TRD Pro Skid Plate for Non-KDSS and an overview of modifying the skid plate
When it comes to protecting the undercarriage of your 4Runner, the TRD skid plate is a good option. Whether the plate came stock on your TRD Pro, or you are looking to mount one on your SR5 or Off-Road, this is a good addition to the 4Runner. Made from powder-coated aluminum, the skid helps protect your vehicle from general trail damage.
Part Number & Ordering:
- TRD Pro Skid: Check Today’s Price
If you have KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System) equipped, you may want to think twice about purchasing the TRD skid. There is a big difference between mounting this skid on an SR5 and mounting one that needs to be modified for KDSS.
If you have KDSS, you will need special modifications to allow correct fitment. With that being said, if you are looking for a skid plate that is KDSS compatible, and you are uncomfortable with making modifications, this may not be the best option for you.
Trail & TRD Off-Road are equipped with KDSS and the SR5/ Limited is not
Stock Skid Plate (SR5)
If you are one of the rare breeds of 4Runner owners with the Trail or the Off-Road, odds are you have KDSS in which you will need special modifications in order to mount a TRD skid.
If on the other hand, you have an SR5, you will not need modifications. For the SR5, pop a couple bolts, pop off a few brackets and you are good to go. Installing this skid on an SR5 is easy.
TRD Off-Road is equipped with KDSS and the TRD Pro is not (2017+)
The skid plate mounted above is on a 2017 Cement TRD Pro without KDSS. Note the difference between the newer 4Runners.
The TRD Off-Road is equipped with KDSS and does not come with the TRD Pro skid.
The TRD Pro does not come with KDSS and is equipped with the skid.
Modified TRD Pro Skid for KDSS
Because the KDSS stabilizer bars cross directly through the TRD skid, you need to cut both sides with a sawzall or grinder in order for the KDSS bars to pass through.
There is no “set” template for cutting so this is much more of an eye for cutting out a section that will work for your KDSS. As you can see from the photos above, customizing your skid is a little different for everyone. Some follow a certain guide but there really is no guide or “right” way to cut.
You can see in the images above that you can modify the plate however you would like. You can cut straight down and straight across or you can cut a U shape into the plate to have the bars pass through. I like the look of the straight down and straight across.
UPDATE: After a few months of hitting trails with our plate mounted, we noticed some rubbing on the plate from the KDSS stabilizer bar. Nothing major, but we cut it all the way down to prevent this from happening any longer.
Other Skid Plate Options
You don’t have to settle for the TRD Pro, but it is one of the cheapest and best-looking skids out there. But, is it the most durable? With many other well-established manufacturers of skids, it might be hard to pick out the right one
Aluminum or Steel?
With skids, you have the option of aluminum or steel. Aluminum has a tendency to slide easier across rocks and terrain as well as being more light. While aluminum is light, steel is heavy duty and will provide better protection for your undercarriage.
If you don’t plan on wheeling that often, you may want to grab an aluminum skid plate as they won’t bog you down as much and they have fewer issues with rust. Either way, skids get destroyed over time, so the choice is yours but aluminum seems to be the popular choice among daily drivers and occasional wheelers like most of us.
Top Brands for Skid Plates & Full Skids
- TRD Pro
- RCI Metal Works
- ARB
- Shrockworks
- Procomp
- Smittybilt
- C4 Fabrication
- Budbuilt
- CBI Off-Road
These are going to be the most well-known and well-trusted name brands on the market. There are a few others, and if we are missing any, please let us know. But, for the most part, you get the point. When it comes to skids, it really comes down to how much and how hard you are going to wheel.
If you are an occasional wheeler (80% road/ 20% off-road), then a TRD skid might work for you. They serve the purpose of most off-road use while being affordable.
Other aftermarket skids that range from $500-$2000+ (higher range being full-length protection) for a set are for serious off-road/overland addicts. If you spend every weekend exploring off-road, then a more robust setup may be for you. The aftermarket steel skid plates from companies like CBI, RCI, and ARB offer superior performance off-road and are built to take a serious pounding.
