[BamaLonghorn]

Does a tummy tuck lift of the tcase so it doesnt hang below the chassis? How much is one? and can I install it with my basic tools?

[Maverick906]

Yes it does lift the tcase so it doesn't hang below the frame (by much). They run about $300 and up. Yes, you can install it with basic tools as long as you have a floor jack.

Also, you will need a SYE and CV driveshaft if you go with a high clearance skid plate. Together they run about $500.

[BamaLonghorn]

who makes a good high clearance skid plate. and do i have to get a new sye and cv driveshaft?

[Maverick906]

Ok, I have a Teraflex belly-up skid plate on my Jeep. I like it, there are others but most are more expensive. Plus it is one of the "skinniest" skid plates on the market. There are skinnier ones but they don't have the strength that Teraflex has.


Most people don't do this mod until they have to when they lift their jeep 3.5'' or more. If yours is stock you may not need to buy a SYE and CV driveshaft.

You might not have to buy anything for the skid plate to work or you may get by with rear upper and lower control arms in order to dial out the increased angle in your driveline.

[BamaLonghorn]

Originally Posted by Maverick906

Ok, I have a Teraflex belly-up skid plate on my Jeep. I like it, there are others but most are more expensive. Plus it is one of the "skinniest" skid plates on the market. There are skinnier ones but they don't have the strength that Teraflex has.


Most people don't do this mod until they have to when they lift their jeep 3.5'' or more. If yours is stock you may not need to buy a SYE and CV driveshaft.

You might not have to buy anything for the skid plate to work or you may get by with rear upper and lower control arms in order to dial out the increased angle in your driveline.

I have a Rubicon Express 3.5" Super Flex Lift. How will I know if I need to replace the SYE and CV shaft

[Unlimited04]

i have a jeepmedic, but it only works for 03+ and they are out of business. it gives an extra 2.5" clearance, and was the best on the market...IMHO. most require a 1"MML and 1"BL. A SYE will be needed if you have or plan on a lift.

[Maverick906]

At that lift height you almost certainly will have to buy a SYE and CV driveshaft. Only if you were stock could you maybe get by without one.

The only way to know for sure is to install the high clearance skid plate and see if you have driveline vibes. When you lift your Jeep and install a high clearance skid plate you are raising up your transfer case. Your driveshafts connect your front and rear axles to your t-case. So by raising your t-case you are increasing the degree or angle of your driveshaft. Harsh angles cause driveline vibrations. A SYE and CV driveshaft fix the vibrations and make your Jeep drive like it was stock again.

I will try to find a diagram to make this a little less complicated.

[Maverick906]

This should help.

http://www.4x4getaways.com/oldmansye.htm

[BamaLonghorn]

Originally Posted by Maverick906

This should help.

http://www.4x4getaways.com/oldmansye.htm

Man I really appreciate your help.

[Maverick906]

No problem. I had the same questions when I was looking into a high clearance skid plate.

Upgrading to a high clearance skid plate is quite an expense. Over $800 just for parts. But it's worth it, the stock skid plate is a major hang up on rocks. Especially when you have a transfer case drop kit with it.

[lupinsea]

.

Low-Profile Skid Plate Installation / Review

Check out the thread above. It's a fairly complete write-up on all the things that you'll need to address for a low-profile skid plate install. The skid plate itself is only about 25% of the total cost. Figure that (starting from scratch) it'll cost about $1100-1200 for a complete install. The reason being is that if you have ANY suspension lift at all you'll need:

$250+ - Skid plate
$550 - SYE + CV driveshaft
$160 - Adj. Upper Rear Control Arms
$150 - 1" BL / MML
$60 - T-case shift linkage relocation bracket
$120 - exhaust tweaks from a mufflershop

Because the low-profile skid plates jack up the t-case so much on a lifted Jeep you then need a SYE / CV driveshaft because the u-joint working angles are too severe on the stock driveshaft. And then, because you have a CV driveshaft you'll need to re-set your pinion angle (via the adj. upper control arms). Most belly-up skids also require a 1" BL. And then because of all this shifting around your transfercase linkages will probably be messed up . . so you need to address this. Finally, because you have an exhaust hanger on your t-case mounting bracket the exhaust is now shoved up against the body tub. So that needs to get tweaked.

