TRD PRO OWNERS -REMOVE SKID PLATE BEFORE OIL CHANGES

Great info! My white TRDPRO arrived today after not even two weeks so happy happy day.

 

Im gonna remove my engine and drive it to the dealership for oil changes.

 

Do the skid plate bolts hold anything else up?

Like can I just remove it and leave the bolts off until I return from my freebie oil changes? I tried to Google and all I get is installing the skid plate which shows the bolts being removed hold a lot of plastic pits to the vehicle. With a infant, I haven't had time to crawl under there myself.

 

I change my own oil. Problem solved.

 

Yes. The only thing these bolts hold on is the skid plate.

The skid plate issues are not exclusive to the Pro. Any 4Runner brought in with a skid plate that needs to be removed for the oil change is at risk.

 

Thanks for commenting.

So basically, I knock off 4 bolts (or so) and skid plate falls down revealing an oil pan bolt? or do I have to remove more?

PS - like I said, I can verify all this if I had the time. but 1 year old doesn't allow for time unless necessary issues.

 

Yes. You can support the skid with a bottle jack and a piece of wood, remove the 4 bolts, then lower the skid. Unless you have someone helping, who can hold the skid while you remove the bolts. Removing the skid reveals the oil filter housing. The oil pan drain plug is further back. There is a small plate that is held on by two bolts that is removed to access the drain plug. Some take this off also.

I'm amazed that we even have to consider doing this. It's actually pathetic that we can't trust dealership service shops to perform such a simple task without fouling something up.

They shouldn't allow oil change 'techs' access to impact wrenches.

 

You trust them to change the oil but not take the skid plate off? What about the threads on the drain plug

 

Makes you wonder where else they take short cut?

 

This why I’m really contemplating getting the cartimhome trd skid plate. I know it’s not OEM. Though quality is almost OEM but this one has a oil slot opening. Plate is same material and thickness as OEM as well. I dont want to remove that skid plate ever lol.

 

its super easy. did it myself 2 weeks ago with no help in my dirt driveway.

 

Why is it so many people on this site jump to the conclusion people are out to get them and the issue that happened is on par with the outcome of nuclear war. Not you specifically but I read so many people using the terms "dead" "nightmare" "appalled" "horrid" when it comes to their vehicle. I get it. You love your rig. You worked hard for it (assumedly). You want the best for it. Sorry, having worked in EMS, three level 1 trauma centers and the nations 2nd largest burn center, I've seen the aftermath of the above words and worse.

The lesson here is that dealerships employ people who really are just doing it for a paycheck. There is no more buy in and lifetime commitment to a brand anymore. People don't take the time to do the right thing simply because have zero motivation. In fact, its the opposite. They are pushed so hard to produce unrealistic value in too short a time and for too little satisfaction to prove the bottomline for the dealer themselves.

Bottomline here is that SO MANY OF YOU need to learn to do mens work, yourselves. Be self-sufficient. Learn from others. Teach skills to others.

If anything, Toyota should be held responsible for this design issue that happens Way too often. Add a hatch. Add studs not bolts. There are fixes.

The dealer fixed the issue that we all agree should have never happened. Pneumatics are a double edged sword. They speed things up but they also destroy dramatically faster.

The engine case now has the next sized holes up to accept bigger bolts. Is it really an issue? No. But, it needs to be documented by the dealer on your vehicle service history OF THEIR MISTAKE so that if for some odd reason, the case were to crack, its documented it was contributed to by the dealer, and not you.

 

I don't think I ever used the words appalled, nightmare, horrid, or dead when describing the issues I experienced with my last Toyota and the dealership who serviced it, but I am absolutely dismayed that they continue to have the same issues year after year, dealer after dealer. It wouldn't be quite so bad if Toyota didn't go out of their way to promote their 'Free ToyotaCare' on every TV ad you see...mine will never see the inside of either of the local Toyota dealerships for routine service as long as I own it.

 

You said: "They prob screwed my under carriage up pretty good. " In reality, you have four new oversized bored holes.

Remember, dealers are not Toyota.
Kellogg's manufactures Raisin Bran. Grocery stores sell and service issues with Raisin Bran.
Your issue, almost everyone's issues here are with the INEPT MECHANICS and the DEALERSHIPS they work for. They are independent of the manufacturer, no matter Ford, Toyota, Kia, etc.

My vehicles only go to the dealer for manufacturer related warranty recalls and issues only. I am too old and too broken to get under my vehicles any more. I found a great mechanic I can trust to handle crap I can't. If you are younger, learn. Learn how to do everything and not to rely on people who simply really do not care about the work they do for a paycheck.

 

Grumpy old guys drops the wisdom. Respect.

Here is the societal kicker though, many folks are running the same rat race, being put under the same unrealistic expectations to “produce” in increasingly stupid timeframes. So basically more and more people don’t feel they have the time to take care of their stuff on their own. The science of lean production has been getting sharper and meaner over the years. It's even being applied to fields where that mentality is inappropriate, so it’s pervasive.

So I think it’s good for people recognize that stuff like toyota care is mostly marketing. You might get a tech willing to take a bullet for the customer by working on a car as if it was their own. But that would take more time and lead to less production. That pisses off the bosses, and the customer waiting in the lobby.

Yeah, collectively we have to devote more time to learning how to tend to the stuff we have. It’s part of life, and we gain much less when we farm it out. And for heavens sake, if you have an opportunity to teach a skill, dont turn away a yute who is willing to learn.

 

My daughter just turned 18, graduates tomorrow with a 4.2GPA and a 1500+ SAT. The world is her oyster for college. She is staying here at the school in my avatar to work towards law school and continue working with a non-profit she loves. Why? Cornell, St Johns, Elon, Dartmouth, at least 3 schools in every major D1 conference all with scholarship offers. She is staying local to continue teaching skillsets with a non-profit in our community. I could not be more proud of her work ethic and willingness to help others who she owes nothing to.

My advice? Teach something to someone else for the sake of paying forward what you do have in your life and skill set. And NEVER turn down the opportunity when someone wants to teach you something. While it may not apply today, it undoubtably will pay its benefits later on.