The truth is that when you buy a Toyota Tacoma, you’re investing over $25k of your hard-earned cash, so no matter what you do in it, you want to keep it protected, right? And you don’t buy a truck that awesome simply for how it looks, so you’re likely to want to go and do what it was designed for – to go off-road. For this reason, you need a 2016 Tacoma skid plate.
While it often gets forgotten, most of the important parts of your truck are underneath, with your axle, gas tank and many other components exposed. Drive over uneven or rocky ground and sooner or later you’ll bump or dent something and you kind of have to hope that it’s nothing too vital or expensive.
So, What is a 2016 Tacoma Skid Plate?
Well, we’ve been talking about the subject and assuming that if you own a Tacoma, you’re going to understand what a skid plate is. So, for those of you that aren’t so familiar with off-road vehicle terminology, a skid plate is a sheet or hardened steel that fits over the important parts of the underside of your vehicle.
Typically fabricated to directly replace the coverings that were fitted at the factory (known as OEM or Original Equipment Manufacturer parts), they are fitted into place to maintain the integrity of your truck’s underside.
What Sort of Things Do You Need to Look For?
When searching online for a 2016 Tacoma skid plate for your pride and joy, you should look for one that’s non-intrusive and that’s created from high quality steel. You also need to be looking for a type that’s ‘slotted’ meaning that it fits flush when in place. Why? Well, when you’re out on the trail, a common problem for some skid plates is a collection of fluid inside it that splashes up on the journey.
You should also be looking for one with a contoured design and that has grip-resistant qualities, as it will allow you to slide over any obstacles you encounter that much more easily. Also you have to think about the extra weight, as it can affect handling and performance, so if this is more important than protection for you, it’s certainly something that you need to consider.
“Can I Fit One Myself?”
You might be wondering whether you can do a DIY install with a 2016 Tacoma skid plate, as it’s something that will save you some money. Whether you can or not does depend a lot on you and how handy you are with a toolbox, but for most mechanically-minded people, it’s easy enough to put your truck up on a ramp and bolt your skid plate on – so yes, you can.
Something of a Necessity for Off Roaders
In truth, you may have a Tacoma because you think it’s an awesome looking vehicle (which it is, by the way) and you’re just going to drive yours up and down a standard highway. If that sounds like you as a Tacoma owner, then you’re not really going to need a skid plate.
However, if you do intend to go out on the trail camping, rock climbing and generally getting up to outdoorsy or extreme pursuits, the cost of a skid plate is certainly worth the investment – in fact, we’d say it’s something of a necessity. It might take a day, a week or a month of being out in the trail before something hits the underside of your truck and when it does, you’ll be happy that your 2016 Tacoma skid plate is bolted into place.
