There are a few tips and tricks here online about installing this skid.

If anyone is looking for instructions, Rockhard doesnt send them out with the skids. While it isnt rocket science at a minimum I wanted to know when I got mine if I had all the hardware or not. (which ended up missing some washers, so no big deal)

After putting together some tips from a different writeups online I am going to add my 2 cents.

For the record, I talked to Sam from Rockhard today before installing mine. He told me he just finished instructions 5 minutes before I called and said he would email me them. I did receive instructions on how to install the evap skid. He most likey sent the wrong ones, but none the less I didnt get the oilpan skid instuctions. Just a SNAFU on email, so no problems with the people at ROCKHARD who wanted to get things right and had no problems talking things through on the phone.

I used.

18mm socket
19mm socket
assorted socket extensions
boxed/open end 18mm and 19mm wrenchs
floor jack or bottle jack or good friend with strong forearms (stock scissor jack with work to)
Hex wrench and 16mm box end for the cat skid bolts


I have a 4 door Rubicon auto, so I dont know if the other models comes with a t-case skid. Mine does. If you plan on useing the rockhard oilpan skid with the stock t-case skid you have to do one of two things.

Option 1. Place the stock skid on the bottom of the rockhard skid. I did this for now because I am going to grind the ears off the stock skid where the bolts go so I can use the cool Rockhard bolt sliders. But I was lazy today. I will also get their t-case skid soon too.



Option 2. As I said above, either grind the stock skid or get the companion Rockhard t-case skid. (very nice btw)

So, to start I completely removed the stock auto/transmission skids 4 18mm bolts. Discard the skid keep the bolts around for spares if needed.

If you have the stock t-case skid, remove the 2 18mm bolts attaching it to the transmission crossmember to the front of the tcase. Loosen the rear outside frame bolts to the stock t-case skid so that the front side of the skid now hangs down creating a gap.

I started with the two brackets that attached the skid to the empty holes on the engine mounts. The bracket with the steep one bend in the middle goes on the driver side. The bracket with the bend on each end goes on the passenger side.

I attached the brackets to the empty hole on the motor mount loosely with one of the 4 bolts and nylock nut. BOTH brackets attach to the OUTSIDE of the motor mounts with the nut on the outside.

Driver side looking from the front of Jeep looking back.



Driver side looking from drivers side. Notice is the is the L shaped bracket



Passenger Side from front




Passenger Side from rear




I then (bymyself I might add) after placing the skid under the jeep, hoisted it up on a floor jack that was under the front part of the jeep near the oilpan and I supported the rear. I slide the skid in place in the rear crossmember and under the t-case skid that was hanging and leaving a gap.

I threaded one of the stock bolts in the rear crossmember area to hold it in place so I could work the front.

Moving back to the front, with the help of the floor jack I moved the front of the skid. I aligned the brackets from engine mounts hanging down with the skid.

BOTH brackets attach to the INSIDE of the skidplate. Nylock nuts on the outside.

Skidplate side brackets attaching to the inside. Passenger side.



Driver side



Once everything lines up, I checked clearance with the oilpan itself and the tranny pan to ensure nothing was going to make contact and rub.

I then using the 19mm open end wrench and sockets torqued them down to German specifications. (gutentight). Ill check them at the finish again and once more after 100 miles or so.

I moved back to the rear and finished placing the 3 stock sized bolts into the skid through the stock t-case mounting holes and I also used the the cool bolt skids provided when I could. The one bolt in the parts pack that was longer goes on the passenger side of the crossmember through the bolt skid, skidplate through the crossmember and pops out on top. Add washer/locker and nut and tighted down like the fronts.



Last was adding the driver side cat skid. It has two hex bolts and nuts and uses the frame mounting point from the old tranny skid to the side. The cat skid goes on the outside of the oilpan skid. Get the bolts all in the loose and tighten to fit. Again...not rocket science.



Really that about it.

The skid itself arrived quick (ordered from Northridge4x4) with good recommendations from Dave. The packing was great. Powdercoating was well done and the skid is beefy with quality worksmanship.

The oil drain is well protected yet able to be reached. (even at the evil dealership )





It provides a wide range of flex for a stock front driveshaft, HOWEVER contact with the tranny pan is still possible. At no fault whatsoever of Rockhards design. So still inspect after each wheeling trip of course.





Sam at ROCKHARD was quick to answer the phone and was genuine in wanting to help with whatever questions I had.

Overall, while dissappointed with not having instructions or a packing sublist, I am very happy with the skid and WILL be ordering the tranny skid very soon.

If I can install it, anyone can. So one wrench on the do it yourself scale.

To add, I did get the evap cansiter instructions, which really is unbolt stock three bolts and rebolt up to jeep with skid. That was easy too. The skid is also beefy.




I hope this helped out.

 

Good job.....but now at least go out and drive it off-road...lol There's not a speck of dirt anywhere

 

Thanks!

I knew that comment was coming

My heeps are no strangers to the beat down. With under 500 miles on the clock the next 500 will be to and from a few wheeling trips.

Skidplates arent for speedbumps at the mall.

 

Hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks like there's a few places mud and water can collect. Think the drainage is adequate?

 

I don't know about mud, but there is a slight tilt to the skid that should allow water to drain. Good point though.

 

maybe a wierd question... but that evap skid... could you use it to mount an air compressor to?

i ask because i am saving and going to be getting the woods evap relocation kit, so i won't have to worry about it, but i'd like to get an on board air as well, and think all that empty space would be perfect. but hanging an air compressor down there might be just as bad as the evapper being there. so if that skid could be modified to hold an air compressor, it'd be perfect.

 

Alex, I saw a picture of a viair 450C mounted to the Crash bar next to the e-disconnect. They made a flat plate on top of the bar and then mounted the compressor to it. I think they had a PJ stubby with a winch. Thats what Im planning to do if I ever get a real bumper. But for now I have it between the fog lights inside the stock bumper.


As far as drainage goes, water does not lay in it, but Im not sure about mud yet. And oil changes can be messy, the 5w20 shoots out like a fountain and then sprays back off the skid.

 

Nice write up. It's stuff like this that makes this site top notch. Looks like quality stuff, too. One question though. Is it just me, or could the cat skid use one more bolt in this pic at the rear corner going through the frame rail?

 

Don't worry about mud. Mud will be a problem no matter what. The only way to avoid problems with mud is not to go through it.

 

It looks like that pic was taken before he tightened the bolts. On mine, the cat plate pressed tightly to the frame once everything was tight. The one bolt that is there matches right up to a threaded factory hole. I dont think another bolt will be needed, but time will tell.