Continuing my super-stock build...

My rig is a 1992 4.0L, aw4, np231, dana 30, dana 35

So far, I've done these things

-Bastard xj/xj pack in the rear
-spacer up front
-Logan's metal front bumper
-New tires/brakes/other parts
-Procured a stock rear tire carrier

Parts soon to be installed

-Steering upgrade to ZJ v8 tie rod. I've got a bunch of Moog parts waiting to go in this weekend. Need to get a tie rod/pitman puller.

-New valve cover gasket, pan gasket and RMS (all felpro, upgraded stuff) to seal up my oil leak.

-Blue sea fuse block for clean underhood hook-up of accesories

-Hella 700ff halogen aux. lights for front bumper

-New Spicer solid cross u-joints for front axle

-Surplus ammo boxes for recovery gear storage on front bumper in winch spot.

-hitch steel tubing to reinforce stock rear tire carrier to carry spare tire, back up light/work light, fold-down camp table, luggable loo(camp toilet), and possible spare fuel can. (about 60-75lbs)

Questions

1. What is the best, low cost, lightweight transfer case skid? I can get an Appalachinan armor plate for about $70.00 shipped. Seems like the
best for me, since my rig is my primary car, and I want protection, but never abuse it. It would be for "chance" rock contact.

2. For the same application, would the "football face shield" type diff guards be a good value? I see some nice, lightweight ones for the Dana 30. Again, this would be for light, accidental contact with rocks. For example, hitting a boulder/rock going 5mph in a water crossing, or dragging it on slickrock on a mellow moab trail, etc. I tend to steer around rocks on the lighter high sierra trails we go on if I can. I'd like to spend less than $150.00 for all three guards. (tcase, 2 diffs)

3. Are front control arm skids a good idea since they're fairly low on front axle?

4. If I go with frame stiffeners from a vendor here, Can I weld tube-steel sliders from a place like trailgear or allpro right onto the surface of the stiffeners? Do I need/want the pinch seam tie-in, or am I ok without it? (again, understanding the focus on a bantam-weight rig)

1) I have a BDS setup. Can't help you there...

2) I have Rust'ys on both diffs and they have been up John Bull and Dishpan Springs.... I was high centered on the rear diff on Dishpan Springs. I once parked on top of a boulder in Johnson Valley and high centered the front diff.
(I have Lube Lockers also.)
After 2-1/2 years I have zero leaks.
I'd recommend the Rusty's, although they may be a bit out of your price range at $60 ea.

3) You could probably do without them. I don't have any. My hangers are a little boogered, but not bad.

4) I can't imagine rock rails without a pinch seam tie in. I just don't think it would work. Most of the time, if you're using the rock rail it's holding up the weight of the truck...

1. i think the stock t-case skid would work good enough for your application brian. mine has held up fine. but if you are set on aftermarket, the appalachain armor one seems to be a popular choice

2. i dont see a problem with those, again since you wont be doing any serious crawling or anything. every little bit helps

3. i would make a friend with a welder and just have some plate steel welded on. cheap and easy. im sure there are some guys in the so cal chapter willing to help you out

4. if you do get stiffeners, yes you can weld to them, but they would obviously be a PITA to remove if you had to. the pinch seam is a good idea to tie into. not sure how well aftermarket sliders work with stiffeners with regards to pinch seam alignment though.

Ok, thanks Tom and OMB.

So here's what I'm thinking

1. Yeah, I like the Appalacian armor skid, fo sho. I'll have to check out a stock skid and see if I like it. Don't know if I've seen one before. If it's anything like the stock front skid I have in my garage, you're probably right. (that one's pretty stout)

2. Then, up my budget a bit for some diff skids, since it's a priority to not have my axles spit out chunks of my gears..haha! (seeing how they're the lowest point on my rig other than the tires) I'll have to check out those rusty's skids. Maybe I'll do diffs and tcase first, since a hit to those components would stop me dead in my tracks on an overland trip. I'd be pissed, but I'd still make it home if I hit the rocker panels. First things first, ya know.

