Georgia Trail Riders Forum
MEMBERS DISCUSSION AREA => General Discussion => Topic started by: Grass Janitor on July 22, 2008, 05:59:19 PM
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I've gotta get my junk some protection ;). I know I want:
Engine/Oil Pan Skid
Gas Tank Skid
Rockers
Diff Covers
Knowing the trails we usually run and considering my low rider mall-crawler (31s, 2" BB) how would you prioritize these? I have always felt like the oil pan would come first, but I could use some advice.
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Rockers!!! Anything that keeps your junk off the hard stuff. Heck, I've laid my tube steps on some nasty stuff, but nothing has ever hit the body. So I'm happy. I've been meaning to get an engine/oil pan skid for awhile, although I've never hit in that area. Really the only time a TJ needs protection there is when you slide off a rock and there's something there that catches it right. Climbing ledges and such, Tjs almost always hit the T-case skid. It should definitely be on your to-dos though. I don't think there are many Tjs in this group with engine skids, however.
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I have to agree with Will, rockers. I had a JK but the idea is the same and man I use the crap out of rockers. When I had the 2 door on 35s i beat the rockers, even with the stock Rubi doing mild trails I have already hit them a few times.
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i think the first damage i took on my jeep was always the rockers. then it was the gas tank that started taking damage, but that little thin sheet did do a pretty good job and keeping it safe, but just got bent to bad. i do have some good dents in my oil pan but (knock on wood) not bad enough for me to pay attention to yet. only issue i have with stock diff covers is pealing them and getting a slight leak (easy fix with better covers)
with all that said i would go in this order
rockers
corners
engine/ oil pan
diff covers
gas tank
8)
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Your 2001 tj gas tank skid is really not that bad when compared to older tj models. I would do rockers first.
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Rockers then diff covers. Diffs are the lowest part on your vehicle. I almost pushed my stock one into the gears one day, got some beefy covers shortly after!
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rockers and dif covers for sure. Rockhard4x4 makes some good rocker protection, installation isnt super easy but I've never seen them shift or bend...
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I have to admit I was hoping rockers would be a popular choice just because they also improve the look of the jeep IMO. I'm thinking about AtoZ among others. I've always worried about the oil pan just b/c if I hit it I may not be getting home but y'all are right, my t-case skid usually hits everything anyway. Rusty's has a 3/16" gas tank skid for only 200 right now, so I may also go with that. The prices for good diff covers are pretty surprising to me.
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Well, here is my take...
1. Rockers
2. Diffs
3. Steering box skid
4. Oil pan skid
5. Gas tank skid
I would almost put a diff guard first. I have nailed mine many a time and it has saved me from shoving the cover into the ring gear! Eventually you will need to look into replacing the transfer case skid. I beat mine all to heck. But rockers are a must. It is the weakest and thinnest part of the Jeep to hit. I have only hit my oil pan skid once and it was a big hang up. Usually it will not be an issue. The gas tank skid is a priority but only if you are Krawling on big rocks and ledges. I got all my dents from the rock garden at crawfords. Alex is right though, they take a good beating but as low as the butt hangs on TJs I would get one pretty soon. Everybody overlooks the steering box skid. I have come real close to hitting mine. You hit that good and you are toast! But do what the budget alows first. And do internet searches for most of these parts like craigslist etc. No need to pay full price when somebody may have a scratched up guard for cheaper. It's gonna get hit anyway!
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I'm definitely getting a steering box skid, I just didn't list it. For the price of those it's a no-brainer to me, def worth 50 bucks or less.
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I got my front diff guard for $35 from Oconee Offroad. If you looka nd search you will find about anything you want cheaper than just buying from the big namers. Just takes time but for me... every penny matters! It has taken me 8 years to get my Jeep they way I want it! :D
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Rockers then diff covers. Diffs are the lowest part on your vehicle. I almost pushed my stock one into the gears one day, got some beefy covers shortly after!
I was there. Wasn't that the second attempt at "Damn rock!" hill? :D
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NO! :D
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NO! :D
You wouldn't have an oil pan skid if I didn't pick it up for you that one time! I was just gonna flex on it and leave it on School Bus!
oohhhhhhh!!! ~>} (burn)
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I got my front diff guard for $35 from Oconee Offroad. If you looka nd search you will find about anything you want cheaper than just buying from the big namers. Just takes time but for me... every penny matters! It has taken me 8 years to get my Jeep they way I want it! :D
exactly, I only spend money on my jeep twice a year, at my birthday (last friday) and Christmas, so it's a slow process and I try to get the best deal possible and make sure I have some sort of a plan before every purchase. I forgot about Oconee, I'll check them out. I know where I'm trying to get with my rig, and like you it's gonna take a few years to get there.
