CBI skid plate - last bolt...

I've got an aluminum CBI skid plate. Was installing it this weekend. Not too bad, other than the last bolt on the rear skid plate. There are two four inch carriage bolts that go through a cross-member. One is easy to access. The driver's side is right under the catalytic converter. There is like no room. I've got the bolt in place, but am having a devil of a time getting a wrench on it.

CBI's instructions are minimal. I've got all sorts of wrenches, including stubby 14mm and 15mm, both of which fit. But there's no room to get the ratchet end over the bolt and the crescent end gets like a 16th of the turn before running out space. I think fussing with this bolt has taken almost as long as the rest of the skid plate and it's not done. So I'm taking a pause.

Anyone have a tip to offer? I see lots of CBI full skids are out there, so I'm hoping there's a trick.

Thanks!

Eville Rich
2012 TE

 

Hey OP @Eville Rich
I don't have that brand of skids but what I would recommend in the meantime is perhaps a fine tooth ratcheting combination wrench. Ideally like 120 tooth, low degree swing arc, maybe even flex head style - not sure if it has to be stubby also for you.
Very frustrating nonetheless, goodluck!

 

I recently bought a 120-tooth low-profile wrench for a single, but occasionally repeating, purpose. It seemed extravagant, but the job went so much faster and easier than the last time.

 

Thanks for the advice on the low-profile wrench. The spacing is such, I'm not sure even a low-profile wrench will be adequate for the space available. My assumption is that others have installed this skid plate so may have insight. I don't think it's a tool issue, but perhaps a technique issue.

Eville Rich
2012 TE

 

I feared that ya. For sure, I mean usually they don't get these things wrong on and it's more of a one off problem or user error

 

There's a YouTube video from a non-CBI person that discusses the issue. They talked about using a stubby wrench, which is probably the answer. But it's not a unique problem. Absent something from CBI or others with experience, I've got a couple of ideas to try. Will report back on my results once it's done.

 

Ahh I see, you got it. I mean sounds like a stubby would also highly benefit from being ratcheting as well to speed it up.

 

The available space is too tight to get the ratcheting end over the nut. A ratcheting wrench would otherwise work fine. Limiteded vertical or horizontal space. This is the nature of the issue.

I may see about loosening up other parts of the skid plate ina hope it will provide better angles. Honestly, CBI's instructions suck in written or video form. For what is a pretty basic piece of equipment and simple install, they are lacking in key details.

 

So I finally got the CBI rear skid plate sorted. The issue was one of the bolts that goes through a frame crossmember (not the one CBI provides, the one under the rear of the transmission). The left side nut and bolt are directly under the exhaust pipe and there's very limited room to move. What I did:

1) Removed all the other nuts and bolts from the rear skid plate other than just loosening the right side crossmember nut and bolt. The left side one was already loose. This gives a bit more freedom of movement. But not much.
2) I got a stubby flat profile ratcheting 14mm combo wrench. With a prybar, I was able to raise the exhaust just enough to slip the wrench over it. Tightened things up.
3) The stubby wrench could not be removed as the bolt poking through the nut was now too close to the exhaust. Dang. Now I've got the stubby wrench stuck. Can't back it up as it just ratchets.
4) Removed the exhaust hangers on the left and right side to at least not fight them. Used a pry bar to raise the exhaust a bit more than before. My wife was nice enough to take another prybar and poke the wrench off the nut and bolt.
5) Reinstalled the other nuts and bolts and went for a drive. No issues. No weird resonance across the rpm range. Done.

I'm going to put an inquiry into CBI on their instructions and any alternative methods. The lack of detail in the instructions for what is an excessively fussy issue isn't acceptable. While one could argue "you shouldn't be messing with this if you can't figure it out," well, I did. And still find it unacceptable. I've done cylinder heads, swapped differentials, replaced brakes, etc. Plenty of awkward crap. This is not OK, especially for the price and relatively caveman nature of a skid plate. Otherwise, it seems like a perfectly fine piece of equipment and well made.

I hope this posts assists someone else looking at the CBI rear skid plate. And if CBI can offer a better method, I'll be sure to share it.

Eville Rich
2012 TE

 

I held the nut with open end wrench and turned the bolt head under the plate with hex driver until nice and tight. I know you can't put lot of torque on that inside hex bolt, but I figured it doesn't need to be.

 

The setup for me was with a carriage bolt. So there is a smooth bolt head at the base and the bolt has a square section that goes into the skid plate, holding it in place. That prevents the bolt from being turned. Only option was to turn the nut.

Sounds like your skid plate may have had a different design. Would have made life much easier!

Eville Rich
2012 TE

 

I just got around to installing my aluminum front skid on my 2022 4R. I had a different issue with those carriage bolts. They're just not long enough. They feed through the cross-member, but when I put the CBI-supplied square washer on and then the flange nut, the bolts aren't long enough to thread through the flange nut all the way. Not good.

While we're here, a question for you and anyone else that installed this skid: is it ok to leave off the stock plastic shroud that used to connect from the front bumper to the stock skid plate. It basically covered the gap between bumper and radiator. With the CBI skid plate, that plastic piece cannot be reinstalled. Is it an issue to leave that area open or is it a non-issue?

 

I cut tabs off the back of the plastic cover and kept it. It fills the gap nicely and secured enough by front mounts only.

 

You're not kidding, that driver side crossmember bolt is the worst. I installed them about two years ago and just turned the nut a quarter turn at a time, slow and painful. Thought no big deal, I'll just leave it up there. When I went to change the transmission and transfer case fluids last year, I realized the skid was in the way. Off comes the skid plate

I have a TRD Pro, so mine didn't come with the plastic shroud. You can sort of see in the below picture how the gap is.