Aftermarket Skid Plate Noise (FIXED)

I found a few threads on this, but figured I'd make an official "Guide"

If you’ve installed the TRD engine skid plate, RCI skid plates, or any aftermarket skid plate, and you've noticed a new popping/squeaking/creaking noise (usually while off-roading, speed bumps, or any other driving that makes your front suspension flex) it's likely metal on metal contact coming from where the skid plate(s) attach to the subframe or stack on one another if you have multiple skid plates.

Like all the other threads have stated, rubber washers are the fix, however I wanted to share a few pointers from mistakes I've learned on my own.

My first mistake was using only 1/8" thick washers. From my experience they were simply too thin and only lasted a couple months before friction got the best of them and they were completely chewed up through normal driving. This time I used 1/4” thick rubber washers.

My second mistake was overtightening the skid plate bolts. This compressed the rubber washers even more and accelerated their destruction. After recently installing 1/4” thick rubber washers, I only tightened the bolts ‘til the washer started to bulge. "Hand tight" if you will. Also, if you're running RCI skids, you should have a split ring lock washers on the joining bolts anyway, so once that's compressed you should be good.

General Advice/Tips:

Loosen all of the bolts to begin with and leave them loose! This will give you maximum manipulation at the attachment points in order to get the rubber washer in place.

Again, DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN!

If you have RCI's engine skid paired with their transmission skid AND you have differential drop aka "diff drop" as I do, this will pose an issue with the 1/4" thick washers. Let me explain. There are 3 bolts on the rear-most part of the engine skid plate. These are used to marry the rear of the engine skid, with the front of the transmission skid. The two "outside" bolts sit next to the 2 mounts for the front differential. If you use the 1/4” washer on these bolts, it makes it so the edges of the transmission skid is touching the bottom of the front differential mounts. Now, for normal road driving you may be fine, but if you took a hard hit off road, the edge of that skid plate is transferring energy to that differential mount. Personally, I didn't want to take that chance so I decided to use the thinner 1/8" thick washers on these 2 bolts. See my pics for reference.

Now you could remove the diff drop all together and it would be a non-issue, but I wanted to keep mine.

Tools Needed (For RCI skid plate users)

3/8 socket wrench
3/8 extension
9/16 ratcheting box wrench (you can get by with a 1/4" drive socket wrench but the ratcheting wrench makes things so much easier)
9/16" socket
1/2" socket
Flat head screw driver (helps get the washers into position)


Conclusion:

Hopefully the 1/4” thick rubber washers fix the problem for good. It is possible the 1/4” washers tear like the 1/8" washers, but perhaps they will last much longer. It may be worth looking into a "high density" rubber washer if the 1/4” washers fail later on.


That's pretty much it...it's an easy fix for an annoying problem.

Feel free to chime in with anything else important or if I missed something

Cheers!

$14 20 Pcs 1 1/2 OD x 3/8 ID x 1/4" Thickness Rubber Spacer Flat Rubber Bushings Neoprene Washers for Screws Bolts Faucet Household Appliances

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0B82PD42K?ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title



**** 1/4 not 1/2 ****

 

Hmm, I may need to do this as I recently installed the RCI skids. I mostly notice a noise when I'm backing into the driveway, when the front tires go over the little valley between the road and driveway.

 

The RCI skids I installed about 9 months ago do rattle a bit now. Will be attempting some solution like this soon.