skid plate.........is all this nessary item?

[jinnee4u]

I have '03 Liberty limited......planning 2.5" lift up.......and semi-off tour..........................

Is all this nessary item?
1.Front Skid Plate
2.Engine/Transmission Skid Plate:
3.Gas Tank Skid Plate
4.Transfer Case Skid Plate for
Please recommend the best way ... minimum cost maximum effect!! of skid plate...
and...
Is it possibel to change tire(245/75R/16 or 265/70R/16 with stock wheel) after 2.5"lift up?

 

[Corwyyn]

I have '03 Liberty limited......planning 2.5" lift up.......and semi-off tour..........................

Is all this nessary item?
1.Front Skid Plate
2.Engine/Transmission Skid Plate:
3.Gas Tank Skid Plate
4.Transfer Case Skid Plate for
Please recommend the best way ... minimum cost maximum effect!! of skid plate...
and...
Is it possibel to change tire(245/75R/16 or 265/70R/16 with stock wheel) after 2.5"lift up?

First off welcome to the forum

If you are going to do off-road in your Jeep after the lift then it would be best to have all of the skids. The mopar units are OK and they are relatively cheap. They cover the vital areas (engine and transmission oil pans, etc) so you won't get stranded out in the middle of nowhere. The gas tank skid may not seem nescessary but bear in mind that the fuel tank is plastic and a decent stick or branch could go thru it.

On the tires I run a 245/75x16 with just a slight amount of rub, for 265 size you will definitely need to do some work on the wheel wells and other areas to be sure they do not rub. Do a search for 'pinch weld' and you should get some more information on that.

 

[jinnee4u]

Thanks!!!
Please recommend mopar units vendor to me!!!!

 

[LibertyFever]

We've all been there jinnee4u.

I've been gradually adding skidplates on my Libby since buying it. The first was a Mopar Front Skidplate and believe me it's taken a lot of hits. After a friend of mine smashed his transmission on a stump I bought myself a transmission skidplate, far cheaper than repairing the transmission. I also have a Mopar gas tank skidplate but I think I'll wait until spring to put it on.

For simplicity and availability I've been buying Mopar skidplates but if you shop around I'm sure you can find aftermarket ones. By the way I often found good deals on my Mopar skidplates by shopping around, the prices seemed to vary between dealerships.

 

[tommudd]

you need skid plates before you even think of going off road, 245-75-16 is a good all around size that will nor affect your gas mileage and power as much as a larger tire will

 

[pipeliner]

I have the full set of Mopar skid plates (the front one is fitted as standard to KJs imported into Australia) and the transmission one now has a lot of scrape marks and a bend in the middle! There isa lot of clearance between the skid plate and the gearbox, so I can't say that the gearbox would definitely have been damaged if the plate wasn't there, but I'm glad I fitted them!

 

[jnaut]

you need skid plates before you even think of going off road, 245-75-16 is a good all around size that will nor affect your gas mileage and power as much as a larger tire will

I respectfully disagree. Skidplates are a really good idea if you go off-road, but not absolutely necessary. It all depends on what kind of wheeling you do, where, what obstacles you cross and the driver.

Skid plates are a bit like wearing a seat belt. It should be done, but it doesn't mean you'll die a horrible death if you go without one. It's all about assessment of risk.

My advice is, if you have the money, get the skid plates. If you don't have the money (raises hands) then you need to be careful, know when you're crossing obstacles where if you slip off a log or stump, that you know what the consequences will be. When possible, have a friend observing your line any time there's a question, and move very, very slowly.

I've been doing off-roading for four years sans skid plates and haven't damaged anything yet-- well, ok, confession, my muffler has some really jim-dandy scrapes on the bottom.

As soon as I have the money, however, I will be getting skid plates.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Buy skid plates.
Cheaper than replacing the mechanical componentry that they will protect!

 

[icarl]

If you have the front skid plate already you can get by with that one until you get some more but be warned. I only had the front skid but managed to tear up the soundproofing material around the transfer case and damage my front DS boot which required replacing the drive shaft. Now, i have all the mopar skid plates but am looking for a better transmission skid plate that covers the DS area. The only aftermarket ones that i know of are currently the skid row plates. But i think rocklizard fabrications will be making some as well.

