Full underside meticulous protection! Build

[PropaneBender]

Hey guys this is the main part of my jeep build so far ever part was purposely chosen to ensure compatibility while keeping the protection optimal

For reference my jeep is a 2020 wrangler 2.0 4 door rubicon, it is not lifted and it has the stock 33” with these skids I have been able to do some significant trails with full piece of mind about my underside

If you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from anyone/ everyone

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[Terrymo]

Hey guys this is the main part of my jeep build so far ever part was purposely chosen to ensure compatibility while keeping the protection optimal

For reference my jeep is a 2020 wrangler 2.0 4 door rubicon, it is not lifted and it has the stock 33” with these skids I have been able to do some significant trails with full piece of mind about my underside

If you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from anyone/ everyone

That‘s nice…but we’re going to need pics. Most folks here can’t or won‘t actually read it seems

 

[John VonJeep]

Sounds heavy.

 

[Mike_Hawk]

How much weight do you think you've added with all the armor? How much more protection do you think you get compared to a complete set from say MetalCloak?

REF:
Metalcloak UnderCloak Integrated Armor System Skid Plate, JL Wrangler, 4-Door

 

[PropaneBender]

Sounds heavy.

It’s very light weight

 

[PropaneBender]

That‘s nice…but we’re going to need pics. Most folks here can’t or won‘t actually read it seems

 

[PropaneBender]

Sounds heavy.

artec belly pan 10 pound increase over stock
Front axle disconnect skid 9 lbs
Front lower control arm skid 5 pounds
Front upper control arm skid 5 pounds
Drain plug skid on front diff negligible weight
rustys Rear upper control arm skid 7lbs
Artec shock skid 4 pounds
next venture diff skid 25 pounds

So in total I added roughly 65 pounds
But 43 of those pound are sitting on the front and rear axles so it’s not contributing to suspension sag or anything

 

[PropaneBender]

How much weight do you think you've added with all the armor? How much more protection do you think you get compared to a complete set from say MetalCloak?

REF:
Metalcloak UnderCloak Integrated Armor System Skid Plate, JL Wrangler, 4-Door

I researched belly pans heavily before pulling the trigger on artec they are the only manufacture to increase ground Clearance over stock while also being made of 6061 heat treated aluminum which is better for rocks when being compared to 5052 it also only adds 10 pounds, now when being compared to metal cloak you lose ground clearance because your bolting those skids over the factory ones that’s big weight according to metal cloak there belly pan adds 150lbs I armored up my entire jeep while only adding about 1/3 of that

 

[PropaneBender]

When I was building this setup I wanted it to have holes for water and mud to drain out which is why I chose the artec belly pan and the next venture rear diff skid they both have holes to allow water to drain out also it helps with cooling to allow the airflow for the engine and transmission

 

[PropaneBender]

 

[kah.mun.rah]

Sounds heavy.

And a lot of trapped heat, twigs, and dirt.

 

[John VonJeep]

And a lot of trapped heat, twigs, and dirt.

Good point. Almost every time I’ve dropped a skid, I’ve been surprised by the amount of crap trapped up there.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

Good point. Almost every time I’ve dropped a skid, I’ve been surprised by the amount of crap trapped up there.

I'm all for the rear shock/control arm skids and maybe the differential skids when using the stock dif. cover but before a full belly skid IMO its best to invest 1st in some good rock sliders.

 

[Zandcwhite]

I wouldn't bother with the frame side control arm skids, that's just not a place I ever hit rocks. The rear dif skid seems pointless too, I literally drug the axles of my old xj through the rubicon, fordyce, etc multiple times a year for a decade, nothing more than scrapes on the housing. It's thick cast, what are you protecting from damage? I could see a stronger cover as I have damaged the lip of the thin stock cover dragging it over rocks but I never understood where the idea we wanted a big metal diaper under the rear housing came from? It's not going to get damaged no matter how many rocks you drag it across. Giving up ground clearance to protect a thick hunk of steel? The front makes sense because of the terrible drain plug location.

 

[IceBerg]

Ive seen a similar skin peel the diff cover off. If it's not anchored on the rear I would remove this

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