Skid plate or rubber splashguard, what to do?

Maybe this belongs in "modified", but I thought I'd start here.

Back around November '05 when I swapped motors in our '94, I removed the worn rubber splash mat that goes under the engine (and presumably protects the accessories from water). It's shot, and is sitting in a corner of the garage waiting to perhaps be used as a template for cutting a new one out of something.

It's still sitting there, waiting for me to do something. We have a record dry spell running, but it's eventually going to rain, and I really need to do something about this.

Here's the question: do I just replace the cheap mat (or fabricate one), or look for a metal skid plate (or fabricate one) that looks like it would perform the same function?

The nice thing about a skid plate is that it looks like it'd be easy to remove if I want access to the bottom of the engine, while the mat is a bit of a PITA to remove because of those stupid plastic pushpins. Given that we only light-trail with it, I don't really need much in the way of heavy armor here, but something to keep brush out of the accessory belt area wouldn't hurt.

Anyone else tried to fab up a simple brushguard? Or if I just bought a skidplate, would it help keep things dry up there?

I just sold one of those factory front skids and by the looks of it won't do a thing to keep water out of your accessories.Besides it's not the water you have to worry about it's the mud that ruins brushes and bearings.

I had to replace the rubber shield just last summer. For the money I spent on a new one. I think it is worth getting it to protect the engine compartment from water and mud. I also have the front OEM skid, but that only protects the steering components.
Alex

rip the dang thing out. Its not doing you any favors being there.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=63485&highlight=splash+guard http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=70553&highlight=splash+guard

X2

Repeat after me "The rubber splash guard is worthless, and should be in the same pile as the rear sway bar and the front disk shields."

Rev

I vote to keep the rubber thing. I have mine held up there with some thin strips of galvi and zip screws, but it always wants to keep falling down. I just keep it there to minimize, not totally prevent, the dirt and junk from getting onto my alternator and belt and etc. But iff you have a factory front skid, that definitely will help keep the stuff out too, so it may not be as crucial. I keep mine hangin in there because I don't have a factory front skid on my XJ. What is that ounce of prevention thing they say?

Anyways, I say ditch front and rear swaybars and keep the rubber thingy to protect your motor.

I vote for keeping the front sway bar......but if you choose not to that would be a good way to have your jeep turn upside down,that way you'll have a good view of the underside to keep an eye on the alternator to make sure it's not getting dirty...
Anyway,I don't want to get into the whole front swaybar debate...it's a dead horse....
btw tell me how that front skid is going to help keep things clean?It's a skid not a splash shield.

I made a rubber mat out of a tractor trailer mud flap. I'd say make your own and to hell with the OEM one for a template. The OEM one allows too much water (think water crossings and such) to the alternator anyway. My mud flap trick SEEMS to protect it better but I haven't been to a water crossing yet (don't come across a lot of them )

Engine stays cleaner though, that's one plus!

jeepdeepfreak said:

btw tell me how that front skid is going to help keep things clean?It's a skid not a splash shield.

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It looked to me like it could have some value in keeping water from spraying up through the accessory area when crossing a flooded intersection or wash (i.e. the spray that results from driving through 6 inches of standing water or so).

But, not actually having one, it was just a guess...

Rev Den said:

Repeat after me "The rubber splash guard is worthless, and should be in the same pile as the rear sway bar and the front disk shields."

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Ignore the drivel.

Keep the mat. It was put there for a purpose, to keep mud and other debris out of the engine compartment. One trail ride without it and I quickly put it back on.

I have the front skid plate and it really does little to keep mud and water out of the engine compartment. It does do great for keeping 2" branches out.

Go here to get a new mat for $30 or make one as suggested. http://www.jeepsareus.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=JAU&Product_Code=7937842241&Category_Code=CHEROKEE

I agree with replacing it. I ran without mine when it wore out and I picked up all kinds of debris. I've since replaced it with one from jeepsareus.com and some replacement clips from autozone. I need to figure out a better way of attaching it however, as I'll need to remove it again when I do some frontend work this spring. The push pins are a PITA and not reusable.

The front skid doesn't do the job that the rubber mat does, but it's better than nothing.

I have my rubber mat held up by using ~3/4" wide thin strips of galvanized steel, of various lengths, with holes drilled in them, and then use zip screws (self drilling, self tapping) to screw the strips to the unibody. It works great, and they're easier to remove than those stupid plastic things.

rstarch345 said:

Ignore the drivel.

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Wow...guess I better run right out and put one on...after all its only been 200K miles.

meh

Rev

Not to drag up an old thread, but I just pulled the skid plate and splash guard off of my 98 XJ Sport. I'm planning on mounting the skid plate on 97 SE. It doesn't seem to have a splash guard.

Does anyone have any pics of the mounting? I know on the front it was held on by the skid plate, but what about the sides and the rear?

I buy these things by the box and use them wherever they fit, since they are easy to put on and off, and are reusable

I hate those pushpins. The reusable ones tend to just frustrate me (jammed full of mud and rust and crap they don't un-pin so easily), so I stick to the "christmas tree" variety and use a sharp razor blade to dig under the head and chop them in half to get them out. Takes about one second per clip, and a few cents per clip to buy replacements.

Update - just learned a reason to modify or remove the rubber splash guard...

My oil pan is rusted through. I'm not talking about a small amount of surface rust, I'm talking RUSTED THROUGH. I leave a 4" diameter puddle of oil on the ground after parking my XJ for 30 minutes - it would be worse, but it's up a few inches from the bottom of the pan.

The rust patch exactly lines up with the part of the rubber mat that sits against the front of the oil sump. I'm pretty sure the mat pressing against the oil pan has been allowing road salt and capillary action to have their way with my oil pan for the last 13 years, and me moving it to replace my rusted transmission cooler lines last Friday was the final straw. Looks like I need to head for the junkyard, or alternatively drop the pan and weld a patch in. If you live in the rust belt I'd suggest checking on your oil pan + rubber splashguard and seeing if you need to modify it to avoid this happening to you.

On the plus side, I guess my rear main seal is fine! The oil from the leaky pan was blowing all over the place and made it look like the seal was bad, I've checked again and it seems fine now.

kastein said:

On the plus side, I guess my rear main seal is fine! The oil from the leaky pan was blowing all over the place and made it look like the seal was bad, I've checked again and it seems fine now.

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If you pull the pan and don't replace the rear main I'll call you dumb, it's worth the $7.00.

Fair enough - I have on hand:
* timing chain and sprocket set
* front main seal
* timing chain cover gasket
* oil pan gasket
* rear main seal

I bought these all because I figured I should replace them all at the same time if I was going to drop the pan (or rather, inspect the timing chain and FMS and do those as well if needed.) If the RMS is looking perfectly fine right now (will look at it again out of paranoia) I may actually leave it alone, as I have read stories from multiple people of having to try a few times before getting it right, and doing something like that a few times when it was doing just fine in the first place doesn't sound too amusing to me.

As for the @#$%^@$^ing rubber mat, I'm keeping it still, but I'm going to trim it back till it doesn't cling to the oil pan.

I've never had an issue of messing up a rear main. Just go slowly and make sure to lube it well with oil before insertion (soaking for an hour isn't a bad thing!). And no, that's not what she said!

I personally wouldn't worry about the timing chain nor the front cover gasket. Timing sets don't really go out that often and you can do the front cover independently of the oil pan gasket. If your 4.0 has a lot of miles on it I would consider the rod bearings and possibly the oil pump (Autozone has a good Melling high volume pump for a nice price).