I've been looking to get some skid plates for my lower control arms and all I've been able to find are the type that gets wielded to the frame. Are there any out there that do not require wielding? If so could someone put me in the right direction or do I need to create them myself?

Thanks

 

Rancho makes some bolt on ones. There about $100 a set. Its under Rancho RockGear.

 

EVO makes a really nice set!

might as well install the C gussets while our at it.

bolt on version



http://www.offroadevolution.com/stor...?prod=EVO-1005

http://www.offroadevolution.com/stor...VO-AXLEGUSSETS

 

Rancho makes a set. Although I'm not impressed with their customer service (still waiting on a return email from them (months later. Don't believe they'll ever get a big order from me) But for $100 they hold up very well. After my last trip to Moab, I'm wondering if anyone's going to come up with a skid for the upper mount of the lower control arms. Don't know how I banged'em up so.

 

When you weld on the axle, either c gussets or lower control arm skids, do you have to pull the shafts or any disassembly needed because of the heat? Any risk to the axle shaft seals?

 

No you don't. The LCA skids are not much of an issue but the gussets require taking your time, running short beads, and lots of cool towel in buckets of water. If done right and things are kept cool the job should take a couple of hours. If you don't weld bite the bullet and pay a welder.

The ORE LCA gussets are cheap and you could pay somebody to weld them on and spend less than the 100 bucks for the Rancho set up.

 

The only issue with the ORE Rockstar's (top photo) is that they raise the lower rear shock mount point as well. This means you've got to increase the height/thickness of your rear bumpstop to compensate. Not a real big deal but something to be aware of.

 

This is only a MAYBE, in my case Mel from ORE showed me that very few people ever even use all their up-travel. In the case of the rockstars you are only moving it up 2" at most... if you are cutting it that close to begin with the factory bumpstops compress at least that much under pressure anyhow.

The Rock Stars are one of the most funtional and cost-effective mods I have done, to date.

 

I've been sliding my JK on ORE's front control arm skids since last summer. Very Very happy with them. I prefer items that are weld on, no worries about it coming loose later on. Tested them out the first weekend I had them on this log.

 

Are you talking front LCA's? If so, I went with Rock Krawler's weld on brackets that incorporate the skid into them.

I smashed one of mine up like this...


Which doesnt suprise me, as flimsy and weak as that bracket is. I bought both the replacement RK brackets for the front, but before I got them welded up, this smashed one broke off of the axle completely. I since ground off the trail repair weld job, and a buddy welded up both brackets for me. MUCH more solid, and I have drug them over many rocks with nothing more than some scratches on them...