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2005 Rubicon Skid Plate Question

6K views 31 replies 12 participants last post by  aeroshots 
#1 ·
I just bought a 2005 Rubicon and have a question about factory skid plates.
There are skid plates on the gas tank, the back diff, the trans/transfer case, the steering box and the front diff.
Are these aftermarket or factory?
Thank You for any help.
 
#2 · (Edited)
Some pics would help figure out what you got and enable the pros here on ROF to answer you questions better.

I'm not one of the pros but my 05 had the main big skid plate and being an automatic had a transmission skid as well and no other protection. edit: The gas tank has a "skid" or outer protection but hard core off-roaders replace it with a heavier duty one.

When I got a lift the trans skid had to be removed so I put on an aluminum UCF Engine Skid Plate. Anyway sounds like you have after market skids.
 
#3 ·
The the back diff, the trans/transfer case, the steering box and the front diff are aftermarket add-on. Unless the dealer offered them as options. Some TJ models came with a thin metal gas tank cover and some with a more heavy duty item, a "skid" of sorts that was okay. My TJ came with a formed metal gas tank skid with reinforcement ribs on it, front to back, and it was a factory item. It's taken some abuse over the years and has many dings and dents in it, but it's held up well.
 
#6 ·
If you have an automatic Rubicon you will have a transmission skid attached to the transfer case skid and a fuel tank skid.
The differential skids and the power steering box skids are aftermarket.
A manual tranny version does not have the transmission skid.
 
#11 ·
My Sahara(009), Unlimited, Rubicon, also had an "off road" package that included a Warn 9.5 TPI, and a pore steering gear box skid. No transmission but as mentioned, a factory fuel tank skid that works very well.
 
#9 ·
I've never gotten the Drag files here to attach to work for me (I use Firefox on a Windows machine.) Instead of using Quick Reply, use Go Advanced and scroll down a bit to Manage Attachments. Click on that and pick your files to upload from your PC.
 
#14 ·
Speaking of the 'shovel', is there an aftermarket skid plate that replaces the shovel, but doesn't necessarily lift the TC to the point that a body lift is required?
 
#16 ·
Update to my skid plate question

I figured out the drag and drop for pics. Attached the three for the skid plates and also a couple of the new Rubicon..
 

Attachments

#17 ·
Please take off the rear diff skid plate - you have just created a new place to get hung up on a rock. The best protection for the diffs is an ARB cover. You want everything under the chassis to mimic an airplane wing - smooth. When you hit something you just slide over (unless you are on a bad line.)

The other issue with add-on diff protection is they reduce clearance, when you are rock crawling, even an inch can make a difference in clearing an obstacle or not.
 
#18 · (Edited)
They don't look stock to me... the steering box skid maybe a dealer installed item, but pretty generic. Decent if it has attachment to side of frame.

the diff skids wouldn't be on my jeep and I agree with John, a heavy cover or protection ring like on the front is needed on the rear since you do back into things.
That rear diff skid doesn't do much - its not far enough forward to protect pinion and the cast iron diff is pretty stout so somewhat unnecessary in my view. Pinion protection would be nice and the only area I have problems, but if you rotate pinion up with CV driveshaft it minimizes things.

I would add control arm skids to the axle mounts if you plan on any wheeling. They take a huge beating.
 
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#22 ·
I have jks weld on on one jeep and some homemade on another... control arm clearance can be an issue, stock arms run too far through mounts. The skids are cheap if you or someone you know welds... though I doubt it would be much for someone to fab some up- a split rectangular or square 3/16 wall tube is all it takes.
 
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#23 ·
I welded a small 3/16" plate on the ears of the lower front control arm bracket (frame end.) Really helps to keep the bracket from deforming. The front lowers can really take a beating.

Beefing up the upper brackets is a good idea - I've managed to tear all four of mine and had to fix and add some plate to keep that from happening again.
 
#28 ·
The sleeve is inside the factory axle housing. I cannot recall where I got the sleeves from, Possibly Ballistic Fabrication? They were simply 1/4" wall tubes that fit inside the factory housing with about 1/8" clearance for my axle shafts. I just looked for pics and did not locate any.

I drilled lots of1/2" holes in the factory housing (kind of like swiss cheese) to weld the sleeves in place. Must be at least 10 holes on each side of the diffs for the welds.
 
#29 · (Edited)
I looked into the sleeves for my TJ several years back, but never bought them; IMO they were a solution for a problem that didn´t exist. I first started hearing about bent axle tubes on the JK(U) and companies begun selling sleeving kits as a solution for this problem, shortly after that the I started seeing kits for the TJ as well, but I don´t recall ever hearing of an epidemic of bent axle tubes on the TJs, so I told myself it was just marketing and moved on.
YMMV.
 
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