Questions about rear LCA skids

[GladLad]

Ok, I was able to recover the deleted photos. The first two photos show the bracket challenge. The thrid should part of the modification. I had to do an additional mode on the other side as well, marked in red.

Thanks for the additional photos! My frame has the same gap as seen in your first two pics, both sides of the truck. The last pic shows the mod I was expecting to see based on the review I read, and looking under my truck.

Can you please comment on my question from post #10? I'd like to know if the inner side of the MC bracket touches, and is therefore fully supported by, the factory, black lca mount. Or if it floats in a cantilevered fashion. See pic for location of what I'm referring to (an untightened example, so I don't know if it lifts to touch).

Thanks for your help!

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[bd100]

Even if the skid touches, it might still be vulnerable to horizontal twisting forces if you slide it on something. I haven't installed a skid at this location for this reason. About the only solution that comes to mind would be a spacer and a longer bolt to hold onto the skid at both sides.

 

[Sw00per]

Here are two photos for the other part of your question.

 

[GladLad]

Here are two photos for the other part of your question.

Thank you very much, greatly appreciated!

That confirms my suspicion, it's cantilevered. I can't say that's definitively a problem, but I am an overthinker and wonder how it would treat that bolt if a heavy force pushed on that cantilever. It wouldn't just be simple upward pressure. Takes a rare precise event I suppose.

I haven't heard any reports of it being a problem though, and I suspect most are like that.

Even if the skid touches, it might still be vulnerable to horizontal twisting forces if you slide it on something. I haven't installed a skid at this location for this reason. About the only solution that comes to mind would be a spacer and a longer bolt to hold onto the skid at both sides.

Yeah, maybe. Takes a precise event like I mentioned above, but even more specific.



I suspect most of the rear frame lca skids have the same cantilever design. Metalcloak, Rusty's, and Clayton from what I've seen, likely do.

Metalcloak has rust resistance with 3/16" gold zinc steel, 3 bolt points, may require grinding, top cost, and cantilevered.

Rusty's is 1/4" unpainted steel, 3 different bolt points, some reports of ill fitment and possible drilling required, mid cost, and cantilevered from what I can tell.

Clayton's is 1/4" powder coat steel, 2 bolt points, gold zinc hardware, the lowest price, and cantilevered from what I can tell. I've seen no reports, but it looks less likely to require modification since it's inside wall does not go all the way up to interfere with gas tank skids.

And the only non cantilevered design goes to Rockhard 4x4. 1/4" powder coated steel, single bolt that goes through steel on both sides, with some reports of cutting needed. Top cost along with Metalcloak, or more if you want to preemptively replace the bolts likely to rust.

I was originally thinking Clayton for price, gold zinc hardware, and a design that seems like it will fit without modification, but that's pure speculation. Or Metalcloak because I don't like rust. I was avoiding RH because of the additional rusty bolt issues. Any skid will rust in Michigan after getting rashed up (that's what Fluid Film is for), but rusty hardware is inexcusable knowing where these parts are going.

However, now I'm unsure of the cantilevered designs and may go with RH after all, and get new hardware from Belmetric.

It being a single bolt design, I was also concerned about pivoting. They say they have retention bends to keep them from rotating backwards, but I can barely see a bend in front. And hearing how everyone's Jeep is different with all these installs, I don't see how the bend could be precise enough to keep it locked. So it likely won't prevent all rotation, just full. A simple peg/bolt to go into one of the other holes to prevent rotation would have been nice.

 

[bd100]

Well I was mistaken. I have the RH skid at the rear frame location, which has the bolt run through both sides. Worked well so far, but rusting because I didn't paint it before install. Some day I'll pull it off and take care of that problem. I did order and install new bolts, too.

It's the front which I skipped, because there is nothing to bolt through on one side, and the skid would become a lever ready to twist the mount when hitting something.

 

[GladLad]

Well I was mistaken. I have the RH skid at the rear frame location, which has the bolt run through both sides. Worked well so far, but rusting because I didn't paint it before install. Some day I'll pull it off and take care of that problem. I did order and install new bolts, too.

It's the front which I skipped, because there is nothing to bolt through on one side, and the skid would become a lever ready to twist the mount when hitting something.

Damn rusty bolts, get with the program RH. The skids will always need touchup though. Or just Fluid Film and let em go.

The only other front frame lca skid I had found may actually solve the cantilever issue. Requires drilling, but very affordable. I just don't hit the front, so skipping for now.

Barnes4wd

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