High Clearance HD Skid Plates (96-02 4Runner, 95-04 Tacoma)

Introducing the first and only High Clearance skid plate option for 3G4Rs & 1G Tacomas. With better ground clearance and gusseting than anything else on the market, Opt Offroad is raising the bar on under armor. 100% bolt-on, with Welded and DIY options available. Please read fitment requirements carefully. Visit our HCR menu for details on the required High Clearance Radiator Kit.

Lead Times: DIY kits 1-2 weeks. Welded kits 3-4 weeks.

Opt Skids are designed, tested, and manufactured in the High Desert of CA using laser cut, CNC bent American steel. This is purpose-built armor for those who demand the most out of their rig. Whether you’re navigating the rocks, mud and sand, or simply want to upgrade your cooling system and keep it safe from damage on the trail and highway, these skid plates provide the ultimate combination of protection and performance.

Why Choose Opt Skids Over the Rest?

• STRONGER: More gusseting than any other production skid plate.
• HIGHER: +4" up front, +2" underneath... that's like going from 33s to 37s!
• FLATTER: No step-downs or high spots to get hung up on. Flat bellies only.
• PLUS a radically improved approach angle.

KEY FEATURES:

• Crafted with American steel- 3/16” plates; 1/4" gussets front to back
  
• Integrated into diff mounts for stronger contact points (vs steering)
  
• Available as Fully Welded or DIY (weld gussets into place, that's it)
• 100% bolt-on, with high strength zinc coated hardware included
• Convenient CV axle changes, with access to CV joint pry points
• Convenient oil changes, with a reinforced oil drain access hole
• Includes stainless steel logo plate for front skid (leave it raw!)
• Ships bare, ready to paint the coating / color of your choice
• NOT diff drop compatible, high clearance radiator required

PACKAGE OPTIONS: 

1. Vehicle / Drivetrain Options:

• 96-02 4Runner or 95-04 Tacoma.
• 4WD or 2WD (2WD kit includes diff bolt spacers).

2. Package Options:

• Front (protects radiator, front differential, and engine oil pan)
• Front/Mid (all that plus steering and transmission)
• Fully Belly (all that plus catalytic converter and transfer case. Goes all the way to the front edge of your gas tank. Not compatible with Tacomas or 2WD 4Runners).

3. Assembly Options:

• Fully Welded (ready to bolt on) or DIY (weld on the gussets, ~1hr per skid).

INSTALL HELP: Watch this YouTube video for install tips: TAP HERE

FITMENT REQUIREMENTS: (all those gains in your approach angle & ground clearance come with a *little* extra work initially. It is WELL worth it though!)

1. High Clearance Radiator Swap: [TLDR: it's required to install Opt Skids on most vehicles, but it's a really easy swap and will have you wondering why you didn't do it sooner. It was just plain dumb for Toyota to use a radiator that hangs past the frame in the first place. We're simply fixing that mistake.] To unlock the full potential of your front end ground clearance, Opt Skids have been designed around a radiator that sits above the frame rails (this is how it should have come from the factory). YES that means installing a shorter radiator if your existing one hangs below the frame. NO that does not mean less cooling capacity, in fact the opposite! Our full aluminum radiator options actually INCREASE fluid capacity and cooling performance over the factory radiator.

Haven't done the high clearance radiator swap yet? It's a super easy, bolt-on replacement kit! All required parts for the swap are included, except fresh coolant. No permanent modifications to your vehicle are needed, aside from minor trimming to the shroud. Tap here to add the Opt Offroad High Clearance Radiator Swap kit to your order.

2. No Differential Drop: [TLDR: the juice isn't worth the squeeze, and we aren't interested in sacrificing ground clearance for something so ineffective and potentially harmful.] Diff drops are a popular but misunderstood mod. Let me start by saying that they are perfectly acceptable (even recommended) on many applications. The goal of this diff drop is to prevent premature wear on the CV joints and boots after a lift, by lowering the differential down (usually an inch) which decreases the CV angles at ride height. The problem: on our trucks, the front diff mounts are very far forward compared to where the CV axles connect. So when you install a diff drop, you are sacrificing an inch of ground clearance at the diff mounts, for only ~1/3 inch of drop at the CVs. Additionally, you are potentially fluid-starving the driveshaft pinion at the rear of the diff (since it's now tilted forward) while also negatively affecting the driveshaft pinion angle as a result. The juice just isn't worth the squeeze.

Alignment Cam Notes: [TLDR: believe me we tried, it just wasn't worth the trade-off in ground clearance. Buy KD Plates and problem solved!] Yes, we are well aware that Opt Skids leave the front alignment hardware open and visible. We deliberated on this for weeks! The only way to protect them with the use of a skid plate is to either lower the entire belly of the skid down 2in (NOPE), or complicate the skid design a ton (not cost effective). The good news is that we have a solution: KD Crossmember Reinforcement kit from FGP is the answer to this problem, and it provides all the skid surface and added strength needed, without any of the sacrifices!

Front Crossmember Notes: We recommend checking your factory front skid plate crossmember (located right below your radiator, where the front skid bolts up) for damage, as it is very lightweight and prone to bending/cracking. Consider upgrading to our HD Skid Plate Crossmember for a much stronger mounting point for your skids!

Questions or feedback? Use the Q&A feature below or send us an email / phone call!