5th Gen 4Runner Skid Plates: Buyers Guide (Updated 2024)

Everything To Know About Underbody Protection

This is a guide for underbody protection for the 5th Gen 4Runner. We’ll go over the different options available, and the brands to consider.

Do you need a front skid only, or are you looking for a full set? How hard do you push it off-road? Are you hitting mild fire roads or moderate rock-crawling trails?  These questions are best answered by you, but only after you have time to assess your particular needs.

Whether you are looking for a simple engine skid plate or full underbelly protection, it’s important to know which brands offer skid plates and which combination is best suited for your 4Runner.

Before buying anything, determine whether or not the skids have access ports built-in, bolt head protection built-in, how many gussets the plate features, and consider the material type for durability and/or corrosion resistance.

Material Choice

Steel and aluminum are the most popular material choices for our 4Runners and they each have their advantages, disadvantages and characteristics that make them right for certain jobs. To help make sure you purchase the correct material for your needs and the exact area you are buying for, we’ll go over the differences between these two metals later on in the article.

There are lots of options when it comes to protecting your 4Runner. Below are the top bolt-on applications for skid plates for the 5th Gen. If we missed something, leave it in the comments below. Each skid offers protection for a certain area, and with all skids installed, your truck would be well-protected when it comes time to hit the trail.

Let’s start with the most common plates up top and work our way down.

Don’t forget to read this post too – Aluminum Vs. Steel Skids – How To Choose.

1. Engine

Our Top Picks: 

• C4 Fab: Check Price
• Cali Raised: Check Price
• CBI: Check Price
• RSG: Check Price
• YotaMafia: Check Price
• RCI: Check Price

Other Brands:

• Budbuilt
• Hefty Fabworks
• Victory 4×4
• M.O.R.E.
• Rock Steady Motorsports
• LFD Off-road
• Greenlane Off-road

As the front line of defense, the main engine skid will take the brunt of initial impacts to your undercarriage. It’s the gatekeeper to let you know whether or not the rest of the skids will clear an object.

Front skids help to prevent damage to some of the most vital portions of the 4Runner’s drivetrain. The engine, its oil pan, along with the 4Runner’s poorly placed oil cartridge filter are all protected by the engine skid plate.

As one of the most important skid plates that protect against large rocks, thick branches, brush, and general abuse, this plate is not one to skip and should be included on any build that sees real trail time.

Most companies offer individual plates for the front, however, one company that sets itself apart in this category is RSG Offroad. RSG offers a skid plate designed to cover the front + transmission. You can see a write-up on that skid plate here.

If you are looking for individual plates to cover the front/engine + transmission, you have many options. If you want to run a single plate to cover the front/engine and transmission, look at RSG Offroad. To add to that point, RSG is going to be an incredibly strong option here as it’s made of steel and covers a larger surface area than most.

2. Transmission

Our Top Picks: 

• C4 Fab Rear Package: Check Price
• Cali Raised Full Skid Package: Check Price
• CBI Full Skid Package: Check Price
• RSG Front Skid: Check Price

Other Brands: 

• RCI
• Budbuilt
• Hefty Fabworks
• Victory 4×4

The transmission skid, also known as the mid-skid, is usually an extension of the engine skid plate between the rear engine cross member and the transmission crossmember.

It has the important job of protecting the transmission pan, and the shifting linkage farther up the side from rocks or a sneaky branch that can severely damage either venerable portion of the transmission.

If the transmission pan is damaged on the trail, you risk becoming immobile and causing irreversible damage to the transmission itself. If you’re far from the nearest road or cell service, being unable to drive can put you in a bad spot.

Do yourself a favor and protect your truck with a solid transmission skid.

