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Do you really need an engine skid?

igotanxj

igotanxj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Citrus heights
Some TJ guys in my local jeep club are telling me an engine skid is a must for the more serious trails, but when I see pics of peoples XJ rigs on here, I dont see engine skids. Is this mostly a TJ thing or should I really get one for my XJ? How about transfer case skids?
 
If you wheel mostly fire roads around here then no. If you go to Crozet or get into the serious stuff a Rausch Creek or Big Dogs then its a must. I run factory gas tank and cross member skids along with AJ's rails, rusty's diff and eng-trans skid. I also have an armored muffler.

I have bent my rusty's eng-trans skid a number of times but I wheel my rig somewhat mercilessly and I am on 31's.

If you go to the rocks get all the skids.

John
 
Definately a good investment. I ran one until I got longarms, and am still trying to figure out how to make one that works with the TNT y-link. I bounced off mine several times, sure was glad I had it.
 
Transfer case skid for sure... dont skimp on something cheesy either....
As far as an engine skid goes.... you dont need one!!
 
mattyj said:
Transfer case skid for sure... dont skimp on something cheesy either....
As far as an engine skid goes.... you dont need one!!
Click to expand...

Only time I needed one was when I was a complete n00b...on my second trip out. ;) Put a good dent in the bottom of the pan while attempting something stupid with a BB and 30s. :D Since then I've come nowhere close to hitting it and even my buddy's built rig I bought (that has seen most of the nastiest stuff the country has to offer) doesn't have one. :)
 
Um, I'd sure like to have an oil pan skid....doesnt take much to dent it, and if you do it bad enough, you'll hit your oil pump....

the one from AEV/N-th degree is excellent....I wouldnt get one that bolts to your control arm mounts - they hang too low.
 
Sure you can run one but you have to do something pretty retarded to get something to hit your oil pan....

:D
 
I've never even so much as scratched my oil pan.

You gotta try pretty hard or wheel with your eyes closed to hit it on an XJ. It's much more at-risk on YJ/TJs.
 
Transfer case skid, absolutely if you wheel rocks. Oil pan skid, perhaps not. I believe that any rock that threatens your oilpan will also take out your drive shafts.

I try to drive with regard as to where my drive shafts are placed, if you do the same hitting your pan will be less likely.:D
 
Never said I hit mine, but come to think of it, the guy I know of who "rocked" his oil pan bad was in a TJ....

Hmmm...

I still like my skid plate :D
 
Skids are good.
I have a tank one, and a Xfer case skid.

I had a front skid, but it got so banged up at the lower lip it was rubbing on the tires and swaybar, so I took it off. When I figure out how to straighten it out, it goes back on.

With out the skid, I have never banged anything in the engine compartment. None of my fellow Club members have either.

I don't even think it's a problem on a TJ.
 
For the price I see for them in the classifieds, I say why not? I have never hit mine either however there will be that one time that I do something completely stupid. It will happen.

Wait, are we talking about the front skid?
 
If you look at the buggy guys, none of them run engine skids. If Goatman doesn't need it to compete in King of the Hammers with an XJ based rig, you don't need one to run trails casually.

Most of the time I have seen oil pan damage was from jumping or impacting really hard, and having your trackbar go into your oil pan.
 
If you are so worried just add a skid to the pan like old CJ's had.

Use the same principle on you auto trannys pan too(if you have an auto).

A simple 3/16" skid on the bottom with side supports ran up the side to the gasket mounting edge would be all that you should need at the most.

A engine skid that hangs below is always in the way when you have to work by it.

They do make a great shovel when you are in deep mud thou...:roflmao:

Its also fun getting that mud back off when you are cleaning your rig.(n)
 
Zuki-Ron said:
I don't even think it's a problem on a TJ.
Click to expand...

i have a friend with a TJ and a "permanent 1 quart reserve" from his raised drain-plug.

it is most definitely a problem on TJ's
 
I damaged my oil pan purely from stupidity and being through a trail I wasn't ready for and I was one of 2 rigs that did it that day in that spot on the trail so my advice is to just be ready if it does happen but don't base the build of your jeep around it.
 
I made a oil pan skid after my dumb move in my garage. The floor jack slipped and dented my oil pan. It took me a day to remove pan straighten pan weld cracks and replace oil pump pickup tube. Before this happened, I didnt think I needed one, But you know crap happens.
 
throw one on for cheap insurance.....a tranny/pan skid is high up on my to do list.
One thing nobody mentioned is the fact that it will help you glide over obstacles and not be so likely to get hung up on your crossmember.End of discussion.
 
mattyj said:
Transfer case skid for sure... dont skimp on something cheesy either....
As far as an engine skid goes.... you dont need one!!
Click to expand...

Agreed. but a trans skid is a must, and sliders. then the other stuff
 
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