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Never mind what Will says. Yes, I "knicked" it. But the armor served the purpose. Burn this ()()
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I love it when you girls go at it! LMAO! ;D
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Never mind what Will says. Yes, I "knicked" it. But the armor served the purpose. Burn this ()()
Watch me bust the oil pan on some roadkill tomorrow. :-\ I need to shut up.
Hey Ben, I tried to call you and ask you about your RE discos, but you didn't answer... lame. I got it figured out though. Larry sent me his Gen II discos. Put those on and also got my seat covers and grab handles slapped in. Got pics of everything, but my card reader is at my house and I'm house/dog sitting for my sister this week. I'll pick it up tomorrow after work though.f
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I love it when you girls go at it! LMAO! ;D
Hey... you.... I got nothin'.
Oh! You no sway bar disconnectin' dude! ;D
Sorry for destroying your thread man! {btt}
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I love it when you girls go at it! LMAO! ;D
Oh! You no sway bar disconnectin' dude! ;D
I'm making a few changes as we speak. SURPRISE!
And to think I could hang with you guys with it locked!
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I love it when you girls go at it! LMAO! ;D
Oh! You no sway bar disconnectin' dude! ;D
I'm making a few changes as we speak. SURPRISE!
And to think I could hang with you guys with it locked!
Good lord! What did you buy now? .... Can I have the SwayLoc? ;D
edit: haha "SURPRISE!" :D
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Good lord! What did you buy now? .... Can I have the SwayLoc? ;D
Uhhh, no, sorry. >:( 1 of my favorites now. So while we're on MODS, let me add that it's a really sick mod that is far more complex and valuable than I previously knew. I really didn't understand all the benefits until the few days. I'm working on articulation, a tail pipe, and a few other odds and ends, and have been digging into the SwayLOC, and what exactly it does. It does NOT disconnect the sway bar, but uses a weaker bar to provide stability and balance, additional traction through pressure, and extremely easy use while only sacrificing 3-4% of articulation. It even has 4 levels of support for the road, and soft support for off road.
Here are some notes I found:
The point of the SwayLOC is balance. You give up what I would say is negligible wheel travel and what you gain is stability and traction. How?
Balance
The OE rear and Anti-Rock/SwayLOC front swaybars work in concert to keep the suspension forces balanced between the two axles. The aftermarket bars have thinner-than-stock offroad bars so that the front doesn't overpower the rear end. With the forces more balanced the chassis tends to be much more stable and "level" on rough terrain such that you don't have one end or the other trying to dominate such as disco'ing the front but with the OE rear swaybar hooked up.
Stability
The other benefit is improved stability in off-camber trail conditions. With a disco'd rig there is nothing to resist leaning when the jeep is in an off-camber situation. It just leans to the side. This can exacerbate potential roll-over situations. With SwayLOC/Anti-rock there is a front swaybar to provide some roll resistance which helps with stability.
Traction
This gets back to the balance somewhat. With suspension forces better balanced between front and rear axles there more even forces transfered to the tires and a more even distribution of weigh/traction to the ground.
Dynamic Trail Conditions
Having an offroad swaybar equipped Jeep does a better job overall of improving performance than simply having your front axle disco'd. There may be certain real or theoretical conditions where having a disco'd front axle might be better. But it's only in those specific rare circumstances. If you consider the other 99.9% of the time having the front axle connected via offroad swaybar will give you so many more and tangible benefits.
The front axle is ALWAYS connected. What these two bars offer is simply a softer swaybar for offroading that allows 94-96% of the articulation as being disconnected but with all the benefits of keeping a swaybar hooked up.
Ease of Use
This to me is a side benefit which at times is VERY much appreciated. First and foremost these swaybar systems are for traction and stability. But at the start and end of the day it's SO NICE not having to mess with quick disconnects, pins, and fighting you swaybar to re-connect the links.
SwayLOC vs. Anti-rock
In many ways the off-road performance of the Anti-rock and SwayLOC is near identicle. I honestly couldn't tell the difference after switching from the Anti-rock (which I ran for 2 years) to the SwayLOC. The BIG difference is ON THE STREET. The Anti-rock is a single-rate OFFROAD swaybar. On road it's a bit soft. It still does the job of a swaybar but it allows more sway and roll before you get resistance.
The SwayLOC has TWO swaybars, a thinner, softer offroad swaybar that is ALWAYS hooked up and a thicker, stiffer swaybar that can be super easily engaged at the flip of a lever.