3. Have a buddy help fab some control arm skids on the cheap when I can

4. Keep thinking on the stiffener/slider thing...thanks for the input on that. Again, not planning on dragging this thing anywhere, so it's less of a priority as other specific armor choices, but honestly, it's usefulness as a step up to my cargo box keeps it high on my list.

SDOverland.... Are you going to the Expo Desert Rendezvous??

I have a similar goal for my XJ but can only comment on the AA skid. I just installed mine a couple weeks ago and I think it's plenty beefy for any kind of mild wheeling. The stock skid would probably hold up ok for you, but it does rob you of a couple inches of clearance (I have seen someone modify theirs for more clearance http://naxja.net/forum/showpost.php?p=245242032&postcount=556). The AA piece tucks up much tighter to the TC and provides a little more coverage along with a flat bottom. I I haven't hit it on anything yet, but would be confident in it's protection.

Original_MudButt said:

SDOverland.... Are you going to the Expo Desert Rendezvous??

Click to expand...

Not sure at this point. I have a couple conflicts.

SanDiegoOverland said:

Questions

1. What is the best, low cost, lightweight transfer case skid? I can get an Appalachinan armor plate for about $70.00 shipped. Seems like the
best for me, since my rig is my primary car, and I want protection, but never abuse it. It would be for "chance" rock contact.

2. For the same application, would the "football face shield" type diff guards be a good value? I see some nice, lightweight ones for the Dana 30. Again, this would be for light, accidental contact with rocks. For example, hitting a boulder/rock going 5mph in a water crossing, or dragging it on slickrock on a mellow moab trail, etc. I tend to steer around rocks on the lighter high sierra trails we go on if I can. I'd like to spend less than $150.00 for all three guards. (tcase, 2 diffs)

3. Are front control arm skids a good idea since they're fairly low on front axle?

4. If I go with frame stiffeners from a vendor here, Can I weld tube-steel sliders from a place like trailgear or allpro right onto the surface of the stiffeners? Do I need/want the pinch seam tie-in, or am I ok without it? (again, understanding the focus on a bantam-weight rig)

Click to expand...

1. Depends on what you're trying to protect - I ran an OEM tcase skid for years, and it never let me down; despite taking some good hits, it never bent. What I found, though, is that because I tend to push my limits a bit, most of my crossmember strikes were on the bottom/front, which is not protected at all by the OEM skid. Since the Appalachian skid only covers a little more of the 'member than the OEM, I went to JCR for a belly pan (DPG has a similar product) that covers from frame rail to frame rail and even wraps up in front. It's more expensive, though, so if you don't think you need that much protection, by all means go with Appalachian.

2. Don't see why that type wouldn't work - they've been around for years and many have run them with good results. On the other hand, if you go with heavy-duty replacement covers, you only have one thing to juggle while lining up the bolts during fluid changes instead of two...

3. I've whacked my axle LCA mounts a lot of times and they still seem to be in place and not deformed enough to be problematic, so I'd say it's safe to hold off on this. Consider saving up for aftermarket LCAs, though - do much wheeling beyond "bunny trails" and you'll probably be going through a set of OEMs every year (I killed two sets in 6 months a couple years back, with the second I bent one so bad that it looked like a WJ arm and had to drive it 100 miles home like that. Gave up and put some nice adjustables on in their place.).

4. I've not seen too many sliders that only tie to the frame rail - the pinch seam mount seems to help add rigidity to the body and take some torsional load off the frame mounts. The one set of bolt-ons I had used a piece of what I think was 1/16 angle iron - couldn't have been more than 6-10 lbs for both sides' pinch mounts. Of course, if your rockers are in bad shape skip the bolt-ons and replace the rockers themselves with 2x6 1/4-wall rectangle tube (if you're going to weld on stiffeners you can handle that). Had that done to mine and wouldn't want anything else now. Plenty of writeups available 'round these parts.

