Aluminum vs Steel Skid Plates

[Industrialwrench]

Correct. I know there’s been a lot of debate here about that, I’ve read it. For the price, I feel the Asfir skids will do the job but until I actually start beating them on rocks it’s just speculation on my part. If they fail at some point and it feels premature then I’ll rate them poorly and switch to steel while looking at weight savings elsewhere (IE aluminum bumpers). Wish me luck!

Good luck. Im sure they’ll work for a while. The 4Runner ones did till I was tired of maintenance. If you wheel the same terrain as I do they probably last as long as mine. You might have completely different off-road objectives and they’ll last forever though. Bummer the GVWR isn’t higher on the diesel. You’d think it would be.

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[Ratbert]

Fair points but for us diesel owners we have to watch how much weight we are adding.

Exactly. I've been trying to keep my weight down where possible, but I'm still hitting the bump stops and need to go with a stiffer set of springs.

Some people think that it's just a mileage thing. It's obviously more than that.

 

[ChuckQue]

Good luck. Im sure they’ll work for a while. The 4Runner ones did till I was tired of maintenance. If you wheel the same terrain as I do they probably last as long as mine. You might have completely different off-road objectives and they’ll last forever though. Bummer the GVWR isn’t higher on the diesel. You’d think it would be.

Eventually I’ll truss/gusset and replace the knuckles. Big brake upgrade as well someday. I think with those things it’ll allow me to up the weight and go with beefier stuff where needed.

I also chose the Asfir because there didn’t seem to be a ton of reviews out there. I figured the price was right, they looked great on paper and in person at the recent expo, and I could beat on them to provide some real, useful info for others who might consider them. We have a Rubicon trail trip planned for later this year, with a bunch of shakedown runs in Big Bear so I have no doubt they will get used. It’ll be interesting to see if they are a hidden gem or “you get what you pay for”, in which case it’ll be an expensive lesson for me.

 

[ChuckQue]

Exactly. I've been trying to keep my weight down where possible, but I'm still hitting the bump stops and need to go with a stiffer set of springs.

Some people think that it's just a mileage thing. It's obviously more than that.

That’s the other concern I have. I’m curious to see how the RK springs do with a full load out. I may have to move up to their taller springs at some point, I think @Roky did for his?

 

[Zandcwhite]

I've had both, ran the asfir 4x4 aluminum skids on our 2019 and now run the MC full skids on our 2022. We wheeled the '19 hard, and although the skids never failed they did bend pretty significantly at times. After setting the Jeep on a big rock on the Dusy Erishim trail the skid was bowed so bad it was pushed up against the transmission pan. No damage, but I'd call it a partial failure. That and the chore of rebending the aluminum lead me to go steel this time. Haven't put the MC skids through the same paces yet, but I appreciate the beef. The weight savings can't be more than 100lbs total and it's as low mounted as you can get so I'll accept that trade off no problem. This Jeep is still lighter thanks to the 120lbs I've lost in the last year anyway.
Before

after

Current mc skids

 

[ChuckQue]

I've had both, ran the asfir 4x4 aluminum skids on our 2019 and now run the MC full skids on our 2022. We wheeled the '19 hard, and although the skids never failed they did bend pretty significantly at times. After setting the Jeep on a big rock on the Dusy Erishim trail the skid was bowed so bad it was pushed up against the transmission pan. No damage, but I'd call it a partial failure. That and the chore of rebending the aluminum lead me to go steel this time. Haven't put the MC skids through the same paces yet, but I appreciate the beef. The weight savings can't be more than 100lbs total and it's as low mounted as you can get so I'll accept that trade off no problem. This Jeep is still lighter thanks to the 120lbs I've lost in the last year anyway.
Before

after

Current mc skids

You’re one of the only folks I’ve seen who have beat on them, so it’s good to have that feedback! Thanks! I’m sure there are others out there who have, hopefully they can chime in here. I guess it’ll be interesting to see how mine fair.

 

[Eyeball]

Hope I am not too late with this. But Alum skids...Toys By Troy tried and it took his company down and he was NOT some 2 bit little shop on back alley. IIRC Troy who was a good friend of mine had a 10,000 sq shop, full bore, Powder coats, machining you name it. Troy was real pioneer in Alum, he came out with the first Alum tie rod. and it sold like hotcakes. Then more and more and he experimented with Alum axles. He went whole hog into alum, full skid, every under his Jeep and on the sides was Alum. He sold a full Alum long arm and lift kit. He invested $$$$$$$$ big and lost. He was big in the Jeep world early on, his shop was in Phoenix, AZ. Where is is today, dunno, after his business folded he disappeared. I heard he went to Texas and someone else said it went to Hawaii. I was living in Scottsdale at the time and I never saw him again or heard from and I had know him fo years.

