I was wondering how many people out there who wheel there Jeeps on Rocks (mud, snow & water don't bend steel to easily) have a bent up Transmission Cross Member (the one in the middle holding up the Transmission right behind the exhaust cross over).

I have a friend that says if you have a 3" lift & 35's there should be no reason to worry about running it into rocks and bending it up and therefore a skid plate is worthless and anyone that does isn't picking the right line.

 

You left out "I have the auto skid and my crossmember is still smashed." That would be mine, but it's not an option.

Maybe he just doesn't wheel on big enough rocks.

 

Mine is not smashed yet. But I haven't done any serious wheeling yet because I am waiting on the lifts to mature.

However, I don't see how it would be possible to not scrape, smash, etc. the cross-member on any decent wheeling trips. Maybe his lines are the by-pass lines.

 

Hell, RubyDoo has been dragged over rocks and stumps and stuff and its still holds with the Skid Row plate in there. My big problem is the factory gas tank skid plate, that thing is a pretsal.

 

My front cross member, trans skid, and gas tank skid have all got rock rash and dents. If I could afford it I would get the full skid plates. Better to have the skids and not need them than to need them and not have them.

 

You're just looking at it with the wrong perspective. Every time you dent it while dragging or banging over something, you get more ground clearance FOR FREE!

 

I might have to look more closly but i think even my front DS has some rash on it. Already pulled out the front bar thingie once as it smashed the sway bar disconnect electrical connection and now does NOT work at all, Tech has new swaybar on order and its on NATIONAL back order. He is covering it under warranty due to the wetness here in WA. its not waterproof enought.

 

Yeah, I need that option too.
I have an auto, and had the factory skid and still smashed my crossmember a little with the 3.5" RE lift on 35's

I didnt really notice it was smashed/bent until I removed it.
I had to replace it with the Rubicon Express crossmember that comes with the 4.5" long arm kit. The RE crossmember is MUCH stronger and heavier by far!
I also added a Skid Row engine skid now, so hopefully I wont smash anything anymore, besides my gas tank skid which is already beat up good

 

i was scared to take my jeep to the dealer for the clutch problem, becuase i smashed my tail pipe. i took it off and looked underneath and realized there was more damage underneath!!!! i smashed the cross member for the transfer case and the exhaust pipe has a few good dimples in it, and the gas tank skid is smashed in the front, and the evap box has a crack in the plastic! i definately want (need) skids!

 

Has anyone who has smashed up their transfer case cross member noticed any sort of resonating hum and vehicle vibration at around 50 to 60 mph? I've been told by the dealer that the cross member supports the transmission and transfer case so it might be the cause of the humming/vibrating if it has been bashed in enough to where the rear drive shaft or transmission are at a different angle.