Aluminum over Steel? CBI Skid Plate Review
By Bob Ulrich
I still had the factory steel skids on my 2024 Trailhunter when I hit a divot in the lake bed at the Cinders. I smashed the front of the skid plate and the rivets ripped out.
You can see the nose drop about 28 seconds into my Cinders video.
I could’ve replaced it with another Toyota plate, but I wanted more coverage farther back under the truck. CBI’s aluminum plates overlap under the engine and transmission and run all the way back to the transfer case.
CBI sent me the black powder-coated set I photographed in my driveway before the Idaho trip. Look just below the fairlead on my Covert bumper and you can see where the front plate starts.
Where the factory skids stopped
Toyota gave the Trailhunter a stamped steel front plate and separate steel guards at the transfer case and rear differential. Even the fuel tank gets a composite shield. Toyota’s 2024 Tacoma specifications
I swapped the factory center skids before the September trip to Idaho. CBI calls its setup a “full” kit. On my hybrid Tacoma, that means the plates meet under the cab. The kit leaves out the rear differential and the fuel tank. CBI sells the tank skid separately. CBI’s Tacoma full skid kit
Just right of the CBI cutout, there’s a rectangular cover you can unbolt on its own. With the big plate spanning the underside of the engine, I appreciate having a smaller piece to pull for service.
Before the mud
I took these close-ups in my driveway on September 16, while the plates were still off the truck. You can follow the folded sides and welded corners without mud covering the details.
Up close, the black powder coat has a fine texture. It continues across the bends and visible edges, and you can still see the weld beads beneath it. These photos record the finish before installation.
With the sections laid beside each other, you can see the mounting tabs, bolt holes and the shapes of the adjoining edges. Farther along the plate, the side folds down toward the driveway.
What about the weight?
Rave Off Road lists the original front skid at 21 pounds. That’s just the silver plate with “Trailhunter” stamped across it. Rave Off Road’s listing for the factory front plate
Once I went to full coverage, I had a different weight decision to make. CBI builds the same kit in steel and says its aluminum parts generally weigh about half as much as their steel counterparts. On a truck that already carries a steel bumper and a winch every mile, I went with aluminum. CBI’s aluminum and steel comparison
My old steel guards covered less ground than the aluminum plates do now. I don’t have a weight for each complete set with its mounts, so I can’t say how many pounds the swap added or saved.
Black Friday on the kit I run
Choose Hybrid for the Trailhunter’s i-FORCE MAX powertrain. I run the Aluminum plates with the Powder Coat Black finish on my truck. The regular price for that kit is $1,520. On November 8, CBI’s 15% Black Friday sale brought it down to $1,292. I earn a commission if you buy through my link or use my code. CBI’s 2024+ Tacoma full skid kit
Using my code portalhunter took another 5% off the sale price. In the cart, that came to $1,227.40 before tax and shipping, a savings of $292.60 (19.25%) on this kit.