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JLUR EVO Engine Skid Plate Long Term Test Review

grandsrus

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Installed the engine skid over 2,000 miles ago and many hard offroading trips. It is definitely worth its weight to protect the engine. It has many scars as expected.

What i do not like about this skid or any engine skid that does not have a cross member is that the frame in fact tweaks bc of this missing crossmember. So much so that the EVO skid will hit the exhaust pipe and eventually cause a leaking exhaust header gasket due to the force.

I just replaced back to the stock cross member and wow the Jeep is tight again.

Now i plan to go with the quadratec skids as they come with a cross member for a reasonable $.

Wanted to let you all know my experience.
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redelses

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any issues with getting the original crossmember back on with the evo skid installed? did the crossmember go above/below the skid and/or did you bolt the skid to it in any way? Thanks!



Installed the engine skid over 2,000 miles ago and many hard offroading trips. It is definitely worth its weight to protect the engine. It has many scars as expected.

What i do not like about this skid or any engine skid that does not have a cross member is that the frame in fact tweaks bc of this missing crossmember. So much so that the EVO skid will hit the exhaust pipe and eventually cause a leaking exhaust header gasket due to the force.

I just replaced back to the stock cross member and wow the Jeep is tight again.

Now i plan to go with the quadratec skids as they come with a cross member for a reasonable $.

Wanted to let you all know my experience.
 
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grandsrus

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any issues with getting the original crossmember back on with the evo skid installed? did the crossmember go above/below the skid and/or did you bolt the skid to it in any way? Thanks!
No, they way it is designed, you cannot combine the Evo with the stock crossmember.
 

redelses

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Ok thanks! I misread your post and thought you put the stock crossmember back on with the evo, but looks like you took the evo off completely.

did you go with the Quadratec, and did that install go ok with the new crossmember they provide, and with the stock transfer case skid or the Quadratec for that too?

Thanks!



No, they way it is designed, you cannot combine the Evo with the stock crossmember.
 

track.n.trail

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I would recommend that you do not go with Quadratec. They do provide a beefy cross member but the way its designed you lose INCHES of clearance compared to any of the other engine skids down there.

What do you mean by "the jeep is tight again", and what are you basing the claim that the frame is tweaking without the factory crossmember installed? Could the skid contacting the exhaust be caused by the skid deflecting when it slides on a rock?
 

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I dont know whats going on here, I left my stock cross member on when installing my evo engine and trans skid. Not sure what the OP removed, perhaps he is referring to the catalytic converter protection bars which essentially do nothing.

If he removed his cross member wonder what he used to bolt up the skids.
 

JeepJLU402

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The Quadratec skid does not take up INCHES. It does go a little lower than the trans skid bar that it replaces. I do wish it was tighter to the undercarriage but it’s no more than an inch and only for about an 8” to 10” section of the skid. But it also does provide some protection to the exhaust loop. For my use it works fine since it’s basically in line with the front diff so if I clear that I’m good. It might be a problem for others though.
 
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grandsrus

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I would recommend that you do not go with Quadratec. They do provide a beefy cross member but the way its designed you lose INCHES of clearance compared to any of the other engine skids down there.

What do you mean by "the jeep is tight again", and what are you basing the claim that the frame is tweaking without the factory cross member installed? Could the skid contacting the exhaust be caused by the skid deflecting when it slides on a rock?
Yes i could feel the frame twisting without the front cross member and it would deflect and hit the exhaust loop. I kept the larger tcase integral cross member.
I will look again and see if its possible to keep the front xmember....
 

TxJeepers

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The crossmember I think you are referring to is a limited skid plate they put on for the tranny. If your subjective opinion is that its strengthen the frame from twisting, you go on with it. Minimal at best.

That said, I run the EVO and agree, a couple good hits in the right place and it can dent upward, and touch exhaust. I've gotten my grinder out the first time to eliminate the touching and the second time I added a couple 1/8" beefy washers between the skid the transmission crossmember that it attaches to. This seems to of taken care of it. Neither time was the hit so much that the skid pushed into the exhaust and caused leak issues, just hard enough that it bent up enough to cause rattling from the exhaust touching it.

It did its job both times and I'm happy with it.

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track.n.trail

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The Quadratec skid does not take up INCHES. It does go a little lower than the trans skid bar that it replaces. I do wish it was tighter to the undercarriage but it’s no more than an inch and only for about an 8” to 10” section of the skid. But it also does provide some protection to the exhaust loop. For my use it works fine since it’s basically in line with the front diff so if I clear that I’m good. It might be a problem for others though.
I actually just replaced my Quadratec skids with ones from Evo and measured the clearance difference while doing so.

The lowest point on the Quadratec skids was over 2" lower than that same point on the Evo skids.

So yes, you do lose inches of belly clearance going with the Quadratec aluminum skids over other more trail-oriented options. That loss of clearance is not in a great spot either - it's easy to get hung up on the engine skid area after the front tires clear a large obstacle or ledge.
 

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JeepJLU402

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I actually just replaced my Quadratec skids with ones from Evo and measured the clearance difference while doing so.

The lowest point on the Quadratec skids was over 2" lower than that same point on the Evo skids.

So yes, you do lose inches of belly clearance going with the Quadratec aluminum skids over other more trail-oriented options. That loss of clearance is not in a great spot either - it's easy to get hung up on the engine skid area after the front tires clear a large obstacle or ledge.
Interesting. Not my experience. But if every inch matters I already said this isn’t for you. If I was that worried I would have gone with MC full skids because at that point the gas tank is in trouble too.
 
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grandsrus

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The crossmember I think you are referring to is a limited skid plate they put on for the tranny. If your subjective opinion is that its strengthen the frame from twisting, you go on with it. Minimal at best.

That said, I run the EVO and agree, a couple good hits in the right place and it can dent upward, and touch exhaust. I've gotten my grinder out the first time to eliminate the touching and the second time I added a couple 1/8" beefy washers between the skid the transmission crossmember that it attaches to. This seems to of taken care of it. Neither time was the hit so much that the skid pushed into the exhaust and caused leak issues, just hard enough that it bent up enough to cause rattling from the exhaust touching it.

It did its job both times and I'm happy with it.

Jeep Wrangler JL JLUR EVO Engine Skid Plate Long Term Test Review Capture.JPG
Dont see how my post and experience is a subjective opinion since it is based on my facts. The skid pushed into the exhaust .5" and dented it as seen by others here. Also, yes removing that crossmember will indeed make the body flex way more as i felt it, hence exactly why it hits the exhaust loop more. As every post here, i am trying to help people not go through the same issues i did. There are better skids out there.
 

mnjeeper

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Interesting. Not my experience. But if every inch matters I already said this isn’t for you. If I was that worried I would have gone with MC full skids because at that point the gas tank is in trouble too.

Very glad I saw this...I was looking hard at the quadratec skids...but I don't want to lose clearance.
 

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Depending on droop amount your driveshaft will contact the extra cross member, and the quadratec skid plate it hangs down lower. I cut mine in half and added reinforcement and i still hit it. I hit it before coilovers too
 

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Very glad I saw this...I was looking hard at the quadratec skids...but I don't want to lose clearance.
I agree. I wish it didn’t lose what it does. It’s not tons but even at an 1” or so they could have done better. I think the more extreme you wheel the less that skid is for you.
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