3. Transfer Case

Our Top Picks: 

• C4 Fab Full Skid Package: Check Price
• Cali Raised Full Skid Package: Check Price
• Cali Raised T-Case Skids: Check Price
• CBI Full Skid Package: Check Price
• RSG Front Skid: Check Price

Other Brands:

• RCI Off-road
• Rock Steady Motorsports
• Budbuilt
• Hefty Fabworks
• Victory 4×4
• LFD Off-road

The last piece to the belly pan skid plate puzzle is the transfer case skid. This piece usually attaches to the transmission crossmember at the front, and will have its own crossmember behind the transfer case to add extra strength.

This rear-most belly skid is also tasked with protecting the very exposed exhaust crossover pipe that hangs low just behind the transmission crossmember. Designs will vary by the fabricator, but most will incorporate a bulge to facilitate the crossover pipe, keeping rattling to a minimum.

All in all, this additional skid plate will offer valuable protection from objects coming in contact with components in the middle most portion of the frame.

4. Fuel/Gas Tank

Our Top Picks: 

• C4 Fab Gas Tank Skid: Check Price
• CBI Gas Tank Skid Plate: Check Price
• Cali Raised Fuel Tank Skid: Check Price

Other Brands: 

• RCI
• Budbuilt
• Hefty Fabworks
• Victory 4×4

Most factory fuel tank skids are plastic with a thin plate of stamped steel.

This is a weak link for such a large piece of real estate under your 4Runner. Aftermarket offerings in both steel and aluminum can protect arguably the most important part of your 4Runner, your fuel supply.

This protection comes at the cost of weight, which makes the choice in material for this application very important. If you’re a forest road or desert trail kind of driver and you also daily commute, go with a lighter aluminum option.

If you like to venture into the rocks and need maximum protection, steel is the obvious choice because weight isn’t an issue and MPG might as well we spelled LOL.

5. Rear Diff

Our Top Picks: 

• C4 Fab Diff Skid: Check Price
• RCI: Check Price

The lowest hanging fruit on our 5th Gen 4Runner is the center of the rear differential. Thankfully, a well-built differential skid can help to protect that.

Some differential skids extend far enough to cover the universal joint at the base of the driveshaft and offer protection for the driveshaft yoke. Typically available in steel, these skids can take a beating on the trail, keeping your third member, and differential drain plug protected from anything coming their way.

Although the E-locker motor is located above the differential, it’s still exposed and can be damaged. Some of the differential skids have an available E-locker guard to protect this key 4wd tool from any undesired impacts. It’s a simple and effective way to keep your rear end locked and ready!

KDSS compatibility will vary by manufacturer, so check their website to check before you buy.

6. Lower Control Arm

Our Top Picks:

• R4T: Check Price
• RCI: Check Price

Other Brands: 

• Icon
• Victory 4×4
• Artec Industries

Protecting your lower control arms, commonly referred to as LCAs, is important because they are typically the lowest point in the front suspension linkage.

Navigating trails or desert terrain can easily put them in the path of brush and rocks. Impacts to your lower control arm can cause issues with alignment or a damaged arm, requiring replacement.

These LCAs aren’t a cheap part to replace in the event of severe damage and these skids will both help prevent damage from direct impacts as well as make it easier for them to slide over obstacles which can save you a trip to the alignment rack.

Most of the LCA skids available are for stock LCAs, although some companies like Total Chaos manufacture their own skids for their long travel LCAs. KDSS compatibility will vary by manufacturer.

7. Lower Links

Our Top Picks: 

• Total Chaos Rear Lower Link Skids: Check Price
• RCI Lower Link Skids: Check Price

Other Brands:

• RCI
• Total Chaos

Lower link mounting points are located on the bottom side of the frame, just in front of the rear wheels. Because of this position, they are prone to impacts when traversing rocky terrain.

The mounts themselves are a thinner steel bracket with the link positioned between them. These thinner “wings” will easily bend and fold with the weight of the 4Runner on them.

Lower link skids are usually cut from mild steel to heavy-duty aluminum. A popular option has been the RCI Off-Road lower link skids, however, many companies are starting to build these skids.

With the addition of the skid plates, the stock link mounts are reinforced and supported keeping them from bending and binding against the lower links themselves.

