With the stock rubicon skids, they’re plenty well protected from road kill or ice. These will help for high centering on rocks and/or rock garden stuff where individual rocks could get between the OEM skids. Here’s what my originals looked like after 16k miles. They got some use.
It’s a bad spot. I ended up using a pneumatic ratchet through the wheel well and propane from below to heat it up. It worked great on both sides. It took me a while to figure out the right way.It took my dad and I about two hours to get these motor mount bolts out and replaced for the next venture aluminum belly skid with UHMW.
The drivers side was significantly easier because it was accessible from above with a lot of ratchet extension. I used a mini induction heater because of the ridiculous thread locker on the bolts while my dad was working the wrenches.
The passenger side took most of the time. We had to use three different ratchets with various ratchet extensions and sockets. As the bolt backed out we kept hitting the oil pickup line and exhaust. I heated the bolt with the mini induction heater while my dad worked the wrench with a pipe to gain leverage. We only got a click or two on the ratchet so it took a very long time to get it to a point we could remove by finger.
We reinstalled with medium thread locker by hand and tightened the same way they were removed. The bolts were torqued to 48 ft lbs.
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Indeed, totally worth it though!
). It felt so good finally packing away the tools then admiring the new skids.
Their skids are truly amazing. You’ll love them. I have the UHMW as well, and it’s like gliding over things coated in butter. I also had a dinged up exhaust. They made me a new bracket to get me more clearance. Their support is fantastic.Indeed, totally worth it though!
I really lucked out the lower oil pan held up through a pretty bad hit. It wasn’t too tough to replace though. The hardest part was carefully slicing thru the old RTV & prying it it off after the bolts were removed. As well as carefully cleaning up all the old RTV with scotch brite & solvent.
It was a relatively inexpensive part with quick availability too. No issues or leaks after reapplying RTV on the new pan and getting it back on. The oil pressure was normal and it took exactly a 5 quart bottle of oil to get it to the top of the safe zone. I let the new RTV cure for a full 24 hours before adding oil again per the dealers recommendation.
I’m not really worried about this happening again at all with Next Venture’s outstanding engine / oil pan skid + UHMW.
I did also have an issue with the driver side stiffener bracket on the engine / oil pan skid clearing the exhaust because the tubing was a bit bent out of shape.
There’s plenty of space to fit hands and tools for doing oil changes with the slot in the engine / oil pan skid. I wish they would’ve had designed something to close off the slot though.
I’ll take some photos of the finished project eventually, we were finishing up pretty late and exhausted (no pun intended
Nice, I’ll have to ask them at Winter 4x4 Jamboree if they’ll hook me up. I noticed you’re in Colorado too…we’ll have to connect sometime on the trails! Thank you for sharing your experience and starting this thread, it was very helpful.
LOL, at least you have something to remember it by - way better than a tattoo. My dad kept telling me to wait before taking bolts out out all the way after showing him your branding
. It’s amazing how fast these mini induction heaters can get something red hot, the bracket even picked up some heat because I had that welded nut in the coil. Leather gloves were also key to prevent any injuries or branding/burning on my job lol. Alls well that ends well tho…thanks again brother
Hopefully @ShadowsPapa doesn't tell me my research on this torque spec was wrong or I just might have to do it all over again! I’m also a perfectionist @Summitdan & glad I didn’t try to reuse the existing bolt/threads
the replacements are way better for the use case.
That’s very funny. I haven’t used an induction heater for this, but from your photos it was perfect for this. It might need to be added to my list.LOL, at least you have something to remember it by - way better than a tattoo. My dad kept telling me to wait before taking bolts out out all the way after showing him your branding
Completely agree. Since it was one of two per bracket, and a nut was added under the bracket, I wasn’t as worried about torque spec as I usually am. But I was also mad and had a burn on my shoulder, and my wife was still laughing, so maybe there were other factors.Hopefully @ShadowsPapa doesn't tell me my research on this torque spec was wrong or I just might have to do it all over again! I’m also a perfectionist @Summitdan & glad I didn’t try to reuse the existing bolt/threads
Love it.Dan, enjoy your “branding” with the bolt. I cut off a 1/4” bolt head on my 1946 CJ2A in about 1979, the bolt head was real hot dropped hit my arm and was there a while, used pliers to get it off, so after over 43 years, I still have a faint outline of the bolt head on my arm! So enjoy your real Badge of Honor and show your grandkids someday……Jack
This is in fun here - (sort of)Hopefully @ShadowsPapa doesn't tell me my research on this torque spec was wrong or I just might have to do it all over again! I’m also a perfectionist @Summitdan & glad I didn’t try to reuse the existing bolt/threads
