping, and knowing that there'd be a delay I just put it in the back of my mind, I wasn't expecting to close in my mileage for my transmission fluid change as quickly as I did, but it's still been 2 months. I recall him making a post here in December saying he'd be boosting his turnaround times and communication, but I guess life happens and stuff? I'd be fine keeping my order if I heard I'd get it in a few more weeks, but at this point I'd rather secure an alternative on a known timeline.

 

What is the Diameter of the hole on the TRD pro plate...? Anyone have a measurement with some calipers?

 

Of the two rear holes in the TRD skidplate itself? I can grab those if so, they're unoccupied in my plate right now. They're the same size as required for the hardware of course, so to fit the M10 X 95 flange bolt.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/help-with-trd-pro-skid-plate-install.11350/#post-574484

 

https://www.talonsgarage.com/product-page/trd-nut-plate


Note: Do not use am impact on this. I made a longer post in my vendor thread here.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/welcome-to-talons-garage.113331/page-4

 

Great! Are there any tundras.com promos/discounts available?

 

Having gotten to test this out, I highly recommend it! I had to drop my cat shields twice recently, one for transmission fluid drain/refill and another for replacing a damaged bolt on the shields themselves, and this nut plate works great and makes all the work so much easier. Makes it a 10-minute job by one's self, good stuff. Also helped eliminate creaking of the TRD skidplate at that crossmember. Highly recommend.

 

Mine is being shipped from Talon as I write this.

 

And I got mine on Friday and the quality is great super simple design that I'm sure will work perfect like his plates, will report back after trans cooler install and plates are back up

 

Are you guys leaving the OEM wedges and crossmember bolt sleeves in place?

 

I didn't, never even had them installed in the first place!

 

Valhalla's retention bracket is a simple strip of mild steel with two nuts welded on. Not even painted, which guarantees rust in humid climate. But that probably does not matter much, because most of the paint on my Valhalla's cat shields has peeled after just one winter in Massachusetts. Yeah, it's all rusty now. Need to pull the shields and do the prep and paint job myself. RCI skid plate still has paint intact after 2 winters. My own fabrications use a good degrease, 2 layers or zinc primer, 2 layers of sturdy base paint and 2 layers of Raptor - they are not even scratched.

Anyways, what I wanted to say is that a cheap flux-core MIG welder is around $100 and you can easily do this bracket yourself, and many other projects as well. Learn to weld!

 

How generous! Let me send you my address for you to ship that welder right on over to, and some extra garage space!

 

You can weld two nuts to a strip of metal even in apartment (when the wifey's not looking) Welder is not strictly necessary, can stick weld it with a 12 v battery

 

You can build a cnc plasma table in an apartment too….

just saying!

 

No fire inspector can stop you if you really want to start a metal fabrication business

 

My transmission skid from RCI came with a 1” flatbar with two nut zerts almost like interior clips. You install the trd pro engine skid and keep the rear very loose (it hangs down about 1/2”) slide in the trans skid and then tightening up the bolts. Pretty slick. The RCI flatbar and nut combo were powder coated to prevent rust.

 

We just had the file Marshall come by our shop last week for a semi surprise inspection.

let’s say, I was sweating bullets, but we only had a few very minor infractions that were directed towards the building. He gave us 30 days to fix them and we are still in operation.


I think he liked our abundance of fire extinguishers and how we had everything as clean as possible!