Just about all lower link skids are bolt-on, but they can easily be welded to maximize the reinforcement to the factory bracket. This is a good option for those who use their rigs in the rocks often.

8. Rear Shock

Our Top Picks: 

• Rago Fab Lower Shock Guard: Check Price
  
• RCI Rear Shock Mount Skids: Check Price

Other Brands:

• Bullet Proof Fabricating
• Icon
• FJ Toyman

Lower shock skids prevent damage to your rear shock mounts and lower shafts. Most shock skids will use the main lower shock bolt with a combination of other hardware to secure it to the shock mount on the axle.

These rear shock skids protect both the mounting bracket, as well as the shock shaft itself. If your 4Runner sees continuous off-road use, these exposed lower bits will show increased wear due to their location behind the front wheels where debris is constantly being kicked up.

These impacts can cause pitting in the shock shaft, which can lead to leaking shaft seals. The additional protection these small skids offer can save you from needing a shock rebuild earlier in their lifespan and will keep your lower shock mount in much better shape over time.

The FJ Toyman skid does not protect the shaft of the shock, but it offers beefy protection for the lower mount against big rock impacts. The other offerings are more focused on protection from flying debris impacting the lower mount and shock which can add up to a lot of damage over time.

9. KDSS

Top Brands:

• RSG Offroad: Discontinued

Update:

The KDSS accumulator assembly skid has unfortunately been discontinued. The KDSS Skid plate covered the KDSS accumulator assembly. At this time, no other manufacturer is making this option.

10. Catalytic Converter

Top Brands:

• Cali Raised: Check Price

Other Brands:

• MillerCAT
• Cat Security

While not technically a piece of protection made for off-roading, we still decided to add it to the list. The primary reason for adding a set is to protect your cats from thieves. The 4Runner has easier access and exposed converters.

Consider this cheap insurance, especially if you live in an area known for this theft. Replacing one or more cats can cost thousands!

These do help with keeping random sticks and debris away from the underside, so there is some benefit to adding these while off-roading for more completely protection.

Choosing the Right Material

RSG Offroad front + transmission skid (one-piece steel: 60lbs)

So… you have decided that installing skid plates is on your 4Runner’s build path.

Before deciding which brand to move forward with, you will have to decide what material each skid plate will be made from.

You see, not all companies offer both options for their products, so your decision on which you would like to install will determine what product options you have. To help you decide, here are some things to consider:

• Weight
• Affordability
• Strength
• Corrosion resistance
• Level of protection

These different categories will have different priorities for every build path based on personal preferences and conditions. Let’s break things down farther based on these categories…

Weight

Aluminum is a “lightweight” metal so they are just that… lighter in weight.

Compared to their steel counterparts, aluminum plates tend to be about 1/2 to 2/3 the overall weight.

Since it’s a lighter material, in most cases you’re less likely notice a dramatic impact to fuel economy . This can be beneficial if you’re preparing a 4Runner that can tackle light trails. It also will impact your suspension dynamics less than steel, allowing you to use a lighter coil set to support the weight.

When you choose to buy steel or aluminum skid plates, think about any extra weight your bumpers and accessories might add as well. You might be able to save weight by opting for aluminum, if skid plates aren’t as important to your build.

Steel will naturally be heavier than aluminum in this application.

Fuel economy and suspension performance will undoubtedly be affected by the additional weight. Its increased strength that comes with the extra weight makes the sacrifice worth it to some. They will rely on these skid plates to take a beating and will sacrifice something heavy else on their build to balance the load.

If you are looking for protection with low weight, go with aluminum. If weight isn’t a concern and protection is the ultimate goal, go with steel.

Strength

Aluminum armor is usually available in a 1/4″ thickness and offers some good benefits over steel.

This does not mean that aluminum isn’t strong when it’s incorporated into a well-built skid design. As a metal, it will behave differently than steel. It will bend before it breaks thanks to its more malleable composition. But this same malleability makes it less likely to perform well in heavy rocks or where big impacts are likely.