SanDiegoOverland said:

Questions

1. What is the best, low cost, lightweight transfer case skid? I can get an Appalachinan armor plate for about $70.00 shipped. Seems like the
best for me, since my rig is my primary car, and I want protection, but never abuse it. It would be for "chance" rock contact.
I bought this:
http://www.warn.com/truck/mounting-systems/body_armor_skid_plate_xj.shtml
5 years ago, and it's seen way more than chance contact. It's terribly bent, but so is the crossmember. I can't complain for the 80 bucks I spent.

2. For the same application, would the "football face shield" type diff guards be a good value? I see some nice, lightweight ones for the Dana 30. Again, this would be for light, accidental contact with rocks. For example, hitting a boulder/rock going 5mph in a water crossing, or dragging it on slickrock on a mellow moab trail, etc. I tend to steer around rocks on the lighter high sierra trails we go on if I can. I'd like to spend less than $150.00 for all three guards. (tcase, 2 diffs)
They work, I've ran my rock ring into lots of things. The advantage to a full diff cover is that it also helps to stiffen up the center section. If you have a welder you can buy a kit and DIY, cheaper.

3. Are front control arm skids a good idea since they're fairly low on front axle?
yes, I didn't do them, wheeled in rocks and destroyed the mounts on the axle.

4. If I go with frame stiffeners from a vendor here, Can I weld tube-steel sliders from a place like trailgear or allpro right onto the surface of the stiffeners? Do I need/want the pinch seam tie-in, or am I ok without it? (again, understanding the focus on a bantam-weight rig)
Get the HDOffroad stiffeners, Brian is top notch and they fit well. Resaerch replacing the rocker with box up to the sill plate. It's a clean look, and stronger. If you tie the rails into the pinch seam when the rails bend they just push the rocker up anyway.

Click to expand...

My 2 cents.

SanDiegoOverland said:

Questions

1. What is the best, low cost, lightweight transfer case skid? I can get an Appalachinan armor plate for about $70.00 shipped. Seems like the
best for me, since my rig is my primary car, and I want protection, but never abuse it. It would be for "chance" rock contact.

Click to expand...

Call Jimmy at Outdoorlogic.net or Max at dirtboundoffroad, both naxja sponsors and both socal locals who can make you whatever you need as tough or as cost effective as you need.

2. For the same application, would the "football face shield" type diff guards be a good value? I see some nice, lightweight ones for the Dana 30. Again, this would be for light, accidental contact with rocks. For example, hitting a boulder/rock going 5mph in a water crossing, or dragging it on slickrock on a mellow moab trail, etc. I tend to steer around rocks on the lighter high sierra trails we go on if I can. I'd like to spend less than $150.00 for all three guards. (tcase, 2 diffs)

Click to expand...

I had one, and hated it. It works ok for flat rocks but after a few trips I noticed the diff cover was just as beat up in between the down bars as the bars themselves were, didn't do much for me but your situation may be different.

3. Are front control arm skids a good idea since they're fairly low on front axle?

Click to expand...

YES. I only wheel in sand and I beat the hell out of mine so bad I almost couldnt get the bolts out. Not only for the skid potential, but boxing in the lower mounts strengthens up the mounts themselves quite a bit. ripping the lower mounts off the axle is too common of an occurance around here to not get them. As said above a simple piece of plate boxing each one in done by someone local to you will be fine. have them box in the front side of the passenger upper control arm mount too while they're under there, it's another weakness on the D30.

4. If I go with frame stiffeners from a vendor here, Can I weld tube-steel sliders from a place like trailgear or allpro right onto the surface of the stiffeners? Do I need/want the pinch seam tie-in, or am I ok without it? (again, understanding the focus on a bantam-weight rig)

Click to expand...

yes you can weld straight to it. the rails themselves cave in your rocker panels if you happen to come down hard on them. It's really all about how clean you want to keep your rig

thanks for all the replies and links!