Aluminum vs steel skid plates?

[Irun]

It does matter, especially with the 4.slow. Static, it isn't a big deal. But 500 pounds on a typical built TJ is 10 percent of the weight. Once that extra weight becomes dynamic, it messes with handling, acceleration, deceleration, the shocks ability to control the body (meaning the springs will compress more for equal force impact).

Think about this, Rick. What do you think your doctor would say if you showed up 10 percent heavier than you are now...

I've said repeatedly that years ago I put my LJ on a diet. It was an obsession that ultimately resulted in dropping nearly 500 lbs. The results were that the Jeep road and handled much better, stopped shorter, and accelerated faster. Most importantly, it was noticeably more nimble when climbing over obstacles. What I learned on the LJ is what inspired me to build my current TJ. It also taught me that my preconceived ideas about aluminum were wrong.

Today, I would use aluminum for all the body and under armor. The only exception I can think of is the use of steel for the rocker slider. This is one of the reasons why I'm a big fan of the Savvy design. You get maximum rocker and body coverage with light aluminum, paired with a strong and, relatively inexpensive, replaceable slider. The one place I'd have a question about is where Savvy uses stainless steel for the upper tub rub rail. I would think aluminum would work, so my guess is it has something to do with the required bend to go around the corner. I'm sure Blaine can explain that one.

 

[mrblaine]

Companies like Rokmen and Skidrow sell things based on customer needs.

Talk about fucking clown world. There are probably 10 things that Rokmen should never sell due to how fucked up they are and that is customer needs? That's a bullshit example.

When their products are weak they redesign them and make them do the job. That's exactly why Skidrow welded the extra angle iron on the bottom of the skid they sell. People were bending the skid and they wanted to solve the problem.

Does your ass get jealous of the shit that comes out of your mouth? Bring your small tire rig to JV with your Skidrow crap on it and I promise I can send you home with a skid bent so badly you won't ever come back.

Enter clown world, fuck you, you were wheeling where you shouldn't have been. That's where we are with this. These things obviously have different strengths, I'd hope people see through the nonsense.

There is some nonsense here alright.

 

[Gollywomper]

And remember I use to have the same 4 popper in my TJ but I honestly don't remember noticing a difference when I had other people in the rig or it packed full of camping gear.

Mostly driving up the mountain roads. Less on the handling side.

 

[mrblaine]

. I would think aluminum would work, so my guess is it has something to do with the required bend to go around the corner. I'm sure Blaine can explain that one.

That is a tough one. Yes, aluminum would work but only in solid bar stock. But the issue then becomes the radius. The smaller the radius the less it slides. Hang a sharper corner on a rock and it will peel and tear up the corner and maybe prevent forward progress. In that area with a very small radius like the stainless has, it will slide better than aluminum with the radius on the corner. You can't hide the fasteners on the aluminum. The rails when used properly will get tagged. They can be done much cheaper in steel but any finish that is applied will lose and then the rust will come through. SS was used to stop the brown crap and to slide better.

I would have preferred them in aluminum, I just couldn't make them do what I need them to.

 

[SvtLdr]

I've said repeatedly that years ago I put my LJ on a diet. It was an obsession that ultimately resulted in dropping nearly 500 lbs. The results were that the Jeep road and handled much better, stopped shorter, and accelerated faster. Most importantly, it was noticeably more nimble when climbing over obstacles. What I learned on the LJ is what inspired me to build my current TJ. It also taught me that my preconceived ideas about aluminum were wrong.

Today, I would use aluminum for all the body and under armor. The only exception I can think of is the use of steel for the rocker slider. This is one of the reasons why I'm a big fan of the Savvy design. You get maximum rocker and body coverage with light aluminum, paired with a strong and, relatively inexpensive, replaceable slider. The one place I'd have a question about is where Savvy uses stainless steel for the upper tub rub rail. I would think aluminum would work, so my guess is it has something to do with the required bend to go around the corner. I'm sure Blaine can explain that one.

I can notice a difference in handling just by removing the spare tire from my rig. I'm guessing that's around 80lbs.

 

[Wildman]

It does matter, especially with the 4.slow. Static, it isn't a big deal. But 500 pounds on a typical built TJ is 10 percent of the weight. Once that extra weight becomes dynamic, it messes with handling, acceleration, deceleration, the shocks ability to control the body (meaning the springs will compress more for equal force impact).

Think about this, Rick. What do you think your doctor would say if you showed up 10 percent heavier than you are now...

I guess once I have the Jeep running and driving again I'll have to experiment some. I'll throw 500 lbs of stuff in the back and see if I can tell the difference.

