Full belly aluminum skid plate comparison

[Puch]

Doing some research on full belly skid plates. I'm focused on aluminum, rather than steel. So this list purposefully omits all still. Question at the bottom on ground clearance impacts and installation experience.

Brand	Material	Cost	Weight	Installation	Finish	Transfer Case Area Coverage*	Notes
Artec	1/4" 6061 Aluminum	$$$	+10 lbs	Remove gas tank skid; drill one hole	None	full	1.5" lift required
Asfir	1/4" 5052 Aluminum	$	+64 lbs	Bolt on	None	partial	Difficult hidden nut on install
M.O.R.E. (Mountain Off-Road	1/4" Aluminum	$$$	TBD	bolt on	None (can be color powder-coated	partial	Suggest 1.5" lift for driveshaft clearance; could not determine weight
Next Venture	1/4" 5052 Aluminum	$$$$	+20 lbs	Remove gas tank skid; cut one bracket	None	full
Quadratec	5052 Aluminum	$$	+123 lbs	bolt on	None	partial	Likely ¼" thick, but could not confirm
Rock Hard 4x4	1/4" Aluminum	$$$	+180 lbs	bolt on	Black powdercoat	full	Has replacement steel cross members

*Transfer Area Case Coverage: These products differ most in their approach to covering the transfer case area (the mid-section). Some are full-width and others are focus on the transfer case itself.

I don't have specific numbers in for cost... because they fluctuate. But I think that the relative rating might be helpful.

The Rock Hard is notable in that it's the biggest weight differential. Likely due to the replacement steel cross members, presumably beefy, given RH4x4's reputation, but not weighed separately; and because RH doesn't remove the OEM gas tank skid

The installs all look comparable, with maybe the exception of the Next Venture: cutting a bracket is a bigger deal than drilling a hole (Artec)

One factor that's very unclear is the difference in ground clearance LOST by these various skids.

Presumably, the Artec and Next Venture kits give up the least clearance, at least near the gas tank, because installation removes the OEM gas tank skid. But it's hard to determine specifics.

Additionally, Artec and M.O.R.E. have statements about requiring lift. It's unclear (from web info) if the additional hight on a JTR gives sufficient clearance. My guess is "no" but I'm not an expert in the subtle differences between JTR and other JT* suspensions.

Does anyone has thoughts/experience on the topic of ground clearance? And/or installation?

I have owned the rock hard aluminum full belly skid for a couple years.
1. easy install
2. Reduction in clearance was not noticeable.
3. Strength - the main skid has taken some serious hits and held up good IMO…..two buts:
But #1. I don’t do any serious wheeling in the winter so I usually take the giant skid off for the season. This is to avoid getting all that road salt stuck up there where I can’t wash it off easily. The first time I tried to remove the bolts, they were fused to the cross members. Keep in mind that at this point, they had only been installed for a few months (spring thru Fall). Looks like they were zinc coated bolts? I’m not sure if this is intentional by the manufacturer or somehow the wrong fasteners were included with my skids? I never contacted RH to find out. Broke one trying to get them out. All of them looked like they had come off a 50yr old junk yard special. Not fun! I ended up replacing all of the bolts with SS.
But #2. I came down on the oil pan skid and the weld on both sides of the skid broke. I had it repaired by a person who did welding for a helicopter builder here in Ct. I assume he can weld good? The repair looked way better than the original. Anyway, it broke again and was pushed up enough that it was touching the exhaust tube

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[bd100]

But #1. The first time I tried to remove the bolts, they were fused to the cross members. Keep in mind that at this point, they had only been installed for a few months (spring thru Fall). Looks like they were zinc coated bolts? I’m not sure if this is intentional by the manufacturer or somehow the wrong fasteners were included with my skids? I never contacted RH to find out. Broke one trying to get them out. All of them looked like they had come off a 50yr old junk yard special. Not fun! I ended up replacing all of the bolts with SS.

