Valhalla’s Shield theft deterrent/skid plates info and ordering post

Also, easy to install the steel brackets and swap them when the correct ones show up. Solves the protection issue as thieves don’t care if they are steel or aluminum.

 

I’m just hoping mine ships out early this week so I can get them installed before I have to park in a dangerous area for cats...

I mean, you “added them to this batch” a month ago, let’s go already!!

 

Off the top of my head, I think this batch covers until November 21st once I get it all

 

^^^ This! Get your cats protected now with the steel brackets. Tyler will take care of it and just swap them out when they arrive. That’s what I did and installed midsized brackets. Took weeks, but Tyler sent me the correct ones and was an easy swap.

 

Just chatted with Tyler. That is what I will be doing in the interim of waiting for the powdercoated aluminum ones to get to me.

 

So glad I jumped on this early on. I have to say Tyler was very customer oriented. I’m glad his one manned operation is doing well. It’s great for him being a small business. I bought and paid for a new range for the kitchen in August. My scheduled delivery date from Best Buy is mid January. So……..

 

Plates arrived!

 

So what is the wait time now for a set?

 

I wonder if a skid would work as a theft deterant from gas thieves. Just saw on the local news they're drilling fuel tanks now. No surprise with gas prices at $4-$5 per gallon

 

I wouldn’t think so. You can drill through steel with the right drill and bit.

 

I still say about a month

Wow… if this becomes a reality, I will make a skid plate for the gas tank.

 

@Classy63 does your front skid plate cover the transmission also?

 

The front cat plate does cover the transmission

 

great thanks.

 

Does anyone have a pic of all the plates installed? I am a visual person and want to see the exact coverage underneath the truck.

thanks
-Edsel

 

This is the full set including the engine skid plate. Full install write-up and a lot more pictures in the attachment in my build thread.

 

the front skid plate doesn't connect to the front cat plate correct?

 

I bought and installed the RCI gas tank skid. Easy install. I had to replace the straps because I didn't have the off road OEM tank guard.

 

Got my plates! Dude the thicker aluminum is nice! Also, I have the AMP auto steps… has anyone figured out the workaround for this? I also notice the 1” square tubing spacer? Any instructions for the lifted 6-8” plates? Thanks for the help folks.

 

I installed with amp steps as well. No work around needed. Just takes a little more time.

 

Can anyone with an RCI skid and Valhalla plates tell me what they ended up doing for hardware?

I was under the impression that the 1/2x4” were for the front cat plate/RCI skid location. Only problem was the RCI skid through hole was only big enough to accept 3/8” and I didn’t want to drill them out bigger. I ended up reusing the original RCI skid 4” carriage bolts for the front cat plate and the 3/8x4” security bolts for the middle. I anticipate changing the carriage bolts since it was a nightmare to try to tighten the nuts from the top.

Tyler, is the TRD skid nut plate fab’d with 1/2” nuts?

 

Thank you. May have to pass as they look like the mounting will interfere with my rock sliders that I already have mounted

 

Can I ask you how you even got to the nuts on top? I bought the new nut plate he made for the TRD skids so I'll be able to bolt from underneath, but I'm just curious how you actually did it. Today I took my RCI trans skid off in preparation, I don't see how there is any way to reach those nuts on top of the crossmember with his cat plate in place. It was enough of a pain loosening those up with the trans skid which gave openings along the side.

Edit: Hmmm, I thought the ones he gave were all 3/8", I didn't realize any of them are 1/2". The new nut plate says 3/8"

https://valhallasshields.com/shop/ols/products/trd-pro-skid-plate-nut-plate

 

A couple of 3/8” drive U joints, a 24” extension and way too much patience. It sucked. It took 25 minutes to get the plates on with bolts hand tightened. I spent nearly two hours trying to get those front nuts tightened and I’m still not thrilled with how tight they are. I worked the extension, u joints and socket in from the passenger side before the crossmember and viewed what I was doing from the drivers side mostly.

I plan to switch them out as soon as my nut plate arrives but I’m hoping I can get Tyler to fab it up with 3/8-16 nuts and send me a couple more 3/8x4 security bolts. Don’t want to drill out my RCI engine skid unless I have to.

 

Well… I might have played the fool today then. That must mean the 1/2”x4” bolts are for the middle. I almost did it that way anyway but the 1/2”x4” bolts are not security bolts and I didn’t want the normal bolts in the middle of the operation. Ooh well, at least I don’t have to ask for a custom fab job haha.

@Classy63 can you add a few more 3/8x4” security bolts to my order and ship them with the nut plate, if they’re available? Order#R025010968

 

The engine skid plate is 3 pieces to allow for easy installation and removal. The rear piece of the engine skid uses the same bolts as the front mounting of the front cat plate. The front cat plate notches slide between the rear engine skid and the truck. Since the rear engine skid is basically a small mounting/skid plate, this makes it really easy to tighten the rear engine/front cat plate bolts, unlike in the case of TRD or RCI engine skids.

 

Super cool that Tyler designed these as a system. Stealing the cats wasn’t a huge thing when I got my RCI plate. It is challenging to get those front cat plates tight with the RCI.

 

Wohoo tracking info, and delivery Wednesday/Thursday, amped. I don’t know why I dragged my feet on ordering bolt protectors while I waited lol but are these the correct ones needed, and how many for a trd pro plate with front and rear cat plates:
https://www.barnes4wd.com/38-to-716-Bolt-Head-Protector_p_1308.html

 

I used the 1/2" - 9/16" and everything worked out for me.