Alum gouges. Rocks EAT Alum for lunch.

I will tell you this if go SERIOUS rock at 7+ level a 1 / 2 in bolt head or nut will stop all forward progress. What I did was either countersink or get special round heads or Allen bolts, not cheap...another secret bites the dust.

If you want to get to the top of the 7++ rocks first, it has NOTHING to do with kit you can buy from WeBe Lifts, get the underside of the Jeep clean and as flat as your first girlfriend without a bra. You do things like cutting off body mounts and raising them, and doing functional improvements. My rockers were ROUND 4 in diameter Schedule 40 Iron Pipe and slid over rocks like a snake. Another secret bites the dust.

Your jeep, your wallet and if its Alum you want I stand with you 100%!

I was not aware that Toys by Troy was brought down by aluminum. It unfortunate but pioneers take the arrows and settlers take the land. Being first to market is not always best.

From personal and countless observations I do know that 6061 aluminum when used by a company that understands its properties and how to form it makes excellent skids for the rocks.

In the TJ world the use case has been proven successful again and again by individuals and companies in the Johnson Valley which for those that are not familiar is one of the most brutal off-roading areas of the country and the location of the King of the Hammers annual event.

Based on my experience with aluminum skids on my TJ, once my JLU arrives, I will begin my process of adding armor where appropriate and will not hesitate to use aluminum unless it has been demonstrated that the heavier and longer JKU requires steel.

 

[dragoneggs]

Doh! my bad

No… good info for me anyways!

 

[dragoneggs]

Exactly. I've been trying to keep my weight down where possible, but I'm still hitting the bump stops and need to go with a stiffer set of springs.

Some people think that it's just a mileage thing. It's obviously more than that.

Weight is critical for me as I tow behind a Class C RV. So I have two concerns… staying under hitch rating (not hard) but the tough one to stay under is GCVWR (combined weight of RV and toad).

 

[NOIDEAWIAM]

I've had the MC ones on my JKU. I loved them. I also didn't mind the flash of gold under the rig. I will go with these again just because I beat the piss out of them and had zero problems. I've also had good customer service from MC.

 

[Aonar]

You’re one of the only folks I’ve seen who have beat on them, so it’s good to have that feedback! Thanks! I’m sure there are others out there who have, hopefully they can chime in here. I guess it’ll be interesting to see how mine fair.

ChuckQue: After trashing my fuel filter skid plate, I went with the @ASFIR4X4 FF skid which fits below the new OEM skid I bought. I hope to see how it holds up this coming wheeling season. I am usually more into rocks than mud so this will be a big test.

The stock FF skid is an extremely vulnerable part on the Diesel. My damage (see pics) occurred in Moab while running stock height.

Both you and I will be Guinea pigs.

 

[Old Jeeper]

I was not aware that Toys by Troy was brought down by aluminum. It unfortunate but pioneers take the arrows and settlers take the land. Being first to market is not always best.

From personal and countless observations I do know that 6061 aluminum when used by a company that understands its properties and how to form it makes excellent skids for the rocks.

In the TJ world the use case has been proven successful again and again by individuals and companies in the Johnson Valley which for those that are not familiar is one of the most brutal off-roading areas of the country and the location of the King of the Hammers annual event.

Based on my experience with aluminum skids on my TJ, once my JLU arrives, I will begin my process of adding armor where appropriate and will not hesitate to use aluminum unless it has been demonstrated that the heavier and longer JKU requires steel.

Yes, Troy sunk a LOT of $$$$ into Alum. He building everything, roll cages, Long Army suspension packages, no name it went in whole hog after the success with his Tie Rod.

IIRC I think he bought that 10k sq mfg and machine shop

I know you can get Alum of a grade that is hard enough to run rocks, however its not cheap. For the 7+ trails and the Johnson Valley playpen you are looking at 7075.

I saw plenty of guys with Alum skids and plating back in the TJ days and the result was the same...it gouged. Look, the head of a 1 / 2 in bolt or nut can and will stop forward progress, seen it happen on my TJ. I mitigated it with counter sinking and round heads. completely changed my steering by lifting it above my axles, I lifted my motor, transmission/transfer case up into the tunnel. This let me run a FLAT skid plate with countersunk bolts. I cut off my body mount and lifted them.

Weight. CoG is not your friend, and I personally like all the steel I had under my TJ because it lowers your CoG.

I missed the Hammers, I called and invited but it was a time of the year my wife and I traveled abroad and we were usually gone for 2-3 mo or more.

Take Away: Go for it, I will back you 100%...

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