But #2. I came down on the oil pan skid and the weld on both sides of the skid broke. I had it repaired by a person who did welding for a helicopter builder here in Ct. I assume he can weld good? The repair looked way better than the original. Anyway, it broke again and was pushed up enough that it was touching the exhaust tube

Stainless against aluminum can cause its own kind of corrosion. Maybe try good quality zinc coated bolts plus anti seize.

Did their cross member bend when the welds were broken?

 

[Puch]

Stainless against aluminum can cause its own kind of corrosion. Maybe try good quality zinc coated bolts plus anti seize.

Did their cross member bend when the welds were broken?

I thought steel on aluminum was bad and SS was the safe way to go?
There are two replacement cross members that are steel. They don’t bend. They are heavy duty! The oil pan skid has a slight bend in it. That’s where it broke. I’ll try to provide some pics.

 

[bd100]

A quick explanation:
Metal Compatibility

 

[toddarama]

But #2. I came down on the oil pan skid and the weld on both sides of the skid broke. I had it repaired by a person who did welding for a helicopter builder here in Ct. I assume he can weld good? The repair looked way better than the original. Anyway, it broke again and was pushed up enough that it was touching the exhaust tube

Have you contacted Rockhard? I don't expect they'd give you a replacement bellypan or anything like that, but maybe it would give them some ideas to improve future versions of the plate. You know, in case I was considering getting one in the future

 

[Puch]

Have you contacted Rockhard? I don't expect they'd give you a replacement bellypan or anything like that, but maybe it would give them some ideas to improve future versions of the plate. You know, in case I was considering getting one in the future

I actually contacted them way back when I tried to install the skids the first time. One of the crossmembers didn’t fit correctly over the gas tank. The person I spoke to was very nice. He wanted me to take pictures and seemed willing to work with me. After, looking at the problem, I decided to fix it myself instead of having an unknown amount of downtime waiting to resolve it with him.
No, I did not contact them for the crappy fasteners or broken skid. I let my fellow forum members know my impressions when I can and that’s the best I can do.
I would have contacted RH if I thought it would benefit me somehow, but the QC and testing should have been done. The damage is/was done. Not my responsibility to help RH. Selfish, I know.
When I come across issues like this, I consider it a learning experience and buy from someone else next time.
That being said, I’m sure this skid system works great for many people or you would see many more postings like mine. Also, I’m sure even the toughest skid available have limitations. I probably exceeded the capacity of the aluminum. I was going over some nasty stuff. I don’t think that’s anybody’s fault but mine.
What I forgot to mention is that I developed an exhaust leak after the skid collapsed the second time. The skid pushed up on the exhaust cross pipe and stressed it at the manifold where it was leaking. At least that’s my assumption. I don’t want another one (aluminum).
Maybe RH should search popular forums for feedback? Maybe they do?

 

[HereWeGo]

Got the 5 piece ASFIR package for my JTRD. Easy install for me, I had my mechanic do it. He didn't have any problems, tho. Have not been wheeling to test it out, but it looks beefy enough. And ASFIF pays half the shipping from Israel. The 5 piece set plus shipping was $1300.

 

[Artec]

Any chance the new front engine skid will be available separately? I would like one with the access door for the oil drain.

So there has been a change we will be offering the oil pan skid as a individual option soon it will be the same skid as in the belly pan kit so if you want to get the remainder of the kit later on you will have that option

 

[zuki_dan]

So there has been a change we will be offering the oil pan skid as a individual option soon it will be the same skid as in the belly pan kit so if you want to get the remainder of the kit later on you will have that option

I already have the full kit bought through Northridge. Just wanted to have the access panel on the engine skid and possible better fitment around the exhaust crossover.

 

[22EcoDs]

Got the 5 piece ASFIR package for my JTRD. Easy install for me, I had my mechanic do it. He didn't have any problems, tho. Have not been wheeling to test it out, but it looks beefy enough. And ASFIF pays half the shipping from Israel. The 5 piece set plus shipping was $1300.

