Ok so Ive finally saved up some green and want to do my first mod! I've got a bone stock automatic 12 unlimited and I'm back and fourth between rock rails or skid plates. Leaning towards evo protek but that doesn't seam like a lot of plates would I need more like differential gas tank and a couple others or should I just get the rails first and study more about the skids? Thanks guys first time jeeper and want to do it right.

 

If you have the stock skids you should be fine for a while I would spend my money on the PSC rock rails if you plan on wheeling
Jeep JK 4 Door Sliders | Jeep JK Rocker Protection | Jeep JK Rocker Sliders | Jeep JK Rocker Armor | JK Rocker Knockers | Poison Spyder

 

Love my PS rocker knockers.

 

Those are nice and in the budget but I didn't think the 12s had any skids and didn't kno which would be wiser.live in va so no real rocks but do find little suprises in the mud holes and on the trails I've been riding.

 

Yeah, from what I understand the 12s are missing their skids. I would think the skids would be the most important, and maybe you can find a set of rubi rail take offs until you can afford sliders. Rubi rail takes offs go for around $50 in this area.

 

That's why I'm either way because I feel skids more important. BUT the wife says no mods except a step so she can get in jeep easier so I'm hoping I can trick her into rock rails and then maybe send the skids to my brothers house and sneak then on lol. Either way I want one this month and the other next month just looking for the other guys advice to see what the experienced advice would be

 

I've figured out the way to mod my jeep with the wife saying yes...lol,

"Oh, dang so i just put that on.. so if i don't get that it'll cause trouble in the future..."

Or for the plates "well if I don't protect my undercarriage, we might end up having expensive and big problems "

IE:
she didn't want me changing my front bumper, but I want a winch, so I explained to her i could get a winch and spend 2-300$ on a plate or i can spend the extra funds on a bumper and save myself 2-300$ from breaking the bumper on a trail and having to buy a new one

Hope these small tricky techniques help you in the long run...

 

Thanks for the tip lol still haven't figured out how to convince her I need my lift yet

 

honestly, i would get the protek skids first as your 12 doesn't come with anything to adequately protect the oil pan, transmission and the cooler line for it. the factory t-case and gas tank will do just fine, trust me. rocker guards are definitely something you should get but, after protecting these exposed parts first.

 

12's are not Missing Skids....

they added the evap cansiter skid to the 2012.

Here's what I would do...

Keep the stock gas tank skid, dont waste your money replacing it. The stock gas tank skid will take more abuse than you can throw at it.

On the Automatics its very important to put a skid plate on the transmission. The Auto JK has an exposed line that can easily get damaged. If your running the EVO MFG Protek skids you will need to run the oil pan skid along with tranmission skid.

The factory transfercase skid is very strong and you will not need to replace it.

You are 100% correct, Add rocker protection, its one of the first mods any Jeep should have. EVO MFG makes the most trail tested rocker sliders for the Jeep JK.

The fac