Baystate Jeepers

Hi,

After the last run I crawled under the Jeep to see what is going on, and it isn't that pretty. This is a 2007 JK Rubicon 2 door for reference. Peeking around:

• Bent oil pan. Not too bad but nicely concave (I assume it used to be flat)
• Bent front lower control arm supports on the frame sides. This looks to be mostly due to going over a rock and then slamming down on the support. Not terrible, but bad enough that there may be problems getting an impact socket on the bolt. I am just worried about what it will look like after 50 more runs
• Bent and dented up cross support bar (the one right in front of the transfer case. This one looks pretty easy to replace with something better
• Pretty mangled gas tank skid. Again not terrible, but enough that it now is concave, and it doesn't look hard to replace with a real one

So, what to do? (aside from the obvious need to learn how to drive):

• Lift -- Yes, I am installing one in the next couple of weeks. Should help, but may just cause the Jeep to slam down even harder
• Gas tank skid and that cross bar -- Probably just best to replace with stronger ones
• Oil pan skid, I assume just getting some type of skid would do it?
• Lower control arm supports -- This is probably my biggest worry. Does anyone make skids? Do people just weld on an extra hunk of steel?
• Should I just get a huge quarter inch steel plate an weld it to the bottom of the Jeep? May be hard to service afterwards

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Jonas

I have skids under the engine / oil pan, transmission and transfer case. I welded stock to the gas tank skid and reinforced the inside ribs ( still gets smashed), fabbed up LCA skids and welded those on and relocated the evap canister. So far its worked very well for me. I did lift it about 3.75 inches. Knock on wood there isn't anything that a hammer and some heat hasn't been able to fix. Happy to let you look at it for some ideas if you like.

Armor is important, some good skids will allow you to just slide over the rocks instead of getting hung up on them so much. Look around on a site such as Northridge for armor and skids. You want to protect that oil pan, a stump caved mine pretty bad, I was lucky it wasn’t any worse than it was. Also, I would keep an eye on that front frame lower control arm mount, I ignored mine and it ripped off the frame at Brookridge. I still have just my factory gas tank skid but it’s pretty much wasted. The stock crossbar is weak and will get pretty beat up without the armor. You won’t be banging around as much once you get that lift in.

This is all I have had since 1985. Siliconed on too! Lol

Yes Armor is important, I can think of a couple places where you def hit some of those spots, the one near the transfer case in particular was probably on the way out right after that last ledge on the rock.

There are some great methods out there, and in the end I would say the thicker the steel the better, at least 3/16 but 1/4 is great. That way it can take some hits and abuse. Randy has some great advice above about where you need them, Gary also brings up a great point about that Evap canister. The other thing if you have not done it already is that steering dampener, def want to get the kit that raises that if you have not already. I personally have seen 4 of them totaled on runs and not usually from hard hits.

In the end thou nothing can replace learning and seat time. Ask any one here, skids will protect it, but the more you learn how to driver her around the less you will hit those skids, or at least not quite as hard.

Thanks everyone. I think I have a plan forward.
Steering damper relocation, already installed. Lift, to be installed soon. Get some oil pan, transmission, and transfer case skid plates. Already ordered Synergy HD plates. Gary, I would love to see how you did the LCA skids.

Thanks again!

Are you going on the run this Saturday? I'll be doing a pre check Friday night in the garage if you were local...

Not sure where you are but I am down on the South Shore (Halifax) and could give you a hand in my garage if you need one.