under Armor in order of importance

[CAWJENCHICKEN]

I have been searching and reading up on rock rails and belly skids and control arm skids and i am trying to put together them in a logical order. I have a 2022 JTR on 3.5 gamechanger and 37s. I do already have diff skids. as time/money allows i want to logically upgrade the rock rails and skids. What I cannot seem to find an answer on is: is it worth getting belly skids and upgrading the rock rails at later time or are the rock rails something that should be delt with first. I live and wheel on the east coast (aaoc, windrock, rausch creek). In the perfect world I would get all at once. I am leaning towards belly skid first then control arm skids then rock sliders. any guidance will be much appreciated. I want to be able to wheel tougher trails while coming out with as little battle scars as possible for my daily driver.

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[Zachanadandy]

I think belly skids, especially the unprotected oil pan, are the most critical. The rubicon rock rails aren't great but the will do the job unless you really slam them. I'd do rock sliders after that, but I've never run control arm skids in 25 years of playing in the rocks out west.

 

[Camaroboi13]

Engine/oil pan and transfer case would be the most important underneath. Having said that, I’ve drug my sliders around 10x more than anything under the vehicle.

 

[Scott L]

Sliders first. Choose your lines carefully until you can put a belly skid youll be fine. Factory skids while pretty lame do provide protection.

 

[bd100]

If you want to prioritize what is most likely to be hit, not the most expensive to repair, then I'd start with the rear frame side control arm skids, then the rear shock mount skids, and also get a hitch skid plate to plug in when offroad.

 

[mx5red]

Worried about getting stranded? Body damage?
There is a big difference between what gets scratched most often vs what I worry about most.
I don’t have belly skids but have sliders, oil pan skid, diff skids, FAD skid, control arm/shock skids, rear frame skids, and hitch skid.
On hard trails my rock sliders and hitch skid always hit. Various spots underneath will drag at some point due to breakover angle, these are usually spots along the frame and stock crossmembers. Nothing fragile.
I put the engine skid on to protect the oil pan, and more importantly the transmission coolant lines that hang low in front of the crossmember. However, I rarely scratch that. But I still would add that because f you ripped a line or gashed your oil pan that’s not something you can trail repair.
I grind my rock sliders all the time. I wouldn’t want the stock rubicon sliders for what I do.

my priorities would be sliders, diffs, hitch, and oil pan.
Someone told me they had a hard time changing their shock because the bracket was bent. So I think there is value in those skids, too, depending on what you plan on wheeling.

personally I haven’t seen the benefit of getting belly skids.

 

[Camaroboi13]

personally I haven’t seen the benefit of getting belly skids.

Because they’re cool, duh! ?

 

[PuddleJumper]

I have been searching and reading up on rock rails and belly skids and control arm skids and i am trying to put together them in a logical order. I have a 2022 JTR on 3.5 gamechanger and 37s. I do already have diff skids. as time/money allows i want to logically upgrade the rock rails and skids. What I cannot seem to find an answer on is: is it worth getting belly skids and upgrading the rock rails at later time or are the rock rails something that should be delt with first. I live and wheel on the east coast (aaoc, windrock, rausch creek). In the perfect world I would get all at once. I am leaning towards belly skid first then control arm skids then rock sliders. any guidance will be much appreciated. I want to be able to wheel tougher trails while coming out with as little battle scars as possible for my daily driver.

I ain't done shit. the stocks skids work surprisingly well. not to say i wont upgrade in the future but im not gonna hold off wheeling, the stocks do just fine. If you had a Toyota I'd say other wise, as i have seen rapid transmission, T-case and fuel tank deletes. Diffs are meh but if you got em run em. the important bits are oil pan, trans, heat exchanger, T-case, and fuel tank. next to important in my book would be rocker/sliders, diffs, arms, shock mounts, etc. with 37s and 3.5in of lift, odds are you aint hittin shit unless u get into some serious rocks. I wheel stock on 33s and clear 90% of the trails I hit.

 

[Rusty PW]

I wheel the same places as you do. Get the control arm skids. That is low hanging fruit for the rocks. A good set of rock rails. I have the White Knuckle set. I've drop 3ft on to them with no issues. Then I would get the belly skids.

 

[Jaxmax]

I wheel once in a while ,Rausch, but am not lifted , sliders are the most money and will protect the expensive body work on side of Jeep, Rusty's lower control arm skid protects what hits the most, hitch skid saves your bumper and gives a great attachment point, oil pan is important as stated it protects sensitive stuff but rarely hits, then shock and control arm skids and FAD.
My Mojave has RH shock skids, Rusty's control arm skids, Dana cast diff covers, Artec FAD skid, Skid Row exhaust loop skid (not installed yet), Warfab Sheridan hitch skid, Rubicon rear bed skids, and a Next Venture oil pan skid is in the mail. Next Venture now lets you buy the pieces to build the whole belly pan, so if I decide to go full belly later I can, although as I am such a poser and not wheeling that extreme the factory skids protect the bottom pretty good.
It is a good feeling when you hear thinks banging and scraping that you know you have your bottom protected., sort of the same feeling as having a winch on the front......Jack

 

[jac04]

The rocky east coast stuff can be tough. Sometimes you can pick the best line, and just when everything seems to be going fine, BAM!, the line picks you.

If you are OK with body damage, then don't worry too much about the factory Rubicon rock rails. They will take a beating, BUT they will flex up and hit the body when hit fairly hard. If you have no tolerance for body damage, then upgrade them immediately.

From there, look at the stuff that would leave you stranded if damaged.
- engine/trans skid
- exhaust loop skid
- diff pinion protection (if your diff skids don't already extend to protect the pinion areas)

 

[Artec]

We have used our bellypan more than sliders on our JT's

 

[Camaroboi13]

We have used our bellypan more than sliders on our JT's

Just to verify for the jury… does Artec make bellypans or does Artec make sliders??? ? ?

free shameless plug ?

 

[Artec]

Just to verify for the jury… does Artec make bellypans or does Artec make sliders??? ? ?

free shameless plug ?

Artec manufactures Vehicle Specfic Bumpers, Bellypans, Light Brackets, Fender liners, Axle trusses, Steering, and Aluminum Link kits As well as a bunch of DYI Builder parts

As for Sliders We did make some but we have recently discontinued the style we made an are currently testing out a new style along with Long arm with Triangulated rear

An since I know the question will pop up The Slider is 3/16" steel plate with a sacrificial 1/4" 6061 aluminum skin

 

[Camaroboi13]

What are the cross bars in the bed? If they were sturdy enough to hold a tent, but low enough for a soft tonneau to go over, you’d peak my interest.

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