 

[02GreenTJ]

I’m the kid who bent the skid into my pan in JV and I have a few insights since two years ago or whatever it was. I have been running the savvy skid ever since then and have been returning to JV every year with a group of people. I’m more aware of the trails there. Now I know when I bent it the first time it was on turkey claw. Since being on 35s with just a rear locker the only trails I’ve run are turkey claw, Boulder dash and upper Johnson valley. The rest I ride passenger in more grown up rigs. I will say that on the rubicon trail the skid plate contacted my pan again and pushed the stalbus valve into the pan which resulted in an rtv and rubber floor mat patch. I no longer run the stalbus in conjunction because I don’t want to replace another oil pan. I wonder if my skid was not heat treated correctly or something because when I cracked it there was no noticeable big hit and I stopped for lunch with people telling me my jeep was pissing oil and I thought they were joking. Luckily I caught it early and caught five quarts. Based on what others have said it seems like aluminum is the better choice but I’m sharing my experiences, not trying to start anything. I will say that my savvy gas tank skid has been beat like it owes me money with basically just scratches

 

[mrblaine]

I’m the kid who bent the skid into my pan in JV and I have a few insights since two years ago or whatever it was. I have been running the savvy skid ever since then and have been returning to JV every year with a group of people. I’m more aware of the trails there. Now I know when I bent it the first time it was on turkey claw. Since being on 35s with just a rear locker the only trails I’ve run are turkey claw, Boulder dash and upper Johnson valley. The rest I ride passenger in more grown up rigs. I will say that on the rubicon trail the skid plate contacted my pan again and pushed the stalbus valve into the pan which resulted in an rtv and rubber floor mat patch. I no longer run the stalbus in conjunction because I don’t want to replace another oil pan. I wonder if my skid was not heat treated correctly or something because when I cracked it there was no noticeable big hit and I stopped for lunch with people telling me my jeep was pissing oil and I thought they were joking. Luckily I caught it early and caught five quarts. Based on what others have said it seems like aluminum is the better choice but I’m sharing my experiences, not trying to start anything. I will say that my savvy gas tank skid has been beat like it owes me money with basically just scratches

Just do one simple thing. Explain Turkey Claw on 33's to Pagrey.

 

[02GreenTJ]

Just do one simple thing. Explain Turkey Claw on 33's to Pagrey.

I would say doable but not fun. On 35s with just a rear locker and my buddy in a jk on 35s and truetracks we could get through the trail in about 20-30 minutes. Took us a good two hours to get a cj7 on pretty bald 33 ko2s through. That being said it’s the easiest jv trail I’ve ever been to. @mrblaine if you have any recommendations for some other trails in similar difficulty to upper Johnson valley or Boulder dash I’d be all ears. I go out there every near years with a large group. I was told claw hammer would be a good challenge but never got to it

 

[Gollywomper]

Maybe magnesium! That way if I hit anything really hard it will just burn to the ground……..

 

[mrblaine]

I would say doable but not fun. On 35s with just a rear locker and my buddy in a jk on 35s and truetracks we could get through the trail in about 20-30 minutes. Took us a good two hours to get a cj7 on pretty bald 33 ko2s through. That being said it’s the easiest jv trail I’ve ever been to. @mrblaine if you have any recommendations for some other trails in similar difficulty to upper Johnson valley or Boulder dash I’d be all ears. I go out there every near years with a large group. I was told claw hammer would be a good challenge but never got to it

Turkey Claw has been beat down then. It has historically been a struggle on 35's with no guarantee of not needing to winch. As for which trail, it really doesn't matter for the popular trails, they all have a section that will make your day miserable if you aren't set up right.

Without lockers at both ends, no idea.

 

[02GreenTJ]

Turkey Claw has been beat down then. It has historically been a struggle on 35's with no guarantee of not needing to winch. As for which trail, it really doesn't matter for the popular trails, they all have a section that will make your day miserable if you aren't set up right.

Without lockers at both ends, no idea.

That was my biggest hold up this trip. By next year I’ll be locked up front as well and hopefully I’ll have full corners.

 

[mrblaine]

That was my biggest hold up this trip. By next year I’ll be locked up front as well and hopefully I’ll have full corners.

You haven't exhibited a propensity to take sound advice yet but trust me on this one, full corners are much easier to install and work much better if you install them before you crunch the fuck out of the tub.

 

[jjvw]

You haven't exhibited a propensity to take sound advice yet but trust me on this one, full corners are much easier to install and work much better if you install them before you crunch the fuck out of the tub.

This is very good advice.

 

[02GreenTJ]

You haven't exhibited a propensity to take sound advice yet but trust me on this one, full corners are much easier to install and work much better if you install them before you crunch the fuck out of the tub.

That’s the plan. Not that I won’t listen to sound advice but I don’t have the funds being 21 and in college. Workin slowly with what I got.

 

[mrblaine]

That’s the plan. Not that I won’t listen to sound advice but I don’t have the funds being 21 and in college. Workin slowly with what I got.

Sometimes folks are in a hobby/lifestyle that their situation can't support at which point the following of sound advice is don't put your rig in places it isn't equipped for since that is far more expensive than equipping it correctly.

 

[rasband]

This is very good advice.

But what if we want to bedazzle our rigs?

 

[Kid Mechanic]

But what if we want to bedazzle our rigs?

I used aluminum foil, the heavy duty kind(of course), and wrapped the stock bumpers.
It looks awesome and strong like bull!

 

[pagrey]

There are plenty of materials that break that general rule.

Like I said previously, for 6061 aluminum and mild weld steel. Just trying to give a little extra metric when looking at the UCF skids to help somebody decide because they are so similar in construction. It's nothing more than that, I didn't mean for it to sound like a general comment but rather for those that were along for this particular ride.

 

[02GreenTJ]

Sometimes folks are in a hobby/lifestyle that their situation can't support at which point the following of sound advice is don't put your rig in places it isn't equipped for since that is far more expensive than equipping it correctly.

Well said. I learned my lesson there and enjoy wheeling the trails I feel my rig and I can comfortably handle. Being able to drive it down to jv or up to the rubicon and back to school is enough for me for now. It is impressive what a tj on 35s can do.