Victory 4x4 front skid plate installed

[oxi]

@Victory 4x4 aluminum plate to protect lower front installed on TRD Sport 6MT.

Bugs were hitting lower front cross member indicating exposure, problem solved. FedEx arrived an hour ago and installed in that time.

Will also get better airflow underneath instead of bam, hitting the lower front cross-member and front diff/axle assy, etc...

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[Goriders]

So when you took the air dam off did you take the stock “skid plate” off as well?

wonder if it will help your fuel economy?

 

[oxi]

So when you took the air dam off did you take the stock “skid plate” off as well?

wonder if it will help your fuel economy?

This flimsy felt thing was the only protection under the engine area from factory.

Being aluminum might flow air underneath better but it weighs much more than the felt. Removing the felt and noticing all the bug hits on lower cross-member and front drive system was enough for me to warrant a skid plate for protection even for just the street.

 

[Gurvy522]

Appreciate these pics. The only pictures Victory had posted is with their unreleased front bumper, and I wanted to see how this plate looked with the OE lower bumper, given it's the only one on the market that I'm aware of that mounts to the front recovery points rather than the non-existent crossmember on the non-offroad models.

How do you feel about the appearance of the gap that exposes the intercooler? I think that is the only thing holding me back from ordering this specific skid, the OE option asthetically seems more pleasing as it contours to the ridges in the OE bumper - but would require an aftermarket crossmember (so far, only NYTOP seems to have one on the way) to mount fully.

 

[Miqie]

Many vehicles these days have a plastic 'skid' plate (really for air flow than skids). Would be nice if someone would make one for the Tacoma for those of us not doing off-roading. Get rid on the little felt one on there now with the little scoops. I don't need a $400 metal one. $100 plastic would work fine.

 

[Cabby30]

I'd assume the logo area is not much of an impact zone due to the location but it still makes me wary about how much material is missing there (not just on this skid but a lot of aftermarket ones)

I do like that it goes all the way up & mounts to the tow hook area.

 

[Goriders]

I'd assume the logo area is not much of an impact zone due to the location but it still makes me wary about how much material is missing there (not just on this skid but a lot of aftermarket ones)

I do like that it goes all the way up & mounts to the tow hook area.

Probably helps with air flow to the oil cooler I’m betting.

 

[oxi]

Appreciate these pics. The only pictures Victory had posted is with their unreleased front bumper, and I wanted to see how this plate looked with the OE lower bumper, given it's the only one on the market that I'm aware of that mounts to the front recovery points rather than the non-existent crossmember on the non-offroad models.

How do you feel about the appearance of the gap that exposes the intercooler? I think that is the only thing holding me back from ordering this specific skid, the OE option asthetically seems more pleasing as it contours to the ridges in the OE bumper - but would require an aftermarket crossmember (so far, only NYTOP seems to have one on the way) to mount fully.

The plastic lower lip up front will have to protect the lower cooling package. The main point for the extra armor is to protect underneath.

On my 2010 SR5 BOTT, I had a complete Bud Built system underneath at 3/8" steel while with the front bumper thinner sheet metal to protect from road debris on the highways but also off-roading.

Victory's skid plate is for protection underneath, their new bumper will complete the protection up front.

 

[oxi]

Many vehicles these days have a plastic 'skid' plate (really for air flow than skids). Would be nice if someone would make one for the Tacoma for those of us not doing off-roading. Get rid on the little felt one on there now with the little scoops. I don't need a $400 metal one. $100 plastic would work fine.

You'd be surprised how the plastic can break, especially dealing with brutal cold winters with ice and snow where I reside. But yeah, if all you want is plastic, it should work. Trust me little stones do fly around on highways and these trucks are bug magnets with the big grills.

 

[theKurt]

I'd assume the logo area is not much of an impact zone due to the location but it still makes me wary about how much material is missing there (not just on this skid but a lot of aftermarket ones)

I do like that it goes all the way up & mounts to the tow hook area.

