Highest Clearance Belly Skids? Pics?

[gato]

I had one of the first Artec aluminum installs on a 2.0T, no e-torque JLUR. I can vouch for their amazing customer service, fast shipping, and finished product. Have been wheeling on my Jeep for 3 and 1/2 years. I have been high centered on rocks with full weight of the vehicle on the skids and they did nor bend or buckle.

Only three minor cons. 1 - like every aluminum skid they do show some rock gauging on the surface - does not bother me. 2 - removing the OEM fuel tank skid is a biatch, but it is the price you pay for extra clearance and less weight. 3 - For some reason, when I take my Jeep to the free oil changes at the dealership (don't ask me why I do that, but I got extra Jeep wave free changes), 1/2 the time the tech manages to get oil splattered everywhere on the inside of the engine skid and it runs back all the way to the transfer case skid and drips for a couple of days. I have no idea what they do to cause the splash the opening seems large enough. It is a pain to clean.

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[GavinH]

This is a great thread. One of the things I have been wondering is why not just get the cheapest skids? They are meant to get trashed right?
The ASFIR skids are 1/2 the price of Artec and NVM.

For me it’s simple. MADE IN AMERICA!
You typically get what you pay for as well so buy once cry once.

 

[GavinH]

I had one of the first Artec aluminum installs on a 2.0T, no e-torque JLUR. I can vouch for their amazing customer service, fast shipping, and finished product. Have been wheeling on my Jeep for 3 and 1/2 years. I have been high centered on rocks with full weight of the vehicle on the skids and they did nor bend or buckle.

Only three minor cons. 1 - like every aluminum skid they do show some rock gauging on the surface - does not bother me. 2 - removing the OEM fuel tank skid is a biatch, but it is the price you pay for extra clearance and less weight. 3 - For some reason, when I take my Jeep to the free oil changes at the dealership (don't ask me why I do that, but I got extra Jeep wave free changes), 1/2 the time the tech manages to get oil splattered everywhere on the inside of the engine skid and it runs back all the way to the transfer case skid and drips for a couple of days. I have no idea what they do to cause the splash the opening seems large enough. It is a pain to clean.

It’s not that the opening on the skids isn’t big enough the oil shoots right through it. It’s our oil filter that is in a bad spot and unless you have a wide mouth funnel with flexible tubing to snake into a bucket the oil comes out exactly half on the engine skid and half next to it where the bucket would be resulting in a good puddle living on top the skids. I do my own oil and last change didn’t get anything on my skids but the two before that I was using shop towels and brake clean to get it up. If you don’t notice it before driving than it’s going to work it way all the way down and likely drip off your rear axle somehwere.

 

[gato]

It’s not that the opening on the skids isn’t big enough the oil shoots right through it. It’s our oil filter that is in a bad spot and unless you have a wide mouth funnel with flexible tubing to snake into a bucket the oil comes out exactly half on the engine skid and half next to it where the bucket would be resulting in a good puddle living on top the skids. I do my own oil and last change didn’t get anything on my skids but the two before that I was using shop towels and brake clean to get it up. If you don’t notice it before driving than it’s going to work it way all the way down and likely drip off your rear axle somehwere.

Yes. That seems to be exactly what is happening. I only take my Jeep to the dealer for the free Wave oil changes to try to maintain a relationship, in case I need warranty work (which I needed in the past). Specially on a modified vehicle, having that relationship may be important for them to be on your side to fight for warranty repairs from Jeep/Stelantis.

I already don't let them do the free tire rotations anymore after they constantly over torqued all lug nuts (took >600 ftlbs to break them) and spun the studs on my spare mount by putting air tools on it.

Oil change is the last thing I can give them Painful though.

 

[EbyCreek]

I have the Next Venture Motorsports with UHMW.

 

[Fftoddster]

I have the Rustys, I choose these because the ground clearance is better than Metal Cloak. They are solid, and I have no regrets. Rusty is great to work with.

The only thing I dont like about these is that they leave the exhaust down pipe somewhat exposed.

They are going to get torn up anyway, I'd just assume leave them unpainted... I coat mine every year with Surface Shield. Works great for other areas as well. Good practice if you use your jeep on trails like it was made for!
https://blasterproducts.com/product/surface-shield/

I have a friend running the Metal Cloak and his are bent into the exhaust pipe resting on it. I'd rather not have that to be honest. Plus Rusty's are cheaper, get the whole kit with the gas tank skid, the factory one is not strong enough for wheeling.

If your focus is on clearance, I would assume you are going to do some wheeling. I ran aluminum for a while, but they dont hold up well. Mine bent in all kinds of undesirable ways. it got the point where I had to take them off the jeep and hammer them out with a sledge every other time I went wheeling....

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I have the Rustys, I choose these because the ground clearance is better than Metal Cloak. They are solid, and I have no regrets. Rusty is great to work with.

The only thing I dont like about these is that they leave the exhaust down pipe somewhat exposed.

They are going to get torn up anyway, I'd just assume leave them unpainted... I coat mine every year with Surface Shield. Works great for other areas as well. Good practice if you use your jeep on trails like it was made for!
https://blasterproducts.com/product/surface-shield/

I have a friend running the Metal Cloak and his are bent into the exhaust pipe resting on it. I'd rather not have that to be honest. Plus Rusty's are cheaper, get the whole kit with the gas tank skid, the factory one is not strong enough for wheeling.

If your focus is on clearance, I would assume you are going to do some wheeling. I ran aluminum for a while, but they dont hold up well. Mine bent in all kinds of undesirable ways. it got the point where I had to take them off the jeep and hammer them out with a sledge every other time I went wheeling....

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May I ask which Aluminum skids you were running?

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