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T&T or DPG Belly skid?

saburai

saburai

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Vagabond wander in the Catskills for now...
The TNT is a crossmember replacement that will net higher ground clearance. So if you are a transfer drop guy TNT is out. The DPG is a skid plate over crossmember. Cost difference is significant.
 
Yeah, you definitely have to have an SYE with the TnT skid. When I put mine on, I had to jack the trans way up to bolt it on. The amount of clearance it gave me over the stock crossmember with a t/c drop is amazing. I could easily see the stock piece when standing next to the Jeep. Now I have to stand back and bend down to begin to see the TnT skid.

Besides the clearance, the TnT skid weighs a ton and is super solid, so I won't ever worry about bashing the transfer case. Plus it's a replacement piece and is bolted in with the 4 stock bolts, plus 2 more in stock nutserts and two through the frame with crush sleeves. When it comes to the drivetrain, I'll take all the beef I can get.
 
I have the DPG skid. It's pretty beefy but like said, it covers the stock crossmember so it's lower than the TnT. It bolted up with 4 (I think) bolts through the frame rails on each side. I also have no worries about landing on it off-road.
 
I have the dpg and it is great....

Might be just slightly lower than the TNT but it is frame rail to frame rail skid and it is very good quality.
 
Of coarse Ideal would be to get the TnT crossmember, well because its super beefy and the gain in ground clearance. The DPG is also super beefy and cheaper. Really just need to ask yourself, is the gain in extra ground clearance worth the extra money to you?
 
Thanks Guys!

Are we talking 1, 2 or 5 inches?

With the TnT how much over stock do you gain?
With the DPG how much over stock do you lose?
 
I'd say the DPG is only an inch maybe two below stock. It hugs rights up against it.
 
here is a pic of mine right after i installed it. i love it and am in the process of fabing up a long arm off of it.(dont hate on the lp30)
DSC03661.jpg


DSC03660.jpg
 
I like the fact that the DPG (which I happen to own) wraps all the way around the outside of both frame rails. I also like that the hardware is recessed flush with the skid and it uses no nutserts or self tapping hardware. Every bolt is securely fastened with a locknut. I'm not sure what grade of 1/4" steel TNT uses, but DPG uses high tensile 3/16" steel for a blend of high strength with less weight.

Just to clear up earlier confusion, the DPG is not intended to be used with a TC drop. The bolts running through the sides of the "frame" would not be centered on the rail. You might be able to squeeze in a small drop, but it definitely wouldn't be ideal.

Darky said:
I'd say the DPG is only an inch maybe two below stock. It hugs rights up against it.
Click to expand...

Read that again... you're disagreeing with yourself in the same sentence. It does hug right up against it. This means it is 3/16" lower than stock, the thickness of the metal it is made out of...
 
the dpg skid hangs 3/16" lower than stock when installed correctly

both are nice units
 
I have a TNT LA with their pan of course, I love the added t-case skid it was one less thing to worry about. It is alittle difficult to change tranny fluid now but worth the extra work. On the other hand DPG is a GREAT company with GREAT values I would buy from them again in a heart beat! sounds to me like you will win either way
 
fyrfytr1717 said:
Read that again... you're disagreeing with yourself in the same sentence. It does hug right up against it. This means it is 3/16" lower than stock, the thickness of the metal it is made out of...
Click to expand...

Mine has a slight gap. An inch is probably overstating but hey, I was up at 0330 today for work. My brain is even less functional than normal today...;)
 
No worries, just didn't want Dirk's design getting a bad rep as a clearance killer. :eek:
 
Thanks for all the input.
It looks like for me the only option is the DPG unit since for now I'm running a T-case drop.
Next question: any one have a definitive answer as to the maximum T-case drop that will still clear w/ the DPG pan?
 
I am not familiar with TNT pan but the DPG you loose like the thickness of the pan on the cross member... On the sub frame rails you loose the thickness of the pan + the bend radius of the pan... It might be 3/8 to 1/2 inch.

Here is a pick from their website... I am too lazy to go get one of my jeep.

xjbellyinstalled.jpg



It is not much that you loose and it covers from rail to rail which allows me to glide over things
 
saburai said:
Thanks for all the input.
It looks like for me the only option is the DPG unit since for now I'm running a T-case drop.
Next question: any one have a definitive answer as to the maximum T-case drop that will still clear w/ the DPG pan?
Click to expand...

you can clear a t-case drop with it, just drill the holes in the rails lower.

but before dropping a huge skid plate an inch and hogging unnessesary ground clearance. why not run an sye?
 
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