 

[tjkj2002]

I respectfully disagree. Skidplates are a really good idea if you go off-road, but not absolutely necessary. It all depends on what kind of wheeling you do, where, what obstacles you cross and the driver.

Skid plates are a bit like wearing a seat belt. It should be done, but it doesn't mean you'll die a horrible death if you go without one. It's all about assessment of risk.

My advice is, if you have the money, get the skid plates. If you don't have the money (raises hands) then you need to be careful, know when you're crossing obstacles where if you slip off a log or stump, that you know what the consequences will be. When possible, have a friend observing your line any time there's a question, and move very, very slowly.

I've been doing off-roading for four years sans skid plates and haven't damaged anything yet-- well, ok, confession, my muffler has some really jim-dandy scrapes on the bottom.

As soon as I have the money, however, I will be getting skid plates.

I'd have to repectfuuly disagree with you,protection is always(along with good F/R recovery points) the first thing you should always get.You can "be carefull" all you want but you will damage stuff when you slip of that tree root/rock or travel through that river and have no idea what is under the water.Have you priced a front diff,transmission,t-case,or gas tank?

New front diff-$1400,used is about $300+
New/rebuilt ******-$2700+
new/rebuilt t-case-$250-$1000
Gas tank-$650

$200 in skid plates(for the MOPAR junk) is way better then buying any one of the above,not to mention all of those items will leave you stranded except a broken front diff.

 

[AZKJ]

I've been running MOPAR skids on the KJ and have taken plenty of solid hits. They've held up very well for me.

As mentioned above, if you're going to play in the dirt, you need protection.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

I even have skid plates on that green Mini!
The front and rear is a Dural-aluminum/Teflon hybrid.
Without those I'd be going through $5000.00+ transmissions like I had 'em growing on trees!

While I'm on the topic... Other than Mopar skid plate kit (Which is no longer available here in BC{Which doesn't surprise me at all}) What is recommended?
Who in the US sells them?
And, naturally aftermarket is going to be far superior.
Which ones?

 

[icarl]

Buying a skid plate is a lot like buying a hockey cup. You may never need it but you feel better that its on.Kick.gif

 

[jnaut]

I'd have to repectfuuly disagree with you,protection is always(along with good F/R recovery points) the first thing you should always get.You can "be carefull" all you want but you will damage stuff when you slip of that tree root/rock or travel through that river and have no idea what is under the water.Have you priced a front diff,transmission,t-case,or gas tank?

New front diff-$1400,used is about $300+
New/rebuilt ******-$2700+
new/rebuilt t-case-$250-$1000
Gas tank-$650

$200 in skid plates(for the MOPAR junk) is way better then buying any one of the above,not to mention all of those items will leave you stranded except a broken front diff.

All that's understood. But it implies that you will be replacing it. Again, if you read my comments carefully, a lot depends on your circumstances. To reiterate my original post, skid plates are a good idea. However, if skid plates are not physically possible for you to afford, you can off-road without them, if you take the proper precautions. You can argue that you're taking the pitcher to the well, and I can't disagree with that. But some of us don't have the front money for skids and we've successfully offroaded for years without them.

None of this is to be interpreted as "I don't believe in them" or "Bah, useless pieces of metal", but to say that one should never venture off pavement is a little extreme.

For instance, I hear-tell there are folks that climb mountains with no safety gear, ropes or helmets. They're called "free climbers". I think they're insane. But thousands do it every year with no injury. But yet I think they're insance because of what "could" happen.

To sum up: if you can afford the front money, definitely get skid plates. But if it's simply beyond your pocketbook, and someone wants to take some reasonably soft trails, if you drive carefully, you'll probably be ok.

It sounds like jinnee4u has the money and is willing to make the purchase, so he/she might as well make the purchase and get the peace-of-mind.

 

[jnaut]

Buying a skid plate is a lot like buying a hockey cup. You may never need it but you feel better that its on.Kick.gif

I agree. I take my gun into the woods (while offroading without skid plates ) because of the possibility of running into a bear.

Sometimes people ask me "Why do you have that". My response is always the same: Better to have a gun and not need it, than to need a gun and not have it.

