Aftermarket SKID PLATE options

[SoCalGladiator]

Yes its installed... & its taking many a beating & holding up fine. Many scratch's in the powdercoat & exactly one dent on the front passenger side edge. This allows me to slide over crap without worry instead of having to take the easy line.

Any pics? How many trails? Has it hit hard?

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[bastage]

Any pics? How many trails? Has it hit hard?

Its been hit hard. I have pushed obstacles that I shouldn't have knowing I have the skid plate that can take a beating so I was using skinny pedal trying to get through.

First pic was during install so the 4th piece wasn't on. The rest just show scratch's in the powder-coat after the first time I took it out. I haven't taken a picture of the dent yet.

 

[SoCalGladiator]

Its been hit hard. I have pushed obstacles that I shouldn't have knowing I have the skid plate that can take a beating so I was using skinny pedal trying to get through.

First pic was during install so the 4th piece wasn't on. The rest just show scratch's in the powder-coat after the first time I took it out. I haven't taken a picture of the dent yet.

Man, that looks awesome. I think they sit a little bit lower than metalcloak, but much fuller coverage. It's the same steel thickness. I'm surprised it got dented, you must have hit hard. How much and who powder coated it? I love this. I'm sold. More coverage = more gooder.

 

[bastage]

Man, that looks awesome. I think they sit a little bit lower than metalcloak, but much fuller coverage. It's the same steel thickness. I'm surprised it got dented, you must have hit hard. How much and who powder coated it? I love this. I'm sold. More coverage = more gooder.

Yeah I hit hard... I use them to compensate for small(ish) AT tires & no lockers.

Powdercoat cost me 212 bucks. It was a local shop that I was told to call in Nampa Idaho. It was basically a "I want it done cheap" conversation. I had to wait till they were doing another batch in the same finish to throw these in with so I wasn't paying a setup fee at all. Considering that any shade/texture of black was fine it was only a week wait from when I called till I dropped them off. A week later they called to say come get em.

Also They fit pretty snug. I don't think they are much lower then possible. I am sure there are some sections that could be tucked up higher, but the flat surface is I think better.

 

[JCFindley]

Its been hit hard. I have pushed obstacles that I shouldn't have knowing I have the skid plate that can take a beating so I was using skinny pedal trying to get through.

First pic was during install so the 4th piece wasn't on. The rest just show scratch's in the powder-coat after the first time I took it out. I haven't taken a picture of the dent yet.

Thanks for the pics. I have one ordered.

 

[bastage]

Thanks for the pics. I have one ordered.

I am sure you will be happy with it. I am for sure.

 

[JCFindley]

I am sure you will be happy with it. I am for sure.

To quote my Jeep guy, AKA where I bring it to get stuff done I can't or don't want to do:

DAMN, THAT is a skid plate.

 

[bastage]

To quote my Jeep guy, AKA where I bring it to get stuff done I can't or don't want to do:

DAMN, THAT is a skid plate.

My powdercoater wanted to know if I was planning to run over landmines when I dropped them off.

 

[Vjammin]

Finally got my Rubicon Express skids on. Debating on putting on the gas tank skid to save some weight. Have heard the factory tank skid is decent. Will keep posted on how well it takes a beating.

 

[Sunnysideup]

Wow... there are a lot of ways to skin a cat! I was wondering if anyone took measurements before and after of the Ground clearance you had before install. I made several custom skid plates on my Jeep Jk - just to keep all the GC I could... Do any of these kits save GC making the contact points harder to hit?
My thought is that a lift kit is designed around getting the truck up in the air by providing more room for expensive tires and the addition of GC. We gain this GC at a very expensive price... I would not be excited about loosing an inch of GC that I probably spent 1200 dollars or more to raise?
I also wonder about cooling... do these full belly systems trap enough heat to significantly change operating temps of the transfer case or transmisson? I don't know... just looking thinking and asking!
I have had my Stock MAX tow with 33's on a number of trails... and it is very easy to drag these trucks in the middle!(yes a lift is on the list of future modifications). It looks to be an upgrade that anyone on the harder trails or even some medium trails- is going to need to consider to keep things from getting too beat up!
I noticed Westin is now making a full set too... their design made me wonder about heat and weight and what they were thinking by designing skid plates that are more of a "mesh"?

