Is an engine skid really necessary?

I added the engine skid first pairing it with the stock skid. I run rocky trails on the east coast and the oil pan sits behind the axle and too low for my comfort. Also several guys I wheel with have trashed or dented their oil pans with no engine skid. It makes trail extraction a total weekend ruining situation.

An engine skid with a stock skid also helps reduce the shoveling the stock skid likes to do. Especially on the 03 to 06.
 
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LONGJP2 said:
Wasn't too concerned about an oil pan skid even though I already have a dent in mine.
I worry more about the bottom of the radiator.
However, it's pretty much the only option when replacing the factory auto trans.pan skid.
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Rusty's and skid row both make radiator guards. I've never installed one but since my move east I might think more about it. I don't picture it being that vulnerable to rocks, but downed trees and branches for sure.
 
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freedom_in_4low said:
Rusty's and skid row both make radiator guards. I've never installed one but since my move east I might think more about it. I don't picture it being that vulnerable to rocks, but downed trees and branches for sure.
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Yes I've seen tree branches get shoved into some odd spots. I've thought about getting one of the radiator guards but don't know if it would fit my aftermarket radiator.
 
freedom_in_4low said:
Rusty's and skid row both make radiator guards. I've never installed one but since my move east I might think more about it. I don't picture it being that vulnerable to rocks, but downed trees and branches for sure.
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Rusty's appears to cover the front area below the grille whereas the Skid Row does not.. I'm wondering if that hinders airflow or better directs it through the radiator. $55 more and I know some folks here refuse to use Rusty's. I have his steel fenders on my XJ.
 
Wildman said:
Yes I've seen tree branches get shoved into some odd spots.
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I put aluminum footwells in my Yamaha Wolverine just for branches through legs. Had some close calls myself and some nasty stuff online that happened on the trail. I'm not concerned about physical injury in the LJ but a damaged radiator or such can end a trip or at least ruin a full day for the whole gang.
 
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NOTNSUV said:
Rusty's appears to cover the front area below the grille whereas the Skid Row does not.. I'm wondering if that hinders airflow or better directs it through the radiator. $55 more and I know some folks here refuse to use Rusty's. I have his steel fenders on my XJ.
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I don't think it would hurt anything, and the protection would be good there.

I also am not a big fan of the way Skid Row uses the body mount.
 
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srimes said:
What's the advantage of that vs a full engine skid? In for a penny in for a pound, I'm thinkin
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The oil pan skids bolt to the engine. Whereas the full skids bolt typically bolt to the engine frame mounts and the t case skid. The full skids offer greater coverage, a smoother surface and can take harder hits that don't transfer directly to the engine.
 
NOTNSUV said:
Rusty's appears to cover the front area below the grille whereas the Skid Row does not.. I'm wondering if that hinders airflow or better directs it through the radiator. $55 more and I know some folks here refuse to use Rusty's. I have his steel fenders on my XJ.
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Yes and those people who won't have other things they dislike also. Do I think Rusty's is GREAT? Nope but they do offer some stuff that I've thought about buying.

One example is their tailgate tire carrier. It's rated for a 40" tire where the other brand is only for up to a 35" tire. So those of use who run larger tires either have to run with no spare/use a swingout bumper mount tire carrier/run a Rusty product.

I wouldn't worry too much about a reduced air flow.

NOTNSUV said:
I put aluminum footwells in my Yamaha Wolverine just for branches through legs. Had some close calls myself and some nasty stuff online that happened on the trail. I'm not concerned about physical injury in the LJ but a damaged radiator or such can end a trip or at least ruin a full day for the whole gang.
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Yep I've seen some NASTY accidents with SXS's and tree branches up here in the PNW. The really nasty ones are where the person in the rig got impaled too.

I'm not worried about a branch hitting me in my TJ but I do worry about busting the bottom tank on my radiator. Might have to look at the Rusty one and see if I can make it work. I had to make custom mounts for my Skid Row engine skid. And I just got done straightening mine back out and then adding some more angle iron to try and keep it from bending agian.
 
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Wildman said:
Yes and those people who won't have other things they dislike also. Do I think Rusty's is GREAT? Nope but they do offer some stuff that I've thought about buying.