I will feel better when I have my skid plates. Unfortunately that won't be until late 2009 when the Jeep gets paid off and I have an extra $390 a month in my pocket. If I bust my ******, diff, shaft, or something else unsavory, I'll be the first to post here and say "Shoulda bought a skid plate". sad2.gif

Until then, it's careful offroading for me.

In fact, there's one thing I don't have while off-roading that I'm waayy more ashamed to admit. If someone can guess it, they win.

 

[tjkj2002]

All that's understood. But it implies that you will be replacing it. Again, if you read my comments carefully, a lot depends on your circumstances. To reiterate my original post, skid plates are a good idea. However, if skid plates are not physically possible for you to afford, you can off-road without them, if you take the proper precautions. You can argue that you're taking the pitcher to the well, and I can't disagree with that. But some of us don't have the front money for skids and we've successfully offroaded for years without them.

None of this is to be interpreted as "I don't believe in them" or "Bah, useless pieces of metal", but to say that one should never venture off pavement is a little extreme.

For instance, I hear-tell there are folks that climb mountains with no safety gear, ropes or helmets. They're called "free climbers". I think they're insane. But thousands do it every year with no injury. But yet I think they're insance because of what "could" happen.

To sum up: if you can afford the front money, definitely get skid plates. But if it's simply beyond your pocketbook, and someone wants to take some reasonably soft trails, if you drive carefully, you'll probably be ok.

It sounds like jinnee4u has the money and is willing to make the purchase, so he/she might as well make the purchase and get the peace-of-mind.

If you can afford to take your KJ offroad then you can certainly offord to buy skids,if you lfted your KJ you have the money to get skids,if you bought AT or MT tires you have money to buy skids since the skids(and F/R recovery points) should have been on your "to buy list" first.Sure you wheel without them,you may get away with it for some time but it will bite you in the butt sooner or later.


Ask the guy that had the crushed exhuast pipe,thought he could wheel without them,or not all of them and it got him,"hey I got the renny so I already got everything I need to wheel",ya right(whistle).

Just trying to save newbies the heartache and distaste of wheeling when they break something that costs big $$$ when a messly $200 could have prevented it.

 

[jnaut]

if you lfted your KJ you have the money to get skids

Completely agree. Hence my lack of a lift.

,if you bought AT or MT tires you have money to buy skids

Disagree. I rode on stock tires (off-roaded in them) until 50k and they were worn out. Then I bought A/T tires because I had to buy tires. They were a necessary replacement, and the cost of the tires wasn't much more than the streets. And I saved a goodly amount of $ going through Tirerack.com.

since the skids(and F/R recovery points) should have been on your "to buy list" first.

They were, then I got divorced in a community property state. Consider me lucky to still have the Jeep at all...

Sure you wheel without them,you may get away with it for some time but it will bite you in the butt sooner or later.

Four years and counting. I hope to make it to five when the Libby's paid off. Wish me luck.

Just trying to save newbies the heartache and distaste of wheeling when they break something that costs big $$$ when a messly $200 could have prevented it.

And your sentiments are definitely appreciated. In fact, I'm finding this discussion startlingly similar to discussions in handgun groups about Glocks and the lack of a safety.

 

[blue_kjR417]

I'd have to repectfuuly disagree with you,protection is always(along with good F/R recovery points) the first thing you should always get.You can "be carefull" all you want but you will damage stuff when you slip of that tree root/rock or travel through that river and have no idea what is under the water.Have you priced a front diff,transmission,t-case,or gas tank?

New front diff-$1400,used is about $300+
New/rebuilt ******-$2700+
new/rebuilt t-case-$250-$1000
Gas tank-$650

$200 in skid plates(for the MOPAR junk) is way better then buying any one of the above,not to mention all of those items will leave you stranded except a broken front diff.

I'd have to repectfuy agree with you! Haha

 

[Boblemoche]

I went wheeling last weekend on some trails I never saw first. The guys I was with asked for 31''+ tires. Im on 29.5'' with no lift but I could go because I have over 400# of armor under my jeep and I can tell you they were not a luxury. Just to tell you that skids dont cost much and will make your rig a lot more capable. At least as much as a lift imho

 

[mikes07kj]

Ok, I know I want to get skid plates, but in which order should I get them. Which one is the most important to start with.