The TRD PRO Look
The TRD Pro skid has to be one of the most affordable armor mods for us. We just bought one for under $300 so just about anyone who can pay 35-40K for a 4Runner can spend another $300 for a skid plate.
We will be installing the TRD skid soon, so stay tuned and check back to see what happens when we attempt to cut apart the skid to accommodate KDSS.
I own a 2015 Trail Premium. What would I need to instal the TRD skid plate?
Does anyone know if the Tacoma’s TRD skid plate will fit the Tacoma? The Tacoma skid plate seems to have a better cut for the 4Runners with KDSS.
Sounds like the TRD skid will fit the TRD ORP (’18) if it does not have the KDSS without any trimming? Just want to be sure.
Thanks!
…is there a TRD skid plate with a factory access hole for oil changes? Just got truck serviced and tech says the bolts are “rough coming out and going back in”. Doesn’t Toyota make a skid plate that has a factory hole??
They do but not for the 4Runner. If they are having a hard time installing the bolts you might want to run a M10x1.25 tap thru all the holes. Also I find using anti seize helps but reduce your torque by 15%.
You all used a product to color roof rack rails black called Plasti-Dip. Would that product work on the Skid Plate or would the heat from the engine adversely affect the product. I was thinking about adding the skid plate but wanted to paint it black since it only seems to come in white color.
I Plasti-Dipped my roof rails and I live in Miami, FL. No defect to the look and feel of the finish after 1 summer.
Great information but wondering if anyone has fit the TRD or other skid plate with a differential drop? I am lifting my 2016 with KDSS 2.5″ and adding a 1″ differential drop to mitigate the change in the CV angle. Once I complete the suspension mods I will have a better idea of how that might impact a skid plate but was wondering if anyone else had encountered this already. Cheers
Great article – great site. Thanks for all the amazing information here!
I’ve got a question on the TRD install and wondered if you or anyone else ran into this problem.
I installed a TRD Skid Plate (PT938-00140/PTR60-89190) this past weekend on my ’18 SR5 4WD (obviously non-KDSS).
The plate comes with 1″ bolts for the rear of the plate which bolt into the member braces. I absolutely could not get those to fit – they were too long. I re-used the 1/2″ bolts that came out of the member braces.
Anyone else have this issue with this install or know if it will cause issues?
It is most likely debris in the threads. Run a tap through to clean them out.
I just wanted to jump in here real quick and give some additional feedback. I installed this plate on my 2019 Off Road with KDSS. When I got the plate I trimmed the whole side wall down to about 1/2″.
Ran with that for about 5000 miles, and just recently started to notice that the clamp around the KDSS Stabilizer joint rubber boot was starting to come off. Turns out that even the 1/2″ remaining on the skid plate can cause a little bit of rub on the KDSS stabilizer. I would highly recommend complete cut off of the sidewalls for all of you fellow KDSS people!
I agree. We need to update the post in detail with a new cut.
A little hint when installing, You’ll need to re-use the spacers for the back two holes (the front two spacers come with the skid plate. Also, start the back two bolts first. It’ll make it easier. I’ve had mine on and off a couple of times.
Using the tap to clean out the rear two holes before installation will resolve any installation issues. I installed my skid plate today on 2018 SR5 and had decent amount of gunk on all four holes.
The RCI looks like a plug-n-play option for the KDSS equipped Trail (2015). A little boxy, but I’m not tooled up for cutting. What could possibly go wrong, right?
Q: Is it easier to install a skid plate after having a lift kit installed; or does it not matter?
Will TRD PRO be customizing skid plates for 4 Runner with KDSS.or is someone else is making them.
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About a month away from driving our 2018 SR5 home from Colorado and keep “discovering” awesome things the salesman told us about but we are now actually using!! Moved from a 2005 VW Golf TDI, 2005 Jeep trail rated diesel and 2013 Eco Chevy Cruz-traded them all for this Big Blue Bear! I am sure the hubs can write something for you as he is a Master Tech and former NAPA tech of the year! He writes for automotive technical journals, formerly wrote curriculum for our state college automotive tech programs.