One example is their tailgate tire carrier. It's rated for a 40" tire where the other brand is only for up to a 35" tire. So those of use who run larger tires either have to run with no spare/use a swingout bumper mount tire carrier/run a Rusty product.

I wouldn't worry too much about a reduced air flow.



Yep I've seen some NASTY accidents with SXS's and tree branches up here in the PNW. The really nasty ones are where the person in the rig got impaled too.

I'm not worried about a branch hitting me in my TJ but I do worry about busting the bottom tank on my radiator. Might have to look at the Rusty one and see if I can make it work. I had to make custom mounts for my Skid Row engine skid. And I just got done straightening mine back out and then adding some more angle iron to try and keep it from bending agian.
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Had a $150 Christmas gift card burning a hole in my pocket and so hate to dip and dab spending those so I just called Rusty's and ordered the radiator skid. Talked them into a $5.31 discount to make it an even $150 with shipping.

I'll get around to the engine skid soon. Love the way you guys make it so easy to spend money.
 
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NOTNSUV said:
Rusty's appears to cover the front area below the grille whereas the Skid Row does not.. I'm wondering if that hinders airflow or better directs it through the radiator. $55 more and I know some folks here refuse to use Rusty's. I have his steel fenders on my XJ.
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I've had the Rusty's radiator skid on for a little over 3 years in the hot and humid southern summers and have not noticed any difference in engine temps.
 
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NOTNSUV said:
Had a $150 Christmas gift card burning a hole in my pocket and so hate to dip and dab spending those so I just called Rusty's and ordered the radiator skid. Talked them into a $5.31 discount to make it an even $150 with shipping.
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I honestly could give 2 shits what others on here THINK... As evident by those who have me on ignore cause they can't handle it.

And I've always been the type that does my OWN thing and screw what others think.

NOTNSUV said:
I'll get around to the engine skid soon. Love the way you guys make it so easy to spend money.
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Yes we are all very happy to help others spend money. Heck you're getting off easy at only $150. That's a drop in the bucket.
 
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Just to add here is how much I'd bent my Skid Row engine/transmission skid.

20211230_210241.jpg


I used the HF 20 ton press and straightened it out as much as I could.

20211230_211541.jpg



Then I added 1.25 angle iron over the original to help strengthen it. I did 5 holes on each side of the angle iron so I could plug weld it.

20220113_055142.jpg



Turn out pretty good. But I'd HATE to have seen my oil pan if I hadn't had the skid. And now I have a larger engine and transmission pans.

20220113_055209.jpg
 
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Wildman said:
Yes I've seen tree branches get shoved into some odd spots. I've thought about getting one of the radiator guards but don't know if it would fit my aftermarket radiator.
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I was on a forest road last summer with a friend, my wife's subaru could drive this road but he managed to punch a hole in his oil pan with a 3" thick tree limb...

Oil/trans skid was the first thing I added to my Jeep.... bought the savvy and drilled holes to mount it to the still OEM skid at the time. I think of it as insurance, you may never need it, but when you do, you'll be very sad if you don't have it.. and they are cheap/easy as Jeep mods go.
 
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Rustys is like any other company in the Jeep market. They make stuff I won't use, and they make stuff I would. Same with RC, Skyjacker, Smittybilt, poison spyder, etc. If I completely wrote off every company that made something I thought was stupid then I'd be down to one company that doesn't provide instructions, doesn't work during KOH and has lead times that might be 1 week or 8.
 
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Wildman said:
Just to add here is how much I'd bent my Skid Row engine/transmission skid.

View attachment 302349

I used the HF 20 ton press and straightened it out as much as I could.

View attachment 302350


Then I added 1.25 angle iron over the original to help strengthen it. I did 5 holes on each side of the angle iron so I could plug weld it.

View attachment 302351


Turn out pretty good. But I'd HATE to have seen my oil pan if I hadn't had the skid. And now I have a larger engine and transmission pans.

View attachment 302352
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How'd you bend it? Come down on a rock?

I have the barnes belly skid so I'll probably go with their engine skid. What's another $375....
 
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100% necessary for the trails I like to do based on the gouges in it. Engine + t case + upgrade the gas tank skid is the move in my opinion.
 
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