Best skid plates for LJ

A

Austin136

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Original poster
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May 17, 2024
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Winchester va
So i have been having some skid plate problems and am looking for a new one just not sure what is the best.

Its for a 04 lj automatic with 1.25 body lift and 1in mml going on tonight.

I had put a Skid Row engine/Transmission skid plate on it since i had one laying in the woods and after dragging it on rocks 3 day weekend its bent, trans pan is dented again and oil pan is leaking.

Im hard on stuff so i need something thatll take a beating and as high as posible to minimize the hits.

Debating between the

Savvy modular under armor + motor skid

UCF Deep-cover kit with Ultra High-Clearance in aluminum or steel

Barnes engine skid that looks like itll only work with theyre bolt on transfer case skid witch will hang the lowest of the three.

Or is there something else better out there

Thank you all for your input
 
Well the Savvy is no doubt the best designed skid plate available for any TJ. However, the question is can you actually get one and do you want to deal with the nightmare that is Savvy.
 
I have a UCF extra clearance tcase skid on my LJ Rubicon. Quality skid with no install issues. My rig is a manual so I opted not to deal with the transmission skid but went with a metal cloak oil pan skid instead.
 
With a welder, anything can be made to fit

IMG_9528.jpeg
 
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Savvy is sweet! They say they are in stock recently anyway.
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I haven't had this one in very long but it replaced my very dented stock skid.

The steel ucf engine skid I had was stout though. Just heavy.
 
Chris said:
Well the Savvy is no doubt the best designed skid plate available for any TJ. However, the question is can you actually get one and do you want to deal with the nightmare that is Savvy.
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Definitely looks the best design. Just looks like thin aluminum didn’t know how it would hold up to heavy bashing on rocks.
 
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I will also add that crossmember underneath that aluminum is nice. You can removing for cleaning, driveshaft and exhaust maintenance.
When setting my pinion angles, I ran with just the crossmember for while as it was easier for front driveshaft removal and adjusting.
 
Chris said:
Hey @mrblaine or @jjvw, how does that thin piece of aluminum hold up to heavy bashing on rocks?
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1/4" aluminum doesn't hold up that well on its own, but neither does steel plate. The bracing is very important and the Savvy does that part very well. The design allows a fairly deep cross section in the middle with a low overall footprint.
 
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bty34 said:
1/4" aluminum doesn't hold up that well on its own, but neither does steel plate. The bracing is very important and the Savvy does that part very well. The design allows a fairly deep cross section in the middle with a low overall footprint.
Click to expand...

Yep, most people overlook the design and that cross member. It’s a fine piece of engineering.
 
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