RCI Aluminum skid worth cost?

I've got a 21 ORP with KDSS. I'm looking at replacing the factory cover with something a little stronger.

This is a daily driver, and sees frequent camping trips, fire roads, and class 4 roads. Never any extreme wheeling. My preference is to save the weight and go with aluminum.

I'm looking at both the Cartrimhome OEM style (because it accomodates KDSS) and the RCI.

The cartrimhome model is made in China and runs about $235.
The RCI is more robust and runs 373 + another 80 for the bumper filler.

They are both approz .25" aluminum. No idea if the alloys are compatible. While I prefer to give American companies the business, I also have a family to feed. Is the RCI really worth almost double? Does it provide better coverage? Are there any other advantages that would justify the additional cost for me?

 

I have the RCI aluminum skids (engine, transmission, txfr case and gas tank) and bought to save weight. I don’t do any real hard wheeling and my use case is similar to yours. That said, I have taken a few unexpected hits that only resulted in scuffed paint so they are doing their job.

I very satisfied with how they fit and how they perform. I would consider them a “top shelf” product and the amount you pay over other one should be worth the difference..

I have the catalytic converter wings as well to hopefully send a thief after easier pickings…

Cheers,
Bob

 

RCI and Talons Garage are both top notch.

 

If you’re sticking with how you use your 4Runner now, honestly the factory skid would be sufficient. If you get into heavier stuff you could always upgrade as you go.

 

RCI aluminum skids are under both my 4R and Tacoma.

Keep an eye on RCI as they do have killer sales.

 

I did not get the bumper filler, I was able to make the stock plastic skirt work with the RCI aluminum skid.

 

I think the use you do and plan to do is similar to my usage. My SR5 currently has AT tires, factory engine skid, factory rock rails, and aluminum tranny/cat converter cover (LA has a theft issue). I have some recovery gear and air compressor for trips. Also a simple awning and bucket potty. I believe I can go anywhere I might desire. Soon I am upgrading my bump stops, and lower rear shock skids as its the lowest part of truck. Servicing the underneath requires removing both my steel and aluminum protections,
I Just recently did transfer case & both drive shafts lube. Fortunately my dealer service writer and shop technician own 4runners.

 

Yep probably around July 4th .

 

15% off skids right now.

 

I have the oem skid plate that I'll be replacing during my next oil change.. or maybe take a sledgehammer to it and try to iron it out again..

Went a little too hard on my last outing .. those damn rocks !!

I really need to invest in full skids throughout...

 

It did its job .

 

I feel your pain with the OEM. I just installed the rci. All I can say is I wished I did it two years ago. The oil changes are so much easier

 

Alum should be good enough for most trails, no heavy rock wheeling and saves on weight. However, to try to save a buck, if you don't need 100% weight savings, you might want to consider mix-and-match; eng skid being steel and then alum for trans + tcase (I did swap out other brands to end up with this config). The alum ones you can spray paint with almost anything. If you are looking for only the eng skid, I'm not sure the weight savings is enough to go alum, unless you consider install/uninstall skids often and want to skip the workout.

As for brand, no clue or experience on CTH's products but I've bought from different vendors and brands and some disappointed me big time. As for RCI, I'm a repeat RCI customer, everything I've received from them was top-notch and their customer service was above and beyond. Full disclosure, I did buy a few RCI items from a 3rd party vendor to save on shipping once (they had a better total price) but just look for sales/deals and time it properly (I'm looking at rci sliders by end of year).

 

Having had all three - the CTH, RCI, and Talons Garage aluminum engine skids, the CTH is nowhere near the quality of the other two. I'd rank the RCI & Talons neck and neck in form and fit. To me, the Talons has the edge because it is a two-piece skid, like the oem skid, but is easier to remove just the front half than the oem skid, due to not having to remove the bumper filler piece first. It does work with the oem bumper filler, but that stays put if you remove the front skid. All three skids have the filter housing access panel.

Edit: One more feature that gave the nod to Talons is it has wider coverage on the KDSS version than the RCI.

 

I had Talons Garage on my '21 Tacoma, excellent skids and "saved the day" on one outing. Scraped but not wrecked. With my T4R I went with RCI and I'm happy with them as well. I think you'd be good as others have noted with either company! BTW I most likely would have bought Talons again, but my "Adventurer daughter" gifted me the RCI's which she runs on her T4R.

 

Does the CTH skid have a filter access hole? That was a gamechanger for me, I do super quick oil changes now.

 

RCI makes good stuff. The oil filter port is a nice benefit (unsure if the CTH model you are looking at has that?).

You don 't need a filler plate. You can easily reuse the plastic air dam with some trimming and a few zips to support the back corners.

I don't think the RCI skid is outrageously priced. Hell, an aluminum skid for my motorcycle, which is 1/5 the size or maybe even smaller than that, is $200+. It's also a lifetime purchase so just do it right, now.

The raw aluminum does get some discoloration as it wears but nothing extreme.

 

RCI is worth the money...but Talon's Garage has some cheaper great products also, and they are made in Texas.

 

Mine did not need any trimming nor zipties nicely tucked under the front lip of the skid plate, I'll post pics when I can.

 

Yeah, I'd prob get Talons if I were to do it again, it has wider protection than RCI.

 

The Talons Garage are wider than the RCI's (at least on my KDSS version).

 

Pics please

 

I wish companies would stop cutting their logo into stuff .

 

The current Talons Garage skids do not have a logo, just the openings to let air through. You can see in my pic above, they're basically "naked".

 

I was wondering how much crap would get into that big bird, or what if something gets caught up in the bird?

 

I was looking at the Rival 3/4 skid plate with access points. I was thinking about less weight and cast aluminum not rusting or bending. I just needed a mud sled runner for skipping across the high spots and not damaging anything underneath. I don't see me braking one.

 

Finally looking for an aluminum skid plate only to help with oil changes.
Is Talons Garage the way to go or is their something better out there?

 

I don't really know which is best, but as long as it works. Extreme Terrain had these. It looks kind of cast aluminum. Cast aluminum shouldn't bend or dent to badly.

 

Both Talons and RCI have opening for access to oil filter and oil drain plug. BTW I have Baxter Engineering Oil Filter adapter on both vehicles and it is easy access on both of the skids...

 

I have the Rival skids. I mainly chose them over rci because of the oil drain plate instead of just a hole.