This is our new extreme clearance skid plate DIY weld-together kit for the 2nd and 3rd generation (2005-2023) Toyota Tacoma. This skid plate kit involves re-routing the factory exhaust cross-over and cutting off the low-hanging front frame crossmember on the Tacoma and replacing it with our included heavy duty crossmember. This not only provides a huge strength increase but also gains a whopping 4.5" of ground clearance at the front of the vehicle as well as 1" all along the bottom of the skid plate set. When combined with our Extreme clearance front bumper, it makes for a seamless package that squeezes every possible inch of ground clearance out of your Tacoma all the way from the bottom of the grill to behind the transfer case. This means protection of the radiator, front differential, engine oil pan, steering rack, transmission and transfer case! Multiple reinforcement ribs run the length of the skid set, making these skid plates drastically stronger than other skid plates on the market which are simply bent into shape with little to no reinforcements and inadequate mounts. Due to these features, we recommend the 1/4" aluminum version for general trail use and the 3/16" steel version for those who like to seek out the hard trails.
WARNING: This is our Extreme Clearance Skid Plate kit that requires cutting and welding your Tacoma's frame as well as re-routing the factory exhaust crossover pipe. For our bolt-on skid plate kit that does not require any permanent vehicle modifications, please see here: https://www.coastaloffroad.com/product-page/2nd-gen-tacoma-skid-plate-set/
While the Toyota Tacoma is one of the best offroad platforms available, the frame does have a few limitations from the factory. At the front of the Tacoma frame, there is a low hanging crossmember that hangs down 4.5" below the actual main frame rails. There are no engine or radiator components located behind this crossmember, just empty space! By cutting off this low hanging crossmember and welding in our supplied heavy duty crossmember in line with the main frame rails, the front bumper and skid plates can then be mounted 4.5" higher. This gives a ton of extra clearance and approach angle that will transform the offroad capability of your Tacoma.
Moving further along the skid plate set, clearance has been increased here too. A dropped pocket sits underneath the front differential, which is by far the lowest point of the vehicle in this area. This allows us to move the rest of the skid plate up a full 1". Three vertical ribs run the length of the skid plate and make it extremely strong compared to typical flat skid plates. We strategically placed these ribs to fit in between the lowest components of the vehicle, so no ground clearance is lost.
Moving to the rear skid plate, Toyota decided to route an exhaust cross-over pipe so that it sits under the frame. This then requires skid plates to sit much lower than they would otherwise in order to clear these exhaust components. Instead, this skid plate sits directly against the frame crossmember, gaining 1.25" of clearance under this entire skid plate! Keep in mind that this does require cutting and moving this short section of exhaust pipe upwards so that it sits above the bottom of the frame crossmember. This is an easy, straightforward job that any muffler shop will be able to perform.
Please take note that the factory front frame crossmember that gets removed serves as the meeting point between nearly all front bumpers and skid plates. This is why we highly recommend running this skid plate set in combination with our Extreme clearance front bumper set for a seamless front to back protection system for your Tacoma that maximizes the clearance gains.
Enter the code Extremeclearance10 to get 10% off the bumper and skid plates when ordered together! That front bumper kit can be found here: https://www.coastaloffroad.com/product-page/2nd-gen-tacoma-extreme-clearance-plate-bumper-kit/
