Questions about lowering the transmission skid plate

Blondie70

Blondie70

TJ Enthusiast
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Sep 13, 2019
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Poplarville, MS
Hi Gents
I am going to install some 2 1/2" springs in place of a 1 7/8" spacer lift. If I have vibes and must lower the transmission, I will probably buy a kit for it. When this is lowered, does it require a motor mount loosening then retighten? What about the radiator shroud? Will it need adjustment ?

I have looked around for this info , but can't find it. Reckon it would come with the directions in a kit.

If no kit is available, how much should I shim with washers for the first try ?

This is for a 2000 SE 2.5L with standard 5 speed trans.

Thanks for any info

Pete/MS
 
At 2.5" you will have to drop the transfer case / transmission skid plate, no question about it.

Nothing is required at all other than getting longer bolts and washers to drop the skid plate an inch or so.

Don't waste your money on a kit. You just need longer bolts and washers, which you can get at any ACE Hardware, it's as simple as that. No need to mess with the motor mounts, radiator shroud, etc. Not unless you're installing a MML.
 
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You can avoid dropping the tcase skidplate which reduces ground clearance by installing a set of 1" taller motor mount lifts with rubber bushings. M.O.R.E. (Mountain Off Road Enterprises) makes my favorite MMLs called the "Bombproof" model. Brown Dog also makes them but I'd consider them a second choice when compared to the MORE MMLs. Make sure to select rubber mounts, not polyurethane which will pass vibrations into the passenger compartment.

A set of motor mount lifts reduces the excessive angle at the driveshaft u-joint which causes the vibrations in a similar manner to a tcase drop kit but without the loss of ground clearance.

But for now you can just add sufficient washers around each of the six 1/2x13 skidplate mounting bolts to space it down. Those bolts are long enough for that, no need to replace them. You just need a 7+" stack of washers with 1/2" holes in them. That's more than 1" per bolt but there's a recess in the skid plate they sit in so you have to add more than an inch of washers to actually drop the tcase 1". Then again you might start with just 1" of washers since you're not quite doing a full 3" lift which usually requires a full 1" drop.
 
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OK thank ya'll. Think I got it. Guess I will wait and see if the vibes are there first..
Appreciate the help.
Pete
 
U e got 2 1/2" lift with no vibe problems without any skid drop. 06 Rub. The 241 flange may be the difference? But no vibes from the ds.
 
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OK, I have been following several posts on various forums. I bought a '99 Sahara that had terrible rust and made the damn fool decision to save it. It was a borderline decision but I ended up doing a body off restoration and I'm better than half way through. Actually it is therapy for me and it's one of a long string of cars I have brought back from the dead, including a '80 CJ-5 with the 304 V-8 in it. That was ten years ago and it's one of those I wish I had kept. I would do more vehicles but I'm getting old and this day job I have keeps getting in the way.

Anyway, I separated the body from the frame and put the tub on a rotisserie. I then cut out floor pans, torque boxes, and other rusted areas and welded in new metal. A rotisserie is the way to go! After I was done I treated the entire underbelly with a rust neutralizer and laid several wet coats of rubberized undercoating. The cool thing about doing it on the rotisserie is that the undercoating laid flat and there was virtually no dripping, runoff, or waste.

I then rolled the frame in the shop and did some extensive repairs with Safe-T-Caps, new spring perches, new shock mounts, and a few more places needing rust eradication. While I was at it, I replaced fuel and brake lines, clutch, pressure plate, throw out bearing, flywheel, adjustable control arms (all four), and installed a 2 1/2 inch lift kit, which brings me to my question. I took Jerry's advice and rather than drop the skid plate one inch, I went with one inch M.O.R.E motor mounts. With the body still off, it was an easy sub-project but now my fan interferes with the shroud. Despite advice to the contrary, I passed on an OEM Mopar radiator and bought an aluminum radiator but not one of the Chinese knock-offs. I would really rather not do a body lift to make the radiator shroud line up again so what are my other options? I have room to drill the radiator mounting flange holes 1/2 inch lower, which will probably get the shroud centered. Is that a good solution?

While I'm at it, I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all who have offered advice on this website. You guys have no idea how much you help others by helping one. If you're in the Kansas City area, stop by for a beer. I owe you one.
 
Just drill some new holes to line up the shroud to the fan's new position. Hold it in proper location an mark where the new holes need to be. Then just move the bolts to hold it in place. Easy-peasy. 👍
 
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Only if the tub causes interference with the shifter. If the transfer is problematic switching to a cable shifter setup will cure that.
 
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Thanks Goatman. You were right - easy peasy. It’s all back together and I took it on it’s maiden drive last night after bleeding the brakes.
 
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