Questions/Options for JLR 38" Build

[Terrymo]

What about pinion and yoke/flange protection?

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[Remorseless]

Agreed. It's just risk mitigation. Dragging slowly is different than smashing into it. For me, something like Metal Cloak's golden diaper was a no brainer and cheap insurance.

Yeah, just I think you can balance that mitigation with goals - if your goal is ultimate diff clearance, you can always mitigate with better line selection (or better driving of a sketchy line, driver mod is always the best mod) and/or being extra cognizant of spotting for the rear diff.

 

[Remorseless]

What about pinion and yoke/flange protection?

Depends on how often you put big rocks under the body of the Jeep with the tires lower. Generally, so long as you put the wheels on the high spots (provided of course it's a realistic line, obviously), your pinion and yoke should be higher and out of danger. Hits to yokes do happen, but IME they're rarer. IMO, just carry tools to unbolt the rear driveshaft if it does happen and work in FWD, a spare bottle of gear oil isn't a horrible idea either.

 

[c20040215]

Depends on how often you put big rocks under the body of the Jeep with the tires lower. Generally, so long as you put the wheels on the high spots (provided of course it's a realistic line, obviously), your pinion and yoke should be higher and out of danger. Hits to yokes do happen, but IME they're rarer. IMO, just carry tools to unbolt the rear driveshaft if it does happen and work in FWD, a spare bottle of gear oil isn't a horrible idea either.

Two rear diff skids that I have seen offer protection to the pinion and yoke.
Next adventure motorsport on the high end. Or you can spend 1/4 of the price on Rough Country.
I have the RC to have a peace in mind. Works great.

 

[Remorseless]

Two rear diff skids that I have seen offer protection to the pinion and yoke.
Next adventure motorsport on the high end. Or you can spend 1/4 of the price on Rough Country.
I have the RC to have a peace in mine. Works great.

AEV has one as well, a stamped one at that. Between RC and NVM for price (that NVM one is wild, $500+ for a diff skid), but it's AEV so you know it's more expensive than it needs to be.

 

[c20040215]

AEV has one as well, a stamped one at that. Between RC and NVM for price (that NVM one is wild, $500+ for a diff skid), but it's AEV so you know it's more expensive than it needs to be.

I agree on AEV overpriced products. I would stay away from most RC products, but I cant say enough good things about their skid plates. Great cost to performance ratio.

As many mentioned, I run diff skids more for gliding than protecting. The difference between gliding through a rock and getting hung up by the ribs is noticeable.

 

[Remorseless]

I agree on AEV overpriced products. I would stay away from most RC products, but I cant say enough good things about their skid plates. Great cost to performance ratio.

As many mentioned, I run diff skids more for gliding than protecting. The difference between gliding through a rock and getting hung up by the ribs is noticeable.

I'm a little more meh on them - buddy of mine runs their front D30 skid since it's the only one still available for D30s that wraps underneath the housing and he had a chunk of weld just come off.

But honestly, the JK rear 44 has a similar valley and I never had any issues with it getting hung up when it would drag. I do run the Rancho skids because I'm liking keeping the stock diff covers for heat dissipation and really all I notice different is I hit the skid more than I would hit the diff otherwise.

 

[Terrymo]

I'm a little more meh on them - buddy of mine runs their front D30 skid since it's the only one still available for D30s that wraps underneath the housing and he had a chunk of weld just come off.

But honestly, the JK rear 44 has a similar valley and I never had any issues with it getting hung up when it would drag. I do run the Rancho skids because I'm liking keeping the stock diff covers for heat dissipation and really all I notice different is I hit the skid more than I would hit the diff otherwise.

Just a rookie‘s perspective. The more experience you have, the less damage you will do I suspect. I’m still at the bad line picking, skid scraping, tire gouging stage without a spotter.

 

[Remorseless]

Just a rookie‘s perspective. The more experience you have, the less damage you will do I suspect. I’m still at the bad line picking, skid scraping, tire gouging stage without a spotter.

Yes and no. Overconfidence, I suspect, has done in (or caused more damage to) more rigs than has almost anything else, including inexperience, and overconfidence is a trait that runs the gamut from rookie to veteran wheeler. One of the best ways to figure out who's going to do damage to their Jeep - IMO - is to look for the person with the biggest, stickiest tires and the most engine .

 

[roaniecowpony]

I put a Next Venture skid on my rear diff just before heading out on the Rubicon trail a few weeks ago. I noted that I had to file the cover surface flat from the large burr rolled over from dragging the bottom. I think the rear diff gets more neglect than the front, because you can aim the front, but the rear gets the track that results from not seeing it. So, IMO, the rear diff skid is more important, unless you have a spotter on every obstacle.

 

[Remorseless]

I put a Next Venture skid on my rear diff just before heading out on the Rubicon trail a few weeks ago. I noted that I had to file the cover surface flat from the large burr rolled over from dragging the bottom. I think the rear diff gets more neglect than the front, because you can aim the front, but the rear gets the track that results from not seeing it. So, IMO, the rear diff skid is more important, unless you have a spotter on every obstacle.

Rear diff also deals with the consequences of falling off the line when traction goes to hell too, while the front diff usually stays on line through a climb. But, IMO, aiming the rear diff can be done to a greater or lesser extent depending on wheelbase. A lot easier in a 2 door to just think of the middle third of the Jeep as a hang point and avoid anything going down that, when possible. Gets harder and harder as wheelbase extends though, because you have to take the arc of travel into consideration when turning on the obstacle.

 

[Testingthewaters]

Just an update on my plans (I'll start a build thread at a later point). Going with 5.13 gears, front/rear shafts, knuckles, and front/rear truss - all to be installed soon by ChevyMitchell. Once done, I'll have the Nitto 38x12.5 installed (Method bead grip, with 4.5in backspace). We'll see how it all comes together, I know I'll have some clearance issues with fenders/liners, but that can all be sorted out...

 

[JMP]

Great discussion.

Yes… it’s all the ribs on the rear diff. They will flat break off.

I didn’t use a skid up front. Just an ARB cover. Hardly ever touched the front diff. The rear diff and rear shock mounts are the ones taking a beating from sliding off of things, as mentioned. Hopefully with the 38x13.5s I’ll slide off less things.

Looking at light weight D60s myself. A set from fusion with metalcloak ballers and Eaton lockers in 5.13. Looking at getting them to make a 71” axle and running 0 offset wheels for the best steering and bearing life (same width as -38mm/3.5BS wheels on a Rubi axle). Eatons are plenty for the V6, and if you back up a smidge you can unlock them on command which is nice at the top of a climb with an immediate turn. 40-spline semifloat rears. I’m not going to run 40s. I don’t trailer and don’t want to deal with crappy road manners. Looking at a PSC Adventure kit for steering. Prefer to maintain the steering feel on the highway that the cylinder robs you of. Plus… less chance of trying to move boulders with a tire.

It’s been agonizing going back and forth with myself to get to this point. But I think it’s what makes the most sense. Almost the same clearances as 40s, without having to haul the extra 5-600lbs of UD60s up ledges. Should have more traction, and be plenty strong with the little V6. Hell… UD60 brakes ALONE add 150lbs, per fusion.



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