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392 Skid Plates - Any recommendations and/or advice

Which 392 skids have you installed?

  • MetalCloak

  • Next Venture

  • Rock Hard

  • Running bear balls

  • Other


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ozon8r

ozon8r

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I ordered the MC skid plates a couple of weeks ago....hope to get them sometime soon....messing around with the motor mount nuts/bolts doesn't sound like fun...
If yours is like mine, you will need to some ratchet joints that will allow you to flex a socket wrench into the top of the mount or go thru the fender well cover from the top. Once it is out and you reinsert from the bottom, its pretty easy.
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ozon8r

ozon8r

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For what it’s worth, here are pics of the motor mount bolts before installing the MC lift. Unlike the instructions say, the bolts are 13mm rather than 18mm. Also, the instructions are incorrect on which of the three bolts to use and where the brackets mount. There are two bolts on the front side of each mount and one in the rear on each side. The right bolts are the bolt on the rear of each side of the Jeep.

83F7A067-9279-4C7A-BE1D-C46F3CFC4BCA.jpeg


86BC6AC1-4F96-451C-90E6-D69F66523C41.jpeg


1A6763A1-4204-4D79-A60D-158B22876FEC.jpeg
 

Outrun

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They should have supplied a flat bolt as discussed in this forum and not have that gnarly lump hanging down for the drain bolt. Would have saved them time and money.
 
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ozon8r

ozon8r

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They should have supplied a flat bolt as discussed in this forum and not have that gnarly lump hanging down for the drain bolt. Would have saved them time and money.
I hear ya and was my biggest concern going with MC over the other options available. There are two aspects of the MC design that I believe were considered in the way theirs is built 1) the bump not only accommodates the bolt but also the bolt nipple that sticks down from the oil pan. So, even if I replaced the bolt with a flat bolt hex head, the bump would still need to be there. And 2) the skid sits closer to the oil pan than others allowing for greater clearance overall under the pan, just not in the spot that accommodates the oil drain plug. I also like that it is open to accessing for oil changes. I've had skid plates on other vehicles that included covers which became damaged over time and difficult to open when time to change the oil. This should never become an issue with MC versus other competitor designs with access doors.
 
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ozon8r

ozon8r

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Here is a pic with the oil pan skid brackets attached to the motor mount. First pic below is passenger side, top of pic is toward front of 392. So, the bolt used is the rear side of motor mount, contrary to MC instructions and it is a 13mm bolt that was originally coming into the mount from the top rather than the bottom as required to connect the brackets.
Jeep Wrangler JL 392 Skid Plates - Any recommendations and/or advice IMG_1541

This is the driver side bracket and the top of the picture is toward the front of the Jeep (two bolts next to each other) and the bottom bolt is on the rear driver side motor mount, again a 13mm bolt that originally came in from the top but re-installed from the bottom to attach the oil pan bracket driver side.
Jeep Wrangler JL 392 Skid Plates - Any recommendations and/or advice IMG_1542
 

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MSparks909

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After more thought I think I might end up going with the MC skids instead of the NV skids like I originally planned. 40 more pounds than the NV setup but for that trade off I save $600 and gain a muffler skid + I can have them relatively quick without a long lead time. Will probably pull the trigger on the MC skids when my 392XR ships.
 
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ozon8r

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After more thought I think I might end up going with the MC skids instead of the NV skids like I originally planned. 40 more pounds than the NV setup but for that trade off I save $600 and gain a muffler skid + I can have them relatively quick without a long lead time. Will probably pull the trigger on the MC skids when my 392XR ships.
FWIW, I didn't install the gas tank skid from MC. The boxed weight of the gas tank skid is about 60 lbs. I am pretty confident that I won't need the MC gas skid. On my JKUR, I rock crawled the hell out of it with just the OEM gas tank skid, beat it up pretty hard, but it held up fine.
 

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Just ordered the Next Venture skid set. Really like their muffler/tailpipe skid and how the main plates fit together. Plus with this being a 392 I’m trying to save weight wherever I can. Saves me ~45# over the Metalcloak skid set. NV is going to be raising prices due to supply price increases (gotta love Covid) so if you’re on the fence I’d order ASAP. They have a 10% off coupon if you sign up for their email newsletter.
 

MSparks909

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Jeep Wrangler JL 392 Skid Plates - Any recommendations and/or advice 66185AE9-C308-4EC4-9EBE-E7748D6BF385


Here’s a pic of NV’s muffler/exhaust tip skid. I like that they chose to protect the exhaust tips as well as the muffler. I get that this look isn’t for everyone but I’m a function > form guy.
 
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ozon8r

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Jeep Wrangler JL 392 Skid Plates - Any recommendations and/or advice 66185AE9-C308-4EC4-9EBE-E7748D6BF385


Here’s a pic of NV’s muffler/exhaust tip skid. I like that they chose to protect the exhaust tips as well as the muffler. I get that this look isn’t for everyone but I’m a function > form guy.
I like that the design protects the tips. Looks good to me.
 

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Usethis83

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I am still on the hunt for an engine only skid. Y'all are making these full systems look pretty good though.
 

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If yours is like mine, you will need to some ratchet joints that will allow you to flex a socket wrench into the top of the mount or go thru the fender well cover from the top. Once it is out and you reinsert from the bottom, its pretty easy.
Man, that motor mount bolt on the passenger side is not yielding...can't get enough leverage to move it....tempted to hold on the bracket with a nut instead...
 
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ozon8r

ozon8r

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Man, that motor mount bolt on the passenger side is not yielding...can't get enough leverage to move it....tempted to hold on the bracket with a nut instead...
Which side? On the pax side, I turned the wheel driver direction and went under the wheel well fender plastic to access the bolt. The driver side I accessed lying on a creeper from below even though the bolt was on top of the mount. Good luck!
 

dgerb

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Which side? On the pax side, I turned the wheel driver direction and went under the wheel well fender plastic to access the bolt. The driver side I accessed lying on a creeper from below even though the bolt was on top of the mount. Good luck!
Well I've got a big problem now, the 13mm socket rounded off enough of the bolt flat area that it doesn't grip anymore, trying to go 1/2" but can't grab enough of the head....not sure what to do now....it's in a real bad spot....may have to drill it out....#^%#$%^&* I removed the driver side bolt with no problem from the top side of the engine bay with a long extension.
 
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ozon8r

ozon8r

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Well I've got a big problem now, the 13mm socket rounded off enough of the bolt flat area that it doesn't grip anymore, trying to go 1/2" but can't grab enough of the head....not sure what to do now....it's in a real bad spot....may have to drill it out....#^%#$%^&* I removed the driver side bolt with no problem from the top side of the engine bay with a long extension.
Crap.

Do you have a 13mm 12 point socket or one of these sockets pictured below?

Jeep Wrangler JL 392 Skid Plates - Any recommendations and/or advice Screen Shot 2021-10-20 at 4.57.58 PM


Another option, https://www.amazon.com/REXBETI-Impa...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
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