Can you snap a pic of the fuel filter skid pls?

 

[Chief_jeep]

im looking for a skid system as well, however I have a diesel. looks like most of the vendors dont support the diesel yet, if at all.

NextVenture and Artec both have diesel skid options. Motobilt is coming out with one but it will be steel

 

[Dougstdig]

Got the 5 piece ASFIR package for my JTRD. Easy install for me, I had my mechanic do it. He didn't have any problems, tho. Have not been wheeling to test it out, but it looks beefy enough. And ASFIF pays half the shipping from Israel. The 5 piece set plus shipping was $1300.

I originally thought 1300 wasn’t a bad price until I sat it was missing the whole passenger side…

 

[TRAILJT]

Doing some research on full belly skid plates. I'm focused on aluminum, rather than steel. So this list purposefully omits all still. Question at the bottom on ground clearance impacts and installation experience.

Brand	Material	Cost	Weight	Installation	Finish	Transfer Case Area Coverage*	Notes
Artec	1/4" 6061 Aluminum	$$$	+10 lbs	Remove gas tank skid; drill one hole	None	full	1.5" lift required
Asfir	1/4" 5052 Aluminum	$	+64 lbs	Bolt on	None	partial	Difficult hidden nut on install
M.O.R.E. (Mountain Off-Road	1/4" Aluminum	$$$	TBD	bolt on	None (can be color powder-coated	partial	Suggest 1.5" lift for driveshaft clearance; could not determine weight
Next Venture	1/4" 5052 Aluminum	$$$$	+20 lbs	Remove gas tank skid; cut one bracket	None	full
Quadratec	5052 Aluminum	$$	+123 lbs	bolt on	None	partial	Likely ¼" thick, but could not confirm
Rock Hard 4x4	1/4" Aluminum	$$$	+180 lbs	bolt on	Black powdercoat	full	Has replacement steel cross members

*Transfer Area Case Coverage: These products differ most in their approach to covering the transfer case area (the mid-section). Some are full-width and others are focus on the transfer case itself.

I don't have specific numbers in for cost... because they fluctuate. But I think that the relative rating might be helpful.

The Rock Hard is notable in that it's the biggest weight differential. Likely due to the replacement steel cross members, presumably beefy, given RH4x4's reputation, but not weighed separately; and because RH doesn't remove the OEM gas tank skid

The installs all look comparable, with maybe the exception of the Next Venture: cutting a bracket is a bigger deal than drilling a hole (Artec)

One factor that's very unclear is the difference in ground clearance LOST by these various skids.

Presumably, the Artec and Next Venture kits give up the least clearance, at least near the gas tank, because installation removes the OEM gas tank skid. But it's hard to determine specifics.

Additionally, Artec and M.O.R.E. have statements about requiring lift. It's unclear (from web info) if the additional hight on a JTR gives sufficient clearance. My guess is "no" but I'm not an expert in the subtle differences between JTR and other JT* suspensions.

Does anyone has thoughts/experience on the topic of ground clearance? And/or installation?

I went with artec. I was told By Rock Krawler that Artec skids worked the best with their Long arm KIt. They wit well and weren't too difficult to install. They are holding up well too.

 

[Chief_jeep]

One factor that's very unclear is the difference in ground clearance LOST by these various skids.

Presumably, the Artec and Next Venture kits give up the least clearance, at least near the gas tank, because installation removes the OEM gas tank skid. But it's hard to determine specifics.



With the Artec skids you gain 1" of clearance compared to the factory skids.

 

[Jteakus]

Artec has a nice sale happening now. Price is still $850ish higher than Metalcloak when they are running their normal 10% sales. If you gain 3/4" with the Artec that's like going from a 37" tire to a 38.5" tire and with only a 10 lb penalty? I believe I'm going to give them a try.

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