As much as I looooved my Anti-rock the SwayLOC is 10 times better. Regaining that street-stability and flat cornering felt like I got a brand new Jeep. Most people who have disco's won't experience this as you leave the swaybar hooked up on the road. But for any who currently have an Anti-rock you'll LOVE the SwayLOC even more.
So, the SwayLOCs and ARs aren't better because they say Currie or ORO on the side. They are better because of the benefits they offer to the Jeep on the trail, and on the road in the case of the SwayLOC.
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Swayloc Swayloc smayloc.... All this talk about sway bars makes me glad I can put it in 4wd, hit a button and I am disconnected 8)
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Swayloc Swayloc smayloc.... All this talk about sway bars makes me glad I can put it in 4wd, hit a button and I am disconnected 8)
LOL! :D But that's the whole jist, disconnected ain't as good! ;D
EDIT: But a switch on the dash is cool. Perhaps the Rubi does apply some light pressure when it's disconnected as well. It would be interesting to know.
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I sure like disconnecting mine! Will, I usually have the phone on till 9 or so but I left it in the Jeep last night. Sorry man, don't hate! ;)
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LOL! :D But that's the whole jist, disconnected ain't as good! ;D
EDIT: But a switch on the dash is cool. Perhaps the Rubi does apply some light pressure when it's disconnected as well. It would be interesting to know.
Now that I think about it, I am curious too... the motor doesn't disconnect the links, I wonder what it does disconnect... Here is a picture of it:
http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?partID=15832
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The bar disconnects in the middle within the motor. You cannot physically see the disconnection.
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Now that I think about it, I am curious too... the motor doesn't disconnect the links, I wonder what it does disconnect... Here is a picture of it:
http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?partID=15832
The linkage is still hooked up, but the bar is released from tension, so you get the full articulation, limited by the reach of the linkage. I wonder if it would flex more completely disconnected, but I think it does offer some stability control with the design. Nice set up.
That things got more electronics on it than most people know. The anti-skid Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is quite impressive. It will apply braking to a wheel or release it to provide the optimum traction, and can be disabled with the push of a button. Neat electronic throttle, with a different ratio when you're in 4 low. All good stuff. I recently drove an automatic 08" with 5k that was a steal, but didn't like the on-road power. I'm sure it's fine off-road, or with the 6 speed.
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I recently drove an automatic 08" with 5k that was a steal, but didn't like the on-road power. I'm sure it's fine off-road, or with the 6 speed.
this is 90% of the complaints about the JK. It is slow on road. Ok not bad but it is different and takes some getting use to before you know when to press the pedal and where on the power band is the "sweet spot". I will say, driving a manual JK is night and day from the auto and i like it a lot more.
On a side note, I think whoever had my JK Rubicon previous got ESP deactivated somehow. I have manipulated situations where it should come on but it never does. Or it could be the steering wheel was off on my last JK so ESP was way more touchy than if it is all nice and stock and center.
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{btt}
I just pulled the trigger on some AtoZ Fab Rockers. I was looking them up in the vendor section on JF and noticed he's got the Wheel-Well to WW rockers for TJs now and was running a special on them until the end of the month. So I went ahead and ordered them, when I get them I'll post pics and install info. ;D
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good move. I was going to get some AtoZ a long time ago but they were way behind production on the JK sliders.
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Sweet! Pics when you get them on. I love my TJ, No electronic BS!
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I recently drove an automatic 08" with 5k that was a steal, but didn't like the on-road power. I'm sure it's fine off-road, or with the 6 speed.
this is 90% of the complaints about the JK. It is slow on road. Ok not bad but it is different and takes some getting use to before you know when to press the pedal and where on the power band is the "sweet spot". I will say, driving a manual JK is night and day from the auto and i like it a lot more.
It feels nice with 5.13's. ;D
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I recently drove an automatic 08" with 5k that was a steal, but didn't like the on-road power. I'm sure it's fine off-road, or with the 6 speed.
this is 90% of the complaints about the JK. It is slow on road. Ok not bad but it is different and takes some getting use to before you know when to press the pedal and where on the power band is the "sweet spot". I will say, driving a manual JK is night and day from the auto and i like it a lot more.
It feels nice with 5.13's. ;D
Not in the wallet though!
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he did say 08 so unless it was a Rubicon it has either 3.21 or 3.73 gears, not 4.10
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he did say 08 so unless it was a Rubicon it has either 3.21 or 3.73 gears, not 4.10
Definitely a Rubi Unlimited that I was "entertaining" and driving.