Stock Diff Covers

[bakobobby]

https://nextventuremotorsports.com/collections/jeep-truck-gladiator-jt/products/jl-rds-m220

https://nextventuremotorsports.com/products/jl-front-diff-skid-fds

These are amazing. If you have stock covers, they have spacers to account for the thickness. They protect everything. Not just the bottom of the diff cover.

Impressive! Not cheap but those look like they would take a lot of punishment. Do they ever go on sale and do they fit other aftermarket covers?

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[WILDHOBO]

Impressive! Not cheap but those look like they would take a lot of punishment. Do they ever go on sale and do they fit other aftermarket covers?

They’re REALLY solid. They make their own covers that work with them. I don’t see the need for covers with these skids though, unless it’s for cosmetics. They agreed when I asked them.

 

[bakobobby]

Found this yt vid features both the MC and NV skids

 

[Rockabillyroy]

Here are some pictures of the next venture skids. Primed and painted billet silver to match the body. I know. Silly. I wanted something different. I’m happy with how it turned out. And I can just hit them with rattle cans when they get hit badly.

Muthalovin faaaaaaaak.....

Just added another expensive item to my list.
Hahaha

Thanks

 

[WILDHOBO]

Muthalovin faaaaaaaak.....

Just added another expensive item to my list.
Hahaha

Thanks

They’re not so bad. Good assurance that you’ll make it off the trail with all your diff fluid. I’ll take that all day when I’m 4 or 6 hours from home.

 

[Rockabillyroy]

They’re not so bad. Good assurance that you’ll make it off the trail with all your diff fluid. I’ll take that all day when I’m 4 or 6 hours from home.

And they have military discount. Bonus!

 

[WILDHOBO]

And they have military discount. Bonus!

Cool.

 

[hjdca]

I do rock crawling, especially the 3 badge of honor Trails in Big Bear. I have lots of skids, and I bang my sliders, diff skids, control arm skids, transfer case skid, etc... on the boulders on these trails. Every big trip, I go underneath the truck and paint the banged up skids satin black, but, the metalcloak stuff is gold, so, I have not got around to getting matching paint for those yet. Note: My method rims are also satin black, and I also paint those with touch up paint when I scrape them. So, the gold color on the skids is the only drawback I see, since, I cannot use my bottle of satin black touch up paint on it. Other than that, the metalcloak diff skids are fantastic.

Generally, I hit the diff skids when I slide off a rock, -- and the most common situation is that the front diff makes it through the obstacle and the JT is long, so that I may have to turn, and thus, the rear may slide off the line on the rock and hit the diff skid. The rear diff skid and rear control arm skids at the frame take those hits. IMHO, those rear control arm skids at the frame are also super important to save trashing your control arm brackets.

Pretty much all aftermarket skid plates and covers are good... One benefit I would like to add regarding the metalcloak is that both the front and back skids do not share any bolts with the diff cover gasket. I believe this is important because in the cases of massive blows, there is no pressure on the diff cover gaskets. Even the front metalcloak diff cover bolts in the picture I posted are using special bolt holes that are tapped into the metalcloak cover, but, not the diff cover gasket bolts. Of course, the front Metalcloak diff skid requires the Metalcloak diff cover to enable mounting.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Pretty much all aftermarket skid plates and covers are good... One benefit I would like to add regarding the metalcloak is that both the front and back skids do not share any bolts with the diff cover gasket. I believe this is important because in the cases of massive blows, there is no pressure on the diff cover gaskets. Even the front metalcloak diff cover bolts in the picture I posted are using special bolt holes that are tapped into the metalcloak cover, but, not the diff cover gasket bolts. Of course, the front Metalcloak diff skid requires the Metalcloak diff cover to enable mounting.

I get your point, but I’m not worried about the very distributed load while sharing six bolts with the diff cover. That’s a pretty strong part already, as you can put a floor jack under it if necessary. And then there is still a huge bracket that goes over the body of the diff further forward. If it were one or two bolts only, I’d see the possibility of an issue, but not with six.

 

[bakobobby]

I do rock crawling, especially the 3 badge of honor Trails in Big Bear. I have lots of skids, and I bang my sliders, diff skids, control arm skids, transfer case skid, etc... on the boulders on these trails. Every big trip, I go underneath the truck and paint the banged up skids satin black, but, the metalcloak stuff is gold, so, I have not got around to getting matching paint for those yet. Note: My method rims are also satin black, and I also paint those with touch up paint when I scrape them. So, the gold color on the skids is the only drawback I see, since, I cannot use my bottle of satin black touch up paint on it. Other than that, the metalcloak diff skids are fantastic.

Generally, I hit the diff skids when I slide off a rock, -- and the most common situation is that the front diff makes it through the obstacle and the JT is long, so that I may have to turn, and thus, the rear may slide off the line on the rock and hit the diff skid. The rear diff skid and rear control arm skids at the frame take those hits. IMHO, those rear control arm skids at the frame are also super important to save trashing your control arm brackets.

I appreciate you sharing your real trail experience. Saw one of your vids on that gnarly trail down south of me. I am sold they will do the trick.

 

[WILDHOBO]

LCA skids are definitely next on my list. As next venture doesn’t make them yet, what do people prefer?

 

[Orange01z28]

I went with the Yukon covers and I kind of regret it because I think it was only really designed for the JL and not JT even though it its listed as compatible. The Yukon logo is partially blocked by the rear sway bar and all you see is "Yuk". I tried reaching out to Yukon on FB msg but they never responded after it showed they viewed it. They seem like solid covers though.

I have these on the way

Didn't realize that was going to happen

 

[Orange01z28]

LCA skids are definitely next on my list. As next venture doesn’t make them yet, what do people prefer?

Yes, they're on the list for me too, especially after looking at my LCAs closely recently

 

[bakobobby]

@Summitdan I have the rock hard rear lower LCA and shock skids they are solid but untested so far. Up front have the Artec lower LCA skids, came as part of a front armor kit. Also untested… my front tie rod and pumpkin are the only things to take any real force yet. I will write something up maybe after Moab I assume they will see some real work there.

 

[bakobobby]

Oh and the price was really good IMO for both those kits. Somewhere near $300 and that also includes c-gussets and truss.

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