Looking forward to driving this SR5 on the interstates and getting on some dirt roads!
Wow, how cool and congrats on the new 4Runner. Yeah, absolutely, we are always looking for new content!
I really like the look of the TRD pro skid, is there another one that is already modified for KDSS that looks similar?
I have the same question, and hope there is someone who can supply an answer. Love the look of the TRD front skid, but not sure I want to attempt the modifications to put it on my TRD Off Road Premium with KDSS.
TRD skid on 2018 SR5 was a super easy install, I am OK mechanically, don’t go much deeper than changing light bulbs and simply stiff on my cars, definitely don’t change my own oil and I was able to do the install in about 30-mins.
Curious, does the TRD Skid Plate model on Amazon you listed “Genuine Toyota (PT938-00140) Skid Plate, Front” fit the 2018 TRD Off Road model (besides having to make the necessary adjustments to the fit the KDSS)? On Amazon when I select my 4Runner year it says it does not fit. Just wanted to confirm before ordering.
It will only fit if you make cuts. Other than the cuts, it bolts right into place. You also need to remove the support brace. Check out this post for a better overview of the install.
Bought a TRD skid plate for my 2016 KDSS equipped Trail Edition. Will be cutting it to make it fit. Your post on how to install/mod the skid plate says to remove and discard the two support members. Is that a good idea since they seem to have a structural mandate with regards to supporting the radiator? Thank you
We took ours off, according to Toyota it’s probably not recommended but Id rather have a skid plate than those two pieces.
You mentioned that people have mounted the TRD plate to 10-13′ SR5’s, do you know if mods were needed to make that happen or if a diffdrop or swaybar relocate kit will cause issues?
Did you ever figure out the skid with a diff drop? I’m trying to find out as well
Not sure of exactly what needs to be done but if you dig around, you will see a few guys that have made it work.
I have a 2016 Trail model with Kdss, went with the Trd front plate because i got it for a great deal new and it looks better than most aftermarket front skids in my opinion also seemed solid enough for my needs the rest went i went with RCI skids. Performed the necessary cutouts no problem’s with the actual swaybar contacting the Trd skidplate. Contact comes from the front mounting bolt on the hydraulic side of the kdss swaybar mount. Literally the head of the bolt makes contact with the skidplate, even adding thick washers on top of the aluminum spacers on the two front bolts of the Trd skidplate. There will still be contact. Mind you this is on rougher trails. Mostly when the front tires are on uneven rocky or rutted sections. You will notice the contact from the banging noise on out on the trail and visually notice it when you remove the plate for an oil change. After adding additional washers I did spray paint that section black just to see if there would be contact next time out there was fresh bolt shaped gouging in the plate etc. I’m no rock crawler or avid offroader this is my hunting truck. Just going where other hunters wont usually means jacked up trails. Eventually ordered the Rci front skid. KDSS models should go with another option. I’d post up pics of the contact but not sure if I can on a reply.
Jon,
Thanks for the info. We are building out a forum section right now that will have image upload features (different than other forums). The images will be hosted on our servers, so they will never break. In any case, thank you for the input. Very strange that you are making contact. We clear that section just fine on our 2014 TEP with KDSS. I would love to see some shots and compare the two (ours and yours in the same location). RCI is a solid route for sure, especially for the KDSS system because they make skids just for KDSS, I agree with you there and this might be our next route for skids. If you can send us an email with the pics, we can get them posted up on this page or in a staging section of the forum. Thanks!!
What is the bottom line on this skid plate fitting 2010 and up trail 4 runners. One or two places says yes many say 2014 to 2017 only
Bill,
That is a good question about the 2010 4runner TRD skid plate. I know a few people that have installed the TRD skid plate on the 2010-2013 model 4Runners without cutting. But, if have KDSS on your 2010 4Runner, you will need to cut it to fit. If you do not have KDSS on your 2010-2013 model 4Runner, yes it will fit.
Cheers!