Don't be scared off the mod. It's very nice having the break-over clearance. Just be aware of all that is involved. It's a lot more than just the skid plate itself.

[Maverick906]

Originally Posted by lupinsea

.

Low-Profile Skid Plate Installation / Review

Check out the thread above. It's a fairly complete write-up on all the things that you'll need to address for a low-profile skid plate install. The skid plate itself is only about 25% of the total cost. Figure that (starting from scratch) it'll cost about $1100-1200 for a complete install. The reason being is that if you have ANY suspension lift at all you'll need:

$250+ - Skid plate
$550 - SYE + CV driveshaft
$160 - Adj. Upper Rear Control Arms
$150 - 1" BL / MML
$60 - T-case shift linkage relocation bracket
$120 - exhaust tweaks from a mufflershop

Because the low-profile skid plates jack up the t-case so much on a lifted Jeep you then need a SYE / CV driveshaft because the u-joint working angles are too severe on the stock driveshaft. And then, because you have a CV driveshaft you'll need to re-set your pinion angle (via the adj. upper control arms). Most belly-up skids also require a 1" BL. And then because of all this shifting around your transfercase linkages will probably be messed up . . so you need to address this. Finally, because you have an exhaust hanger on your t-case mounting bracket the exhaust is now shoved up against the body tub. So that needs to get tweaked.

Don't be scared off the mod. It's very nice having the break-over clearance. Just be aware of all that is involved. It's a lot more than just the skid plate itself.

Yes this is an excellent right up. My "total" skid plate costs weren't quite as high since I already had a 2'' body lift which came with a t-case shift linkage relocation bracket.

I forgot about the rear upper control arms I had to buy. That does at $200 to the cost. So yep, parts alone will be over $1000. I didn't have any exhaust problems with mine though. I guess it depends on which high clearance skid plate you buy.

[Difranco]

Dropping my Jeep off today to get 4.88s woo hoo.

Anyway I havent been watching this market very closely lately but who are the available manufacturers out there? Which ones support Rubicons or Automatics?

JeepMedic out of business
Nth Degree out of business / AEV owned
GoFerIt
Teraflex BellyUp

Who Else?

[VinoTJ]

Originally Posted by Difranco

Dropping my Jeep off today to get 4.88s woo hoo.

Anyway I havent been watching this market very closely lately but who are the available manufacturers out there? Which ones support Rubicons or Automatics?

JeepMedic out of business
Nth Degree out of business / AEV owned
GoFerIt
Teraflex BellyUp

Who Else?

33 Engineering
http://www.offroadtoystore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=OTS&Category_C ode=33eng

Mine was not a total bolt-up with the Skid Row skid - but a nice 2-piece unit (can remove the skid - with the crossmember still installed to hold up the Trans)

[Crashnburn80]

Nth is available again, now by AEV:
https://secure.aev-conversions.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=NTH14021AA

Rokmen is supposedly coming out with one soon.

I thought the 33 engineering design looked great, untill I saw one abused in person. And actually the design is great in principle, but it could be executed a little better. Since the bottom skid is literally just a flat sheet of steel and has no lips, rolled edges or gussets on the inside and its design does not permit it to be boxed, the forward and rear center sections of the skid are free floating with no support. The angled cuts for the driveshaft only compound this problem, making even less support. The skid only has 1 center support and side support and is 3/16" vs the perffered 1/4". Granted the skid I saw was abused at Moab, but it deffinitly was not up to the task of rock crawling. The forward part of the skid had been peeled back and the skid was crumpled. Granted Im sure most people would not abuse it to this level, but I think they could greatly improve their design with just a few tweeks.