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Anyone using Rough Country Diff Skid Plate?

Bushfam5

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I know there are many skids out there but I have a RC budget. I have a JLU and will do mild to moderate off roading in the desert (Fire roads and washes with rocks).

Are they decent?

Thanks
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dchemphill1

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I have a pair of ARB covers awaiting installation. Looks like these could be added to about any cover to provide some protection for that drain bolt. Iā€™ve already backed out the filler bolt a bit, ground it down about 1/8ā€ and screwed it back in...which recessed the bolt a bit.
 

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I have a pair of ARB covers awaiting installation. Looks like these could be added to about any cover to provide some protection for that drain bolt. Iā€™ve already backed out the filler bolt a bit, ground it down about 1/8ā€ and screwed it back in...which recessed the bolt a bit.
The thicker mounting flange of the ARB diff covers would cause the drain plug hole in that Maximus-3 plate to not line up with the drain plug. Also, the ARB has recessed pockets for its mounting bolt heads.
 

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I know there are many skids out there but I have a RC budget. I have a JLU and will do mild to moderate off roading in the desert (Fire roads and washes with rocks).

Are they decent?

Thanks
I hear ya, I'm in the same category! I bought one of those skids for my M186 front diff. I have a 2-door Sport and do some occasional wheeling and wanted to protect the drainplug and front of the diff from getting banged up on an obstacle. It's a great design and very budget-friendly. I installed mine in September. I haven't looked underneath to see how the paint is holding up but the metal is solid, it's a well-built piece. I can always repaint if it starts looking rusty.
 

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The thicker mounting flange of the ARB diff covers would cause the drain plug hole in that Maximus-3 plate to not line up with the drain plug. Also, the ARB has recessed pockets for its mounting bolt heads.
Iā€™ve not looked but that would certainly prevent the installation of the Maximus skid....
 

ronrodriguez114

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I know there are many skids out there but I have a RC budget. I have a JLU and will do mild to moderate off roading in the desert (Fire roads and washes with rocks).

Are they decent?

Thanks
I run one of these for my front diff. It's thick, looks like it covers all the important spots. I'd run one for the back but they don't make an M220. I haven't hit anything yet.. but I'd expect it to hold up.
 

blnewt

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Just ask @cosine he knows!
Seems like a great bang for your buck, has thick plate steel, covers the areas that need covering and still allows oil drain access. Sounds like a win in my book, going to order a set soon!
 

MichaelAnthony

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They work as they should. I bought mine in a pinch threw them on, have done some crazy rock crawlin' beat them up, painted them put them back on, repeat. LoL worth the money spent... Just my opinion....
 

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Just saw these in another thread? https://maximus-3.com/suspension/jl-wrangler/maximus-3-jl-jt-drain-plug-skid. Anyone run these for minimum protection. I like the price, but you may get what you pay for?
I have this. I have always tried to avoid hitting the front differential on anything anyway and my driving habits have not changed since installing it, so I haven't actually tested it in any meaningful way. Obviously it doesn't provide maximum protection, but I am confident that the drain plug won't work it's way out. I've also found that it's much easier to place the front differential out of harms way than it is for the rear, or at least with my driving style, so I don't think a front skid is as important as the rear once the drain plug situation is resolved.

Some day I might upgrade to other covers and not use the Maximus-3 skid, and make the drain plug a little more permanent with red locktite (which takes 550 degrees Fahrenheit to remove).
 

blnewt

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Just ask @cosine he knows!
Ordered a set of the RC covers yesterday., the ebay Rough Country store has the best price that I found, $75 for the front and the back. Pretty heavy too, pkg info said 25lbs for rear & 15 for the front.
lol at the vehicle compatibility charts on the ebay listing though, unless Rubicon owners swapped their tasty Dana 44s for our lowly D30 & D35 diffs then they will have fitment issues :headbang: :headbang:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rough-Coun...for-18-20-Jeep-Wrangler-JL-10624/363030485332
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rough-Coun...for-18-20-Jeep-Wrangler-JL-10623/362994428479
 

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I have the front and rear differential skids, the Jeep is a 2-door, 2.0t w/etorque. The rear skid hit the LiOn battery underneath and needed to be ground down to clear.
Jeep Wrangler JL Anyone using Rough Country Diff Skid Plate? 689A9A81-73D1-48DB-AC29-5DE7A6D007FC

the notch in the upper left.
The front one couldnā€™t be installed with my engine skid plate (rustys).

pretty sure the back will fit now, but it got too cold and snowy to paint and install. The front will need more work.
 

AnnDee4444

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I have the front and rear differential skids, the Jeep is a 2-door, 2.0t w/etorque. The rear skid hit the LiOn battery underneath and needed to be ground down to clear.
Jeep Wrangler JL Anyone using Rough Country Diff Skid Plate? 689A9A81-73D1-48DB-AC29-5DE7A6D007FC

the notch in the upper left.
The front one couldnā€™t be installed with my engine skid plate (rustys).

pretty sure the back will fit now, but it got too cold and snowy to paint and install. The front will need more work.
Thanks for this. There aren't many of us with the 2-door 2.0 eTorque, and I suspect that any other combination would have worked without modification.
 

dchemphill1

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I have this. I have always tried to avoid hitting the front differential on anything anyway and my driving habits have not changed since installing it, so I haven't actually tested it in any meaningful way. Obviously it doesn't provide maximum protection, but I am confident that the drain plug won't work it's way out. I've also found that it's much easier to place the front differential out of harms way than it is for the rear, or at least with my driving style, so I don't think a front skid is as important as the rear once the drain plug situation is resolved.

Some day I might upgrade to other covers and not use the Maximus-3 skid, and make the drain plug a little more permanent with red locktite (which takes 550 degrees Fahrenheit to remove).
When Installing this will I loose diff fluid? Wasn't sure with just two bolts.
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