Cutting hole in Skid Plate

Ditto.

 

My experience with changing the oil and filter on my back in the driveway is that is is not too difficult to remove the skid plate, but can be challenging to get the bolts started during installation with limited space and no way to see the threaded holes.

 

You hook the front in, then start a bolt in a socket with an extension attached in the rear. Then you start the other rear bolt before starting the fronts. I use hand tools, so i only used half an ugga. Wrist tight.

the skidrow stuff isnt worth pulling every 5k, but i bet i pull it off once a year or so.

 

For the first screw, you can also see the screw and the hole if you look at the plate from the side at the rear. Just insert and hold the screw in hole in the plate as you lift it up. Makes it much easier to line the screw up. Once that one is in, everything else is cake.

 

I just hook myself in the front, hold up the ass end with one hand while I feel for the hole in the darkness to insert my screw.

 

I recall reading something very similar in Dr. Ruth's Romance for Dummies

 

I agree it makes sense to take the skid plate off. My problem has been broken bolts. I'm terrible at broken bolt extraction. When I sold my Tacoma, it was hanging on by two bolts. First time I did an oil change on the Tundra, one was already broken and I broke another. So I'm just frustrated with the skid plate and would rather not deal with it.

I'm off road all the time and leaving it off isn't an option.

If I could get back to baseline, with 5 new bolts and all the broken bolts cleared out, I think I'd be happy to take it off each oil change. My Tundra has the added complexity of the rubber side wings. I was going to get rid of them since they're pretty stripped out too, but I really like the extra splash guard, especially in the winter.

Every time I change my oil I think "damn, some day I need to just fix all these stripped and broken bolts and holes, and this would be so much less frustrating". Then I forget about it until my next oil change...

 

Cover the bolt threads in used oil. It's worked for me over the last 23 years. Bolts are still original.

 

There are a few pics in this old post for reference. Be careful or you will end up with 2 holes....

https://www.tundras.com/threads/skid-plate-conundrum-enjoy-and-be-kind.43908/

 

Fix your skid bolts, drill and extract. Chase the threads and install new bolts. The skid stuff is 101, remove , work, replace. These are high enough to not even need a jack. Spray some lube if stuck or not turning. If 5 minutes is that valuable, perhaps you may need to farm this out. I’ve f-ed up my share of fasteners, correcting screw ups is what it’s all about. Also I don’t have much of a life outside of working on my junk. As far as thread chaser are concerned, buy a kit or individually, only 3-4 metric sizes for most threads on your Toyotas. Oem filter and Napa(valvoline) oil, be like $35 otd. Cheaper than jiffy and you know you can prevent a fuck up. Bring old oil to whatever auto store easiest for ya.

 

Would love to see some actual test data showing 1+ mpg better with skid plate on. I run with mine off (installed a front hitch), and have never noticed any appreciable mpg difference. I could reinstall it, but would mod to get to il filter and to fit around hitch.

 

I just changed my oil a couple of days ago, skid plate off and back on, easy peasy.

 

My 2000 has the fiberglass skid plate. I remove it every oil change. 8 bolts but easy job. Only issue was PO must. Have used an impact and screwed up the M-8 x1.25 threads but a thread chaser and new bolts fixed that.