Sponsored

Next Venture JLU Aluminum Belly Skids

P&PJeep

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2020
Threads
13
Messages
95
Reaction score
39
Location
Mesquite, NV
Vehicle(s)
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport
Occupation
Retired
Clubs
 
Next mod will be adding aluminum skid plates to my JLU. Looking at aluminum to keep the weight down and trying to decide between Artec and Next Venture. Atrec has lots of reviews but I cannot find any on the Next Venture. Is there anyone out there running the Next Venture aluminum belly skids and what are your thoughts?
Sponsored

 

DVJeeper

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2019
Threads
5
Messages
58
Reaction score
38
Location
Rancho Cucamonga
Vehicle(s)
2019 JL 4door
I can't speak to the Next Venture product, I have the Artec Aluminum skid and it is one of the best designed items I have added to my Jeep. In my opinion Artec is one of the best in the business when it comes to design and fitment.
 
OP
OP
P&PJeep

P&PJeep

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2020
Threads
13
Messages
95
Reaction score
39
Location
Mesquite, NV
Vehicle(s)
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport
Occupation
Retired
Clubs
 
I can't speak to the Next Venture product, I have the Artec Aluminum skid and it is one of the best designed items I have added to my Jeep. In my opinion Artec is one of the best in the business when it comes to design and fitment.
Thank you, lots of guys like the Artec al skid.
 

av8or

Well-Known Member
First Name
Randall
Joined
Apr 22, 2020
Threads
37
Messages
610
Reaction score
931
Location
Oregon
Vehicle(s)
2020 JLUR, 2023 Rivian R1T
Occupation
FedEx-retired
I can't speak to the Next Venture product, I have the Artec Aluminum skid and it is one of the best designed items I have added to my Jeep. In my opinion Artec is one of the best in the business when it comes to design and fitment.
Second this
 

MarkyMark

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Apr 14, 2020
Threads
5
Messages
196
Reaction score
145
Location
San Francisco, CA
Vehicle(s)
19 Rubicon JLU 2.0t w/ eTorque & Moto Guzzi Griso
I'm looking at both sets of skids too. The Artec looks impressive. . . BUT, it requires a lift. (I did validate this directly with Artec.). I don't plan to do a lift.

Does anyone have experience with the Next Venture Skid Plates?
 

Sponsored

JL2021guy

Well-Known Member
First Name
JL2021guy
Joined
Apr 25, 2021
Threads
3
Messages
66
Reaction score
19
Location
Daly City
Vehicle(s)
2021 Jeep Wrangler rubicon 3.6
Occupation
Jeep fun
I'm looking at both sets of skids too. The Artec looks impressive. . . BUT, it requires a lift. (I did validate this directly with Artec.). I don't plan to do a lift.

Does anyone have experience with the Next Venture Skid Plates?
I guess nobody has a next venture skid ?! Does it cover the exposed part of gas tank in case drivshaft busts ?
 

DellCook

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
144
Reaction score
290
Location
St Augustine, FL
Vehicle(s)
2021 Rubicon 392
Anyone purchase the Next Venture? Curious about how install went (photos, time, process, etc). I don't even see YouTubes on this yet...
 

CWRUYOTE

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2021
Threads
7
Messages
407
Reaction score
526
Location
CLE
Vehicle(s)
2021 JLURD
I guess I'm the guinea pig on this. I wanted the Artec system, but got tired of waiting for their diesel-specific skids.

I snagged Next Venture's aluminum diesel skid system and rear diff skid during their July 4th sale and will update this thread once everything's installed--which will be after my lift, so it may be living in my garage a while ;)
 

MarkyMark

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Apr 14, 2020
Threads
5
Messages
196
Reaction score
145
Location
San Francisco, CA
Vehicle(s)
19 Rubicon JLU 2.0t w/ eTorque & Moto Guzzi Griso
Hi team, I just completed an install of the Next Venture Aluminum skid plates for my 2019 Rubicon JLU 2.0 Turbo w/ eTorque. Overall EXTREMELY happy! They look great, have great build quality, and minimal weight increase. I'm going to provide some additional videos and pics in the next few thread's as there doesn't seem to be a lot out there on them.

I did run into a handful of issues the biggest by far was the cross brace provided by NV making contact with the factory exhaust. (More to come on this.). However, Cassy, Hunter, and Dan from NV were AWESOME on the responsiveness, customer service, and overnighting me a replacement part.

