Factory FAD skid?

[LouisvEarlleJT]

I had seen a lot of posts about people installing various FAD skids and after reading about how the system worked I thought “yeah that sounds like something that needs protection!”

Went and crawled under my truck and lo and behold it already has one from the factory? I hadn’t heard anyone mention this before so I thought I’d post this up for future searchers. Now it’s clearly not as thick as an aftermarket unit but definitely stout enough for run ins with the occasional log or stump. 2023 Willys, here’s the pics:

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[SATSFYD1]

Noice. I noticed them when I removed the front passenger lower “wheel guard” thingy.

 

[Medical_Bartender]

any idea if we can use that as a jack point for the front axle? my gut says no...but it's right where I like to put the dang jack/jack stand when doing tire rotations.

 

[LouisvEarlleJT]

any idea if we can use that as a jack point for the front axle? my gut says no...but it's right where I like to put the dang jack/jack stand when doing tire rotations.

I think if you put the jack in the center it could work, there’s kind of a flat spot under the axle there so if the plate bent it’d just hit the axle tube.

It’d be a quick enough test to put a jack under there and see. Can always let the pressure off at the first sign of deformation.

 

[Medical_Bartender]

I think if you put the jack in the center it could work, there’s kind of a flat spot under the axle there so if the plate bent it’d just hit the axle tube.

It’d be a quick enough test to put a jack under there and see. Can always let the pressure off at the first sign of deformation.

Good idea, I'll be doing my first rotation in the next couple weeks and will give it a shot to see how things go.

 

[mtudb24]

The rock hard one is so much thicker (about 2x) then the factory one. I think they are on all Jeeps, but due to the lack of strength to them, they get bashed quite easlily

 

[Concentric_Killa]

I have the one from Next Venture on order. Should hopefully arrive in 6wks along with the full belly skid....

 

[LouisvEarlleJT]

The rock hard one is so much thicker (about 2x) then the factory one. I think they are on all Jeeps, but due to the lack of strength to them, they get bashed quite easlily

Oh no doubt, and if I was doing any kind of rock crawling I’d consider that. I’m just happy to have one from the factory, it’ll do everything I’d ever need it to.

 

[Hootbro]

any idea if we can use that as a jack point for the front axle? my gut says no...but it's right where I like to put the dang jack/jack stand when doing tire rotations.

I have tried to use it as a jack point once and quickly gave up on that idea. There was some flexing of the skid and creaking I was not comfortable with and did not inspire confidence to me this was a best practice.

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