The advantage to this malleability is that you can likely straighten an aluminum skid plate with basic tool if you do manage to bend one. So while it is not as strong it is easier to repair depending on the engineering. You can only do this so many times until the aluminum skid plate is too weak to repair or deformed out of alignment. At this point, the skid would need to be replaced.

Typically available in 3/16″ thickness, steel is a much stronger metal for skid plates and armor.

When it comes to strength, steel will always win. This increase in strength makes it much more suited for those that take their 4Runners through more demanding terrain such as rock gardens and severely rutted tracks.

Steel’s thinner and stronger composition makes it easier to construct into a sleeker skid plate that can still be very strong without the same amount of reinforcement that aluminum requires. This can lead to more ground clearance in some of the skid locations, which is always welcome on the trail. In high impact zones like rear differential skids, they are only available in steel because of the demands that location requires.

Steel is able to hold its shape over much harder hits however if it does fail, it won’t be as easy to repair on the trail. Steel will fail more often at the weld than anywhere else, because deformations will put larger stresses on edges and joints.

There are many different areas to look at in terms of strength though. For more technical information on material and armor strength, here is a very good article that goes into detail on the science behind its strength.

Affordability

Pictured: RSG Offroad – Superior strength in a dual-plate one-piece steel design

When it comes to pricing, aluminum skid plates are almost always more expensive. The metal itself, and the cost to weld it is more expensive compared with steel which leads to a higher asking price.

The higher price for aluminum can be justified if you are looking to save weight, don’t need super duty protection, or live somewhere plagued by rust. However, you might need to be choosier with which skids you purchase if budget is a constraint.

You can get more bang for your buck with steel skid plates, but there might be other costs that come with the addition of that weight. Being forced to upgrade suspension components to handle the load can quickly rack up the overall cost. But it’s well worth the cost for being as close as possible to total protection.

Corrosion Resistance

Aluminum does not rust. That’s a huge advantage over steel, but it can still become oxidized over time which results in a dull finish. This means for all of you on the East Coast Rust Belt you can go off-roading without touching up paint. So no more repainting your skids after every excursion!

Unfortunately, steel skid plates do not have the same corrosion resistance. Rust will form over any bare steel, and where you live will dictate how fast that rust happens. So unless you’re on the West Coast where things don’t rust as quickly, you will have to keep your skid plates maintained and painted constantly.

With aluminum, there is little to no rust maintenance, and between the two options, aluminum is the better choice for high corrosion zones.

What Does it Mean?

Here are a few build scenarios and suggestions for skid plates based on the information above:

Owner daily drives, spends little to no time off-road but wants added protection over stock

• The belly: Aluminum
• The fuel tank: Aluminum

Owner daily drives, but weekend warriors their 4Runner on mild forest roads and lite technical trails

• The belly: Steel
• The fuel tank: Aluminum

The owner spends time in the desert or high-speed conditions often with little to no technical trails

• The belly: Aluminum
• The fuel tank: Aluminum
• Lower control arms: Aluminum
• Rear shock skids: Steel (not offered in aluminum)

The owner uses their 4Runner for adventure on moderately technical trails including rock gardens and minor ledges

• The belly: Steel
• The fuel tank: Steel
• The rear differential: Steel
• Lower control arms: Aluminum
• Lower links: Steel

Owner wheels their 4Runner hard on difficult technical trails with large boulders and ledges

• All the skids: Steel everything

Weight & Material Cheat Sheet

To help compare all of the skid options in an easier-to-read, side-by-side comparison, please refer to the chart below

Final Thoughts

The best way to determine which combination of skid plates is best for your vehicle (other than reading this article), is to plan out your build and what you intend to do with your 4Runner using the above information to guide you.

Think about all of the possibilities and purchase accordingly so that you can protect what you need without sacrificing weight or strength where you might need it most.