Skid Plate (front axle not tx case)??

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I remember asking about this some time ago, but am asking again, hoping someone knows of a bolt on product.

There is a real nice shot of a green dodge in the back of a truck magazine, selling maybe tires, that has both a front skid plate and ladder bars in the back.

Where can I find a skid plate for my green dodge... ? #ad


Snows is getting deeper and I know I am going to nail that steering stabilizer sooner or later... .

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99QC4x4SB5SPD Van Aaken ordered 1/14 from T. J.

 

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I have fabricated a front skid plate and it is trail tested and found to work. It does take a lot of time and some welding skill to make it.

Drill a 3/8" hole near the end of 5 pieces of 1" wide strap, 1/4" thick, and about 2" long. using a spare Dana 60 housing with a cover attached, bolt a strap to each of the 5 bottom cover holes. Using cardboard, cut and bend a skid plate to cover the bottom half of the cover. Transfer this design to steel, bend and weld to the 5 tabs after you torch holes in the plate to expose the 5 bolts (use Allens so the holes don't have to be too big). Remove the setup and finish weld. Check the tabs for flatness and grind or file as needed to make them all flat against the cover. If you wish, you can get creative and weld reinforcements to the front surface of this skidplate.

I once hit a buried boulder that was hidden in a bush in the middle of a trail. My gas-powered Ram was going only a few mph, and it stalled. The skid plate I was using was only 3/16" thick and only on the bottom 3 bolts. It was pushed flat against the cover, but the diff was unharmed.

Hope this helps, even though it is not a store-bought bolt on part.

Joe

 

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If all you're looking for ia a guard for the front diff, two folks are commercially producing these.

One is 4xDoctor http://www.fourxdoctor.com/

and one is Desert Fabrication, viewable here http://www.off-road.com/jeep/reviews/swbjeep/desert/
and contact at tbfab@ionet.net

I have both of these on my Jeep ... . the front axle carries a 4xDoctor product (and it works, there is no powder coating left on it) and I have a Desert Fabrication piece on the rear since I have limited clearance between the fuel tank and the rear diff cover.

HTH

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Sam Houston
'00 QC, SB 4x4, 6 speed, SLT, White over Driftwood, Cummins/Jacobs e-brake used to tow my Jeep to the trails ... ...
Rating about a 4. 5 on the STHM scale

 

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Great references, Sam. Thanks. Of the two, I like the 4xdoc system better, as it would be more protective in the case I described that happened to me. I like what I made somewhat better because of fuller coverage than the tubes give, but you can't beat the $65 price of the commercial product. I would recommend it to those who really go off road!

 

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Joe -

I agree whole-heartedly ... but with a TJ Wrangler, I do not have the clearance for the 4xDoctor unit on the rear axle. My Desert Fabrication one hits the fuel tank as it is.

The 4xDoctor one is VERY stout. My first trip after installing it, was my tweek vacation to Moab, UT and the San Juans. It got a workout on the Moab Rim trail where a buddy got hung up. I had to scale a BAR (big-a--ed rock) to get past him to give him a tug. Used the 4xDoctor skid to slide the front diff up onto the rock. End result, no more powdercoating on the skid plate, but no damage to driveline equipment either.



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Sam Houston
'00 QC, SB 4x4, 6 speed, SLT, White over Driftwood, Cummins/Jacobs e-brake used to tow my Jeep to the trails ... ...
Rating about a 4. 5 on the STHM scale