4xFUN
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Mike
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2019
- Threads
- 67
- Messages
- 2,174
- Reaction score
- 3,493
- Location
- Scottsdale AZ
- Vehicle(s)
- 2024 2-door Ruby-X, 2020 2-door Ruby, 2023 RAM TRX
- Thread starter
- #1
I bought a full Artec Bellypan system for my new JLR-X during a Black Friday flash sale and then had all exposed surfaces black powder coated.
Been very busy and finally got around to the install last Sunday and ran into a couple fitment issues...
First and no fault of Artec's is the removable oil pan door is really, really close to (if not touching) the Sthalbus quick oil change valve I installed, not a big deal to modify the cover for clearance but will have to repaint. Love the Artec oil pan skid, highly recommended!
Second is the additional supplied steel crossmember hits part of the bottom of the transfer case, the forward vertical crossmember reinforcement will have to be ground down for clearance to install. I have contacted Artec and emailed detailed pictures. I had assumed (yup, ya know what happens when you ass-sume
)that the Artec crossmember would bolt into the OEM location half a foot or so behind the transfer case...Nope, it bolts to the back of the transfer case skid which just barely covers the transfer case and then (after modifying the crossmember to fit) you have to drill holes each side of the frame to attach! Not happy with the very limited rear coverage of the transfer case skid and if I decide to keep it, I will add another Artec crossmember in the OEM location and fabricate a short custom aluminum skid plate to bridge the gap where the Artec system ends and the additional crossmember.
Artec make great products and have excellent customer support and waiting to hear back from them. This product however could have been sooo much better and easier to install, had they just extended the transfer case skid and installed the crossmember in the OEM location...
Honestly at this point I wish I would have just used the Artec oil pan skid and kept the OEM transfer and gas tank skid...I would be enjoying driving my JLR-X instead of looking at it on jack stands in my garage...
Area that crossmember needs to be ground to clear transfer case...
Where crossmember hits transfer case well before crossmember mounting ear is flush with side frame rail...
To the left is the edge of the transfer case skid where the supplied crossmember sits atop skid and skid is bolted to crossmember and then held in place with jack while you drill frame rails to bolt crossmember...Note the very limited coverage at the rear of the transfer case.
To the right is the crossmember bolted in the OEM location as it should have been designed to fit...
Been very busy and finally got around to the install last Sunday and ran into a couple fitment issues...
First and no fault of Artec's is the removable oil pan door is really, really close to (if not touching) the Sthalbus quick oil change valve I installed, not a big deal to modify the cover for clearance but will have to repaint. Love the Artec oil pan skid, highly recommended!
Second is the additional supplied steel crossmember hits part of the bottom of the transfer case, the forward vertical crossmember reinforcement will have to be ground down for clearance to install. I have contacted Artec and emailed detailed pictures. I had assumed (yup, ya know what happens when you ass-sume
)that the Artec crossmember would bolt into the OEM location half a foot or so behind the transfer case...Nope, it bolts to the back of the transfer case skid which just barely covers the transfer case and then (after modifying the crossmember to fit) you have to drill holes each side of the frame to attach! Not happy with the very limited rear coverage of the transfer case skid and if I decide to keep it, I will add another Artec crossmember in the OEM location and fabricate a short custom aluminum skid plate to bridge the gap where the Artec system ends and the additional crossmember.Artec make great products and have excellent customer support and waiting to hear back from them. This product however could have been sooo much better and easier to install, had they just extended the transfer case skid and installed the crossmember in the OEM location...
Honestly at this point I wish I would have just used the Artec oil pan skid and kept the OEM transfer and gas tank skid...I would be enjoying driving my JLR-X instead of looking at it on jack stands in my garage...
Area that crossmember needs to be ground to clear transfer case...
Where crossmember hits transfer case well before crossmember mounting ear is flush with side frame rail...
To the left is the edge of the transfer case skid where the supplied crossmember sits atop skid and skid is bolted to crossmember and then held in place with jack while you drill frame rails to bolt crossmember...Note the very limited coverage at the rear of the transfer case.
To the right is the crossmember bolted in the OEM location as it should have been designed to fit...
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