[Matt]

My skid plates do not fit properly after installing the Total Chaos 1" front diff drop. It hits the front diff arms before sitting flush with the frame (about half inch to low). Total Chaos says the factory plates can be used with their diff drop. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, what did you do to correct it? Buy longer bolts? Bend/tweak the plate?

Thanks in advance,

Seth

PS. I am new to Tacomas and just found this site yesterday. It rocks. Keep up the good work.

First off did it make a noticeable difference? I ended up taking mine out.

To make it fit you usually have to extend the holes, grinder/file, on the rear bolts of the skid plate so it will line up with the bolt holes. The middle ones wont be able to sit flush up against the bolt holes so just tighten them until they're snug without bending the mounts on the skid plate. Or if you're so inclined you could stack a bunch of washers or make spacers to accomidate for the gap.

 

[Matt]

I would just put the plates back on with the bolts not all the way tightened like you said, but I can't even get the first thread to catch. The gap is too big. Could I just go to my hardware store and get longer bolts?

I was just gonna take the diff drop out. I was thinking it probably didn't make that big of a difference and not worth this hassle. So, what I did, was I took the diff drop out, and had my buddy push up on the diff arms so I could see the difference with/without the drop in real time. I'm not sure what the actual angle decrease is, but it definitly was significant.

Longer bolts would do the trick.

With mine the same fins were touching, second and third in from the wheel and when I took out the diff drop spacers they were still touching so I left it out.