Thoughts on RCI skid and sliders?

Looking into getting some sliders and skid plates.. RCI is having a great sale right now. Any thoughts on RCI?

 

I've beat the piss out of mine. They are solid. I have sliders and skids. Go steel if you are going to actually use them. Aluminium if they are just there for "oops"

 

Thanks for the reply dude. Did you install them yourself? Wondering if the sliders are easy to install.

 

Also, I saw your build.. Nice build

How much did the exhaust re route cost you.. And any muffler shop can do it or is there a specialty shop for that

 

I've absolutely beat the heck out of my engine skid when on stock suspension. Added trans skid later and sliders more recently. Can't go wrong with RCI

Took it off here to clean up as i needed to replace the oil door after bending it


20 degree sliders

 

RCI

 

If you are in Colorado, I recommend the shop I went to. He did a fantastic job. There is a thread around here somewhere of others and some are functional, but not great.

 

Yes, do it!

 

I haven't been able to put them through any paces yet, but the RCI skid set that I have in my garage waiting to get installed onto my 2008 T4R look to be solid as hell.

The install points need a little love, several of the bolts for the factory plate were rusted in (bought the rig used in 2021 with 200k miles, and it spent its first 6 winters in the northeast according to Carfax) and snapped off when I pulled the OEM plate off the engine so those stubs need to be drilled out and the threads either "chased" clean or the nuts replaced with nutserts, and the forward mount points need to be re-fabricated pretty much entirely and every time I think I'm ready to spend a day rolling around on the concrete driveway my (damn near) 50 year old back laughs and says "the fuck you are"...

 

Installing the front skid by yourself is possible. I do it by wearing hard kneepads like flooring installers use. Then balance the skid on the kneepads to maneuver so front 2 bolts can be partly installed then the next two back ... at that point it should stay on easily enough. The RCI transmission skid is a flat 40 lb (steel, aluminum is 20 lbs I think) which I needs two people or jackstands (I screwed some 2x4 seectints into a holding box) to have it high and steady to slide in.

But my steel engine skid already took a big scrape that surely would have damaged something.

Get the catalytic converter guards with the transmission plate.

 

would you guys recommend the sliders with top plate? or without. i like how it looks without but not sure if there isa benefit.

 

RCI. No question. Solid products and great customer service.

I've got engine, transmission, transfer and cat skid plates as well as sliders from RCI. Install is not hard. I would stay away from the aluminum and go with the steel. Extra weight, but it's going to take a beating.

 

ya i am going all steel

but for the sliders, do you recommend the top plates? would like to save 175 plus tax if i could lol

 

How much of an improvement do you get over the TRD skid plate?

 

TRD is aluminum, my RCI engine skid is steel. Steel is stronger and some may find it easier to re-weld if it takes a hit and needs a seam rewelded. Aluminum can be re-welded but requires more specialized methods.

 

Top plate not necessary. Just a personal preference.

 

Some say the top plate traps mud and debris. Some say it helps as a step, even if a very narrow step. As stated, personal preference because nothing can be proven scientifically.

 

Re top plate mostly personal preference but if going 5 degree sliders the top plate does act as more of a step and if you have dogs or little kids can help prevent legs slipping been bars when getting in and out. I went top plates on 20 degree to help with a bit more of a step for access to the roof rack and top of the GFC. From what I've seen on others there is a little benefit keeping mud/rocks from getting flung up into my rockers/doors. Also we have a couple little dogs and I don't want to deal with the aftermath of having one of them break a leg getting in/out of the cab.

 

Ya I don’t have kids or a dog that will b getting in my car. I just wish I could see them in person to see if without the top plate if I could still use as a step lol. I’m not on the tall side so my running boards do help to get in right now. But I want to go with the 20 degree with no top plate. It looks better IMO

 

Pick your region, post a request to see them in person. Some will not even need a six-pack as payment for seeing them: https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/regions.36/