RCI Metalworks Engine Skidplate Review - 3 Years and 65,000 Miles
Hazards are everywhere. The moment you start your truck, you’re taking a risk. Whether a screwdriver falls out of a truck on the interstate in front of you or the line you take on the trail doesn’t go as planned, every Tundra (and vehicle!) needs underbody protection.
For most of us, this comes in the form of stock plastic or TRD aluminum skid plates. Although they are technically considered “skid plates”, the name is about the only thing they have in common with the many aftermarket steel or aluminum options.
I purchased my RCI engine skid plate over 3 years (and 65,000 miles) ago, and have been using it on my 2010 Tundra ever since. From the sand and saltwater of South Carolina to climbing insane forest roads in the Cascades of Washington, there is no terrain my skid plate has not experienced. I’ve had minimal trouble, including a relatively easy one-man installation, and great interactions with the folks at RCI. But most importantly, I’ve yet to find anything that could pierce the 10 gauge steel.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE: ALUMINUM OR STEEL?
The biggest choice, besides deciding to purchase an aftermarket skid plate, is whether you want aluminum or steel. There are benefits for both options, but with the RCI skid plates, they are equal in all aspects but price. Generally speaking, aluminum is lighter and less durable when compared to an equal thickness. RCI compensates for that by making the aluminum version of the skid plate thicker, negating the weight and durability differences. There are three options: powder-coated steel, raw aluminum, and powder-coated aluminum. They all weigh around 40lbs. So, they weigh the same and have the same durability, what are the real differences?