 

[JCFindley]

Wow... there are a lot of ways to skin a cat! I was wondering if anyone took measurements before and after of the Ground clearance you had before install. I made several custom skid plates on my Jeep Jk - just to keep all the GC I could... Do any of these kits save GC making the contact points harder to hit?
My thought is that a lift kit is designed around getting the truck up in the air by providing more room for expensive tires and the addition of GC. We gain this GC at a very expensive price... I would not be excited about loosing an inch of GC that I probably spent 1200 dollars or more to raise?
I also wonder about cooling... do these full belly systems trap enough heat to significantly change operating temps of the transfer case or transmisson? I don't know... just looking thinking and asking!
I have had my Stock MAX tow with 33's on a number of trails... and it is very easy to drag these trucks in the middle!(yes a lift is on the list of future modifications). It looks to be an upgrade that anyone on the harder trails or even some medium trails- is going to need to consider to keep things from getting too beat up!
I noticed Westin is now making a full set too... their design made me wonder about heat and weight and what they were thinking by designing skid plates that are more of a "mesh"?

 

[JCFindley]

All very good questions.

I went with the Motobilt plates based on Bastage's suggestions and experiences here in this thread.

I will start with temps. All the temperatures that I can monitor stayed in the same ranges before and after the mods including the skidplates. I watched that pretty close for a while. The caveat on that statement is I haven't had them in a Texas summer yet.

On ground clearance. I didn't measure before and afters but guesstimate it is a touch lower than stock by maybe a half inch? I added 5 inches of GC, 3 inches of lift and 2 with the tires. The skids might have taken some back. But and it is a HUGE BUT, I know I am not tearing stuff up when I drag a little or even a LOT now. Second time I had it out I did a rock crawl that most folks in modified two and four door Jeeps wouldn't try.

I think the Westins would tear up quickly with the way I wheel. The smoot bottom slides on rocks but the Westins would catch. I did notice the Motobilt has some vents for mud and water and they seemed to work well.

 

[Puch]

Rock Hard offers this steel Skid Plate system:

ROCK HARD 4X4™ COMPLETE BELLYPAN SKID PLATE SYSTEM WITH DUAL CROSSMEMBERS FOR JEEP GLADIATOR JT 3.6L 2020 - CURRENT [RH-80508]

• 3/16" Thick Steel
• 100% Bolt on Install
• Interlocking Skid System
• Black Powder Coat Finish
• 100% Made in USA
• Lifetime Warranty

https://www.rockhard4x4.com/product_p/rh-80508.htm

I have this one on order, aluminum instead of steel. I went with this because it seems to give the best protection, maybe stiffen the frame, and I think it protects that exhaust loop thing better than others. IMO
I know aluminum can’t take the punishment of steel, but I don’t plan on doing a lot of rock bashing and I was considering the weight difference.

 

[Puch]

Jesus... 190 lbs for Aluminum?

It’s 190 lbs, but you have to remove any existing skids and cross members so that does help a little.....maybe? The actual weight added is less. The gas tank skid is the only one that stays on because the tank will fall out without it. That’s my understanding anyway.
I have a Sport S and she has ZERO skids, except for the gas tank. I’ll welcome the extra weight. ?

 

[TexasTJ]

Installed Rockhard 4x4 aluminum (180lbs) complete belly pan skid plates with dual crossmembers today, what a pain...
Other than that, it is installed and quite nice. If I were to do it again, I'd probably go with Artec and hope that installation is easier, but now that they're on I plan on putting them to good use.

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