skid plate tips

FYI. when you change your oil the skid plate reinstall is designed to frustrate the average diyer,
i use a 5 gallon bucket to hold the plate up while your putting the screws in, instead of the goofy
balancing act that toyota thinks is ok. 4x4 offroad,may not work for standard heights.

 

Angle grinder a door for the oil filter if you don't want to spend money on an aftermarket one.

They do it so you take it to the dealer for oil changes lol

 

Or just use your man-hands and follow my buddy Arnold's advice...


Just heckling a little.. sort of. We understand your frustrations. haha. But once you do it for the sixth or eleventy-seventh time you will get the hang of it.

Or resort to other tactics like the spinning wheel of death mentioned by @MadMaxCanon , pretending you have Tourette syndrome so you neighbors ignore all the cussing, or maybe just crying on the shoulder of your good friend Jack Daniels and assuming the fetal position on the garage floor. Personally, I don't drink so I can't tell you how well the latter works, but the former options... well... my neighbors still like me, but for some reason give me an extra large bubble whenever we are in the same vicinity..

 

I modified mine like shown. Cut two slots and only loosen those two bolts (do not remove). Plate is held in place to remove the rest of the bolts. When replacing, slide plate into position and replace the rest of the bolts. Tighten these two last. Works like a charm!

 

RCI skid for the win. Before I had it, it wasn't hard to push it up there and zip the bolts on with my M12 ratchet.

Toyota has been doing this forever. On my T100 with the 5VZ, you either need to pull the skid plate to make less of a mess, or since the thing leaks oil already stuff rags under the filter and pull it from the top (which is what I do).

 

Just get one of the knock off TRD skid plates from Ebay. A bit of pain to get it installed, but then it never has to come off again.

 

+1 RCI Skid

 

Rci ftw

 

This is what I did. For anyone thinking about doing this use SS self tappers on door hinges and latch.

 

easier and cheaper just to cut a door and put on hinges and a latch. plenty of ideas out there from simple to extravagant

 

I say this to my dogs in Arnold's voice at least once a day..

To the OP, I just got a TRD skid plate..


But I do like your suggestion.
I used 5-gallon buckets to hold up my cat shields when I installed them.

 

RCI. TRD PRO is squeaky.

 

I've got huge rubber washers between the frame, cat shield, and then skid plate.

 

Yes. Was thinking the same: do the rubber O-rings to stop wife's TRD PRO Sequoia squeaking. My Tundra's steel RCI skid is silent.

 

RCI for me too.

 

Installed my RCI plate over the holiday break. Looking forward to my next oil change with that access door. Still on the fence about a Fumoto valve however for even easier oil changes.

 

I also have the Fumoto valve with the RCI skid plate. It may be a little slower. But I’m usually doing something else while it’s draining. It’s up and out of the way too. I thought I had a pic of oil draining, but can’t find it.

 

Best thing I ever did on this truck….

 

I found it.

 

Just not having to deal with the initial surge of oil getting all over the passenger tire was enough of a push for me. I wasn't going to do it in this truck because the oil gets changed only once or twice a year, but after two messes I ended up doing it. Stick a piece of tube on it and drain it into jugs, no more pouring oil out of pans.

 

SAME HERE! My fumoto valve has been installed for the last 7 years or so, without issue. I put them on all my vehicles now. My tundra has CBI skids, my sequoia has RCI. I like the CBI skids better and feel like they have better coverage, but they only come in steel and are HEAVY. But the aluminum RCI skids are sufficient.

 

Installed the Fumoto valve on first oil change. Only issue is if you drain into a 5 qt jug you have to switch jugs at some point. I just hang out under truck and work on pulling the filter.

 

Not with the radio on.

 

This is the biggest pro for me. As a DIY, today it goes into my catch pan, and then I put it back into the 5qt/gallon jugs. That process sucks. Going straight to the jugs would be awesome. My hangup I suppose is that what if the Fumoto doesn't close/seal all the way? What if it leaks? It's probably my ignorance likely having never used them in all of these years of DIY on my vehicles but those are my concerns. That said, I also have full RCI skid plates, so the likelihood of it getting bumped off road is probably diminished as well. Perhaps next oil change.

 

I have the Talon Garage skid plate.. heavy but worth it . Also using Fumoto valve..

 

The lever latches into a notch on the valve. Unlocking it takes firm pressure against a spring. As far as leaks, haven't had one yet. In addition to my Tundra, my Subaru and my mom's Subaru have Fumoto valves installed. Mine is coming up on 85k miles, no leaks. My mom's has 60k on it, also no leaks. You might get a few drops of used oil after a change, but that's just residual.

 

18 bajillion people have used the Fumoto, Stahlbus, Valvomax, EZ oilchange... Virtually all of them without any issue whatsoever. With RCI plates, it is almost impossible to damage.

 

Fine fine fine, so much and not a lot of money either. I guess I'll just order one and have it ready for the next oil change.

Now, last I looked a few months ago, there's a few different Fumoto PN's that fit our trucks. I can't recall the differences, but is there one preferred by the community over others?

 

I have the F103SX..
People have use the F133S. With the short nipple that way they can hook up a hose and direct flow into a container.
I just let mine drain straight into a catch bucket. Works for me.. the F103SX is swivel.. you can angle it where you want before torque it tight..