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

Take that you thief

 

I'll remember that. I like the content and discussion on this site much more!

I use Tapatalk to monitor several forums and that's where I found those other sites years ago. I kinda wish this forum could be brought up on Tapatalk as it is much easier to use on a mobile device than a browser and its easy for forum admins to implement. (I used to be a forum admin for several other car-related forums) and set them all up to use it.

 

A quick question for those of you with the RCI skid. Mine arrives today and of course I am extremely impatient to get it on. Although with the pending snow storm tomorrow that will be a few days. But after all dries out should I wait until I get my CAT shields from Tyler to install it or does it really matter as far as ease of installation? I also purchase the nut plate to make install smoother.

 

You can install the RCI now and still put the cat plates on after. I pulled my RCI off when I did mine because I drilled 2 holes in the RCI and forward cat plate for extra bolts. So I have the 2 slots on the cat plate that slide under the forward skid bolts as well as the 2 that I drilled through both plates.

 

Awesome!! I think I know what I will be doing tonight. Although the wife might not be happy that her car will be sitting outside while I am working in the semi-warm garage.

 

Did you ever sell them?
In in the North east and would be interested if you still have them.

 

This was very helpful to me, thank you..
I'm buying and trying to figure out which bolts I want.
Pretty sure I can live with the stock bolts on the TRD Pro skid plate if makes installation that much easier..

Although what exactly is the skid nut plate?
I guess I won't need it if I'm just going to loosen those bolts.

 

@Classy63 - any update on order R546451526?

 

My understanding is that it is difficult to get your hands/wrench above the RCI skid plate once the front cat plate is installed in order to place a wrench on the nuts for the RCI skid plate. This makes it difficult to tighten the bolts on the rear of the RCI/front of cat plate. Therefore, Tyler made a welded nut plate that replaces the RCI top nuts. Since it is a plate with welded nuts, there is no need to get your wrench and hands up there to tighten the bolts. Not required, but makes installation with RCI (or TRD) skid plate easier.

 

It's not that hard to get to the nuts for the RCI.....of course I was an aviation and jet engine mechanic for 24 years.

 

That makes sense..
It was a PITA to gets those wedge nuts in place and still when I installed the TRD Pro plate.
I sent Tyler a PM asking a few questions..

I'm kicking myself in the ass about not ordering his stuff when my cats first got stolen back in mid-November.
Chances are I'd already have the plates, the truck is still in the shop waiting for parts.

 

Good news, I was told the aluminum order is getting delivered tonight! I am going to sift through it and send what needs to go to powder coat and then start shipping the bare. I want this all to move very quickly. I will probably be packing plates all weekend

side note, a custom color came through

 

That’s great news! It’s gotten to the point here where I could see my own house in the background of a news report about someone else’s cats getting stolen.

My paranoia level is off the charts, lol.

 

Just ordered a set of the bare aluminum. Don't need to wake up one day, start the truck and hear that awful sound...

 

I just ordered as well.
Thank you Tyler for the PM communication.
Thanks to everyone else that posted on the thread.
I put it off due to the issues some had with the difficulty of the TRD Pro skid plate.

Come to find out with my 2WD and the TRD Pro nut plate, installation shouldn't be any harder than the initial install of the skid plate itself.
Still kicking myself for not ordering this in November..

 

Nice! Now I wish I'd paid for a colored set LOL - but still they'll look fantastic on the truck anyways.

 

Nut plate makes it quite easy. Don’t do as I did and drop the pro skid plate to remove the retainer/starlock washers on the rear bolts. One method I heard was: loosen the rear bolts, pull down on the rear bolts to push the retainer washers up, then push the the bolts back up and reach around with small need nose pliers to grab the now pushed-up retainer washers. Hope that makes sense and would be the hardest part of the job

 

I see, I think, so that washer prevents the bolts from coming out..
I need to hold the washer still to unscrew and lower the bolt?

It's been years since I installed the plate.

I just print your info out so I wouldn't forget it..
Thank you..

 

Exactly. Once those bolts can come out you’re home free

 

I can still do it

 

Glad I found this thread. Some lowlife trash stole all four of my cats last week. I was parked in my office parking garage in Houston. These thieves are just garbage creatures in the shape of humans who deserve to be shot on sight whenever found.
I was lucky in that Geico had mine replaced in two days although of course it’s not an OEM replacement and I’m out my $500 deductible. And now I have to spend more money to prevent it from happening again.

theft is completely out of control in this country and not getting better. And in places like Houston the police aren’t able to investigate these thefts Bc there are so many and the DA will treat them as a slap on the wrist misdemeanor anyway.

 

How much to do so?

 

Can you match the TRD Pro Skid plate's off-white color?

 

Send me a message

 

I haven’t tried

 

Is this correct still, or did the 1/2" get changed to 3/8"? I have 4 3/8x4 bolts. If this is correct I need to order 2 of the smaller Barnes washers since now I have 2 that are way too big.

 

Did you have the TRD nut plate?

 

I do, that makes sense then. I just ordered the 2 other Barnes washers. I'll just put those one whenever they come in.

 

FYI, the bolts are no longer 5/8, they are 1/2 now. Also, you can easily drill out the frame to accommodate 1/2” bolts at the rear of the front cat plate if you want

 

Better late than never!