So, here's some of the basic weights (taken off my bathroom scale and subtracting my weight so possibly off slightly!)

Cross member - 19.2 lbs
eTorque - 7.5 lbs
Belly Skid - 15.5 lbs
Fuel Skid - 34.7 lbs
Brackets for Fuel Skid - 12 lbs
Engine Skid - 3.3 lbs
Total - 110.2 lbs

Items removed:
- Stock Tank Skid - 42.5 lbs
- Cross Members (with skid) - 19.5 lbs
Total removed - 62 lbs

Net Total Add - 38.2 lbs - Not bad!!!!!!

More to come as I have time. . . .
 

MarkyMark

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Apr 14, 2020
Threads
5
Messages
196
Reaction score
145
Location
San Francisco, CA
Vehicle(s)
19 Rubicon JLU 2.0t w/ eTorque & Moto Guzzi Griso
Ok, first off, here are the instructions for the Next Venture Skid Plate System. The admittedly leave a little to the imagination. . . but Hunter told me they have a complete install video in the works.
 

Attachments


Sponsored

MarkyMark

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Apr 14, 2020
Threads
5
Messages
196
Reaction score
145
Location
San Francisco, CA
Vehicle(s)
19 Rubicon JLU 2.0t w/ eTorque & Moto Guzzi Griso
Here are the details of dropping the gas tank factory skid take-off. Note: I did this in my garage without lifting or jacking my jeep. In hindsight it would have been easier to do it lifted slightly!

A few details that might help:
- Have fuel tank as absolutely empty as possible for weight.
- loosen up all the bolts but don't take them out.
- Disconnect wire connectors to skid on front (top area) and rear of tank.
- Work ratcheting tie-down straps under the tank (between skid and tank). Note, I had to do both from the front. Doing from the back was impossible.
- About 1/3 the way down the tank I ran into a metal strap that attached the skid to the tank by going around it. After screwing with this for a while, I ended up just grinding it off.
- I only got one strap about 1/2 the way to the back and the other that was close to the front. But they held the tank fine.
- I added some very dense foam both above the tank and on the cross member provided by Next Venture to keep the gas tank from "bouncing around."
- The stock skid just barley fit under the jeep to drag it out. . . but it did fit.







 

MarkyMark

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Apr 14, 2020
Threads
5
Messages
196
Reaction score
145
Location
San Francisco, CA
Vehicle(s)
19 Rubicon JLU 2.0t w/ eTorque & Moto Guzzi Griso
Ok, once you get past the stock gas tank skid plate removal, it gets a boatload easier. Basically you just follow the directions that Next Venture provides. They're pretty self explanatory. . . . I'm dropping a few videos in, some of them are slightly out of order as I had to drop one of my braces out due to an exhaust contact issue. (Will explain more in a second.)

Basically you want to get the two cross braces in place for the gas tank. One of these is a shorter "L" shaped brace. The second is a long cross-brace. A few tricks:

- On the short L brace, put the carriage bolts in first. I had to drop it back out as I couldn't fit them in with the gas tank there.

- On the carriage bolts, I thought what NV supplied was too long (I've notified them and they say they're adjusting). So I purchased my own. I also wanted to go with stainless. Ended up dropping $50 on stainless hardware. . . . Not a big deal as I don't plan on getting back in there for a while.)

- On the long cross brace, two things:
1) I didn't like how the tank moved around (up and down) without the factory strap on it that I'd had to cut off. So. . . I had some highly dense black foam and I cut a piece for the tank to rest on and for good measure stuck another piece up above the tank between it and the jeep body.)
2) MAKE SURE YOU CHECK TO ENSURE YOUR EXHAUST IS NOT CONTACTING! I didn't do this and it caused me a boatload more work and I proceeded with my install without checking and had to back it out later! In talking with Dan (NV), they use the same brace for the V6, 4t and now v8. The original V6 had no issues with it. . . but they had only done the 4T with an aftermarket exhaust. Thus didn't realize my resonator was right up against their brace. Dan / Hunter were great, they whipped me up a new design cut down where it needed to be and with extra gusseting and overnighted it to me for Saturday delivery.



- The rest of the gas tank skid install is pretty self explanatory with one exception. I could not figure out how to use the little "hardware sticks". (Apparently I'm a dumb dumb and didn't realize that they went in the frame. . . which the rest of you would have known, but Dan was kind enough to make me a little video which I've included for anyone who is as challenged as me.

Sponsored

 
 



Top