Affordable transmission skid options?

M

m9199

VibraJeeper
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2019
Messages
104
Location
Biloxi, MS
I had to do some transmission work, and due to some spinning nutserts (rivnuts? one of those is correct) in the frame, I had to chop the transmission skid off. I'm not comfortable driving anywhere but the road without it, so I'd like to replace it, but it seems that what boils down to some sheet metal is very expensive. Is there anything available that I don't have to take a payday loan out to afford?

Edit: it doesn't have to be an upgrade, anything works.
 
Just curious...if you cut the skid off what is holding the transmission up in place while you are driving around? 🤔
 
  • Like
Reactions: RobertJ
Barnes makes the cheapest aftermarket one. You can put a want ad out for a used takeoff OEM one, Undercover Fab works makes then next cheapest and Savvy may have one, depending on the year. Fix the nutsert in the frame first, black magic brakes carries them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MountaineerTom
It sounds you have already discovered, that prices range quite a bit: I do think you have your priorities out of line or at least not expressed. The shovel does a couple of things. Its first job is to support the trany and second to offer some protection to that area of the belly. Pretty much any skid will fill job one but not all offer the same level of protection or provide the same amount of clearance. Also materials as well as its thickness affect pricing making it difficult to compare, however "anything will work" IMO is not the correct attitude.
 
The automatic transmission skid plate does not support the transmission, or anything else. I bolts to the front edge of the transfer case skid plate and the frame rails.

The transfer skid plate is a different story. It is a crossmember and does support the transmission/transfer case.
 
I have one sitting in my backyard rusting away happily you can have but shipping isn't going to be cheap. You could look at http://car-part.com/ for a local replacement. As far as aftermarket the UCF at around $300 and Skid Row around $350 are good replacements. I assume from your description you are talking about the front transmission skid.
 
I assume we are talking about the little transmission skid for the 42rle and not the main center skid/crossmember.

How vulnerable is the auto transmission without the skid compared to the manual? I haven't paid much attention to this.
 
Here it is with the oil pan just visible on the left

pan.JPG
 
  • Like
Reactions: jjvw
Goatman said:
Just curious...if you cut the skid off what is holding the transmission up in place while you are driving around? 🤔
Click to expand...
The transmission skid is a steel plate that bolts onto skid that supports the transfer case and transmission. It provides no support, but removal was required to replace the transmission filter.
 
05 Blue Unlimited said:
It sounds you have already discovered, that prices range quite a bit: I do think you have your priorities out of line or at least not expressed. The shovel does a couple of things. Its first job is to support the trany and second to offer some protection to that area of the belly. Pretty much any skid will fill job one but not all offer the same level of protection or provide the same amount of clearance. Also materials as well as its thickness affect pricing making it difficult to compare, however "anything will work" IMO is not the correct attitude.
Click to expand...
I'll clarify a bit; anything that is stronger than the transmission pan, and won't get punctured by the first rock that it comes upon.
 
The aluminum Savvy engine skid will mate to the factory transfer case skid (after drilling holes to mount it) and doesn’t use the nutserts that to factory trans skid does. It also protects the oil pan where the factory one doesn’t. I went with Savvy over UFC because I never got an answer from UFC as to if it would mount to the factory transfer case skid. At the time I was looking it wasn’t stated on their website. Savvy assured me it would and drilling the mounting holes.

A factory trans skid would probably be cheaper though if you could find it locally.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...pan-valve-using-oem-transfer-case-skid.15366/
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom
Back