KDSS and the PRO Skid plate

I want to share this with the community to prevent some headaches. Pictures attached. TLDR: PRO skid will damage your KDSS if actually used offroad.

So we have a 2018 4Runner TRD Offroad with KDSS. The wife and I love the look of the PRO and wanted it’s front skid plate. I found an article that describes cutting the PRO skid plate to work with KDSS. So I bought a PRO skid and we followed the cutting directions.

This will work fine if you are a street crawler. However, we take our rigs offroad in moderate to difficult trails. Last weekend we took the 4Runner through a decent trail and my wife heard a loud metal on metal bang while articulating through an obstacle. I looked back in my rear view and didn’t see any thing that would have hit her skid. I then looked at her front sway bar and saw the rubber bushings were ripped up with a metal fasteners hanging on the sway bar. A closer look at the inside of skid and I could see where the bar hit the edge. I saw a dent on the inside of the plate right below a large nut on the bottom of the sway bar.

 

The skid plate I bought wasn't compatible either. I knew it right away but thought I could make it work.... Now I have a custom skid built by a local off-road shop.



In the end, this was better because it attaches to the bumper instead of the radiator support.

 

Greenlane off road offers one in 1/4” aluminum for KDSS.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with us and saving me from going this route!
So did it bust your seals on the KDSS?

 

Thank you. Good information. I stay with original skid plate which is a little deformed, but still working.

 

Sorry for the delayed response. Yes, it did bust the rubber seals on the front KDSS from the impact on the skid. We have since put an ARB skid on which is designed to be clear of the sway bar when it “disconnects”. We have taken it through some pretty rough tracks and had no issues with the durability of the skid or the KDSS hitting it. For $500, I really recommend this 3 piece plate from ARB Pic below.

 

no problem and thanks for the update.
Great price for the (3) plates!

 

Thx for sharing this 3 yrs ago @Jamesngotts! I just upgraded to a 2023 ORP with KDSS (finally sold my 2010 TE w/ KDSS & OE skid) and was planning to add the TRD skid - it’s in the garage but not cut/installed yet... This saved me the same eventual trail damage!

How far below the KDSS brackets does your ARB skid sit (ie how much clearance below the sway bar)? Looks like there are some spacers between it and the frame to drop it lower?

Thinking that adding additional spacers for the TRD skid to get the same clearance below the sway bar as the stock (or ARB) skid would work. But also thinking that selling the TRD skid and getting the ARB skids might be called for!

 

Appreciate the info, nice. I got the same setup dude
Rad photo!
Been running ARB 4-piece set for two years
(folks informed me it's 3/16" and could also protect T-CASE better, hence the competitive price. Still solid - 1/4" would be nice)
✓FRONT SKID PLATE
✓FRONT OF TRANSMISSION SKID PLATE
✓REAR OF TRANSMISSION SKID PLATE
✓HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT FOR FRONT DRIVESHAFT PROTECTION
✓TRANSFER CASE ATTACHMENT
@UtahSooner

 

I have my skid plates off for winter maintenance or I'd measure for you, and yes it comes with nice aluminum spacers.
Fun fact, I didn't own a torque wrench, and lost some of FSR's, few bolts shook right on outta there lol

 

Oh man, no bueno! Hope you got some blue loctite as well when you bought the torque wrench! No rush on the measurements, have a few other project irons in the fire so gonna sit the skid mod to the side for a bit.

 

LOL ya buddy I sure did
I've bought red as well, proceeded to install my Spidertrax wheel spacers with it, then the trajectory rubbed so hardcore I went straight to a local guy for a BMC and fender mount chop n weld

 

Hi: I just installed the ARB plates but stopped short at the transfer case plate. Removing 4 case bolts to install makes me very nervous, as it could induce leaking. Comments? Thx

 

This post makes me nervous! I just installed the Talons Garage full skid plate package on my '24 OR and there's not much space between the KDSS and the front skid. How much down stroke is typical when flexing? They say it's KDSS compatible but there's not much room. What do you guys think?

 

If your LH front tire is also on a ramp, it appears there is no room for KDSS sway bar movement.

 

Both front tires are on ramps at this point so it's sitting just as it would be if both tires were on the ground.

 

Are you running a KDSS spacer on the other side? Your swaybar looks very low for two wheels on the ground.

 

No, suspension is stock.

 

In case anyone is still interested, I found that the ram has about 3.5" of total stroke in my testing, 1.75" up and 1.75" down. Therefor, as the 4R sits with all tires on level ground, you should have up to 2" of clearance between the bottom of the RAM and a skid plate.