I saw a review on YouTube where a guy had an old version of (I think) a CBI skid that was solid in the front. It was on a 3rd gen and he had a bunch of engine/trans heat issues. He ended up cutting holes in it to improve air flow and the problems went away. I guess those holes are necessary, but they do look like they’d be a weak spot (and not just Victory, as most skids have these cutouts)

 

[Miqie]

You'd be surprised how the plastic can break, especially dealing with brutal cold winters with ice and snow where I reside. But yeah, if all you want is plastic, it should work. Trust me little stones do fly around on highways and these trucks are bug magnets with the big grills.

I had a compact car, traded in for the Tacoma, that had a plastic shield down there. Had the car for 15 years with me changing the oil regularly. Never in all those years, did I notice any degradation in that plastic shield. Winter weather every year also. Give me one for the Sport. That's all I'm asking. $100 would be a fair price.

 

[LincolnSixAlpha]

It appears to me that there's an access panel in that Victory plate for changing the oil filter, can you drain the engine oil without removing the whole plate?

 

[Jakedawgy]

@Victory 4x4 aluminum plate to protect lower front installed on TRD Sport 6MT.

Bugs were hitting lower front cross member indicating exposure, problem solved. FedEx arrived an hour ago and installed in that time.

Will also get better airflow underneath instead of bam, hitting the lower front cross-member and front diff/axle assy, etc...

That's a very nice skid plate (and truck too)! I am hoping it can solve the issues I'm having.

I have a 2024 Sport Premium which not only doesn't have the cross member for mounting skid plates but also has that ugly chin spoiler which is so low, it rubs on curbs in parking lots... I removed it but now I'm dealing with an awful wind howling noise as a result. Not sure what the air is hitting down there to make it howl like this. I'm hoping that installing a skid plate would take care of that and offer much needed protection. I was glad to see that the Victory 4x4 skid plate uses the existing recovery hooks mounting points. Now before I drop money on it I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this noise and if the skid plate takes care of it?

 

[d4v]

That's a very nice skid plate (and truck too)! I am hoping it can solve the issues I'm having.

I have a 2024 Sport Premium which not only doesn't have the cross member for mounting skid plates but also has that ugly chin spoiler which is so low, it rubs on curbs in parking lots... I removed it but now I'm dealing with an awful wind howling noise as a result. Not sure what the air is hitting down there to make it howl like this. I'm hoping that installing a skid plate would take care of that and offer much needed protection. I was glad to see that the Victory 4x4 skid plate uses the existing recovery hooks mounting points. Now before I drop money on it I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this noise and if the skid plate takes care of it?

I've experienced the same here and wondering about the skid plate as well. That chin is just massive, seems like an afterthought.

 

[bresna]

That's a very nice skid plate (and truck too)! I am hoping it can solve the issues I'm having.

I have a 2024 Sport Premium which not only doesn't have the cross member for mounting skid plates but also has that ugly chin spoiler which is so low, it rubs on curbs in parking lots... I removed it but now I'm dealing with an awful wind howling noise as a result. Not sure what the air is hitting down there to make it howl like this. I'm hoping that installing a skid plate would take care of that and offer much needed protection. I was glad to see that the Victory 4x4 skid plate uses the existing recovery hooks mounting points. Now before I drop money on it I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this noise and if the skid plate takes care of it?

When you take off the chin spoiler, it exposes the TRD Sport skid plate which has a lip on each side that are normally blocked by the chin spoiler. I could easily see those edges catching air and making some noise. It's why I haven't pulled my chin spoiler. I want to try seeing if a TRD Offroad plastic skid plate, which bends up at the front, will work.

You can see the lips on the right & left side of the skid plate in this picture:

You also want to make sure that you put the chin spoiler's mounting bolts back in to prevent the felt wheel well liner from catching air. I would even look at moving the felt wheel well liner to the inner side of the front bumper and add a buckle washer/nut to keep it in place.

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