I am looking into trying to armor my jeep to make it as bullet proof as possible (within reason, I don't intend to turn it into an abrams tank). During this course, I never saw a list of things to armor (could be week at the google foo), so I thought I would make my own. Here is a list of what I found, could you all provide insight and critiques to this list?
Pretty Important:
Rubicon Sway Bar Disco - Unprotected
Engine Oil Pan - Unprotected
Transmission - Unprotected
Ring Gears - Unprotected
T-Case - Protected
Gas Tank - Protected
Rock Sliders - Weakly Protected
Less Important:
Muffler - Unprotected
Evaporative Canister - Weakly Protected
Lower Control Arm Mounts - Fragile
Rear Corners - Kinda Fragile
Body Tub Near Rockers - Kinda Fragile
Crossmember - Upgradable
It really depends on how hard you plan on wheeling. The stock T case and gas tank skids are actually pretty good. I would start with the transmission and oil pan skids (lots out there but rock hard 4x4 definitely makes some great ones). From there I would go for a good set of rock rails and some control arm skids if you like playing on the rocks. Upgrading the EVAP would be up there for me as well. I have kept my stock T case and gas tank skids...they have taken their fair beating but I am impressed with how good they have held up. Personally I would save any body armour for last
I just took trip yesterday. I took a couple of unfortunate lines and dropped onto some rocks pretty hard a couple of times. My River Raider skid plates took the hits with little more than scratched powder coating. I've hit factory plates that hard before and they don't take the abuse.
If you're going to protect your underside, don't half ass it. Get armor that will take a hit.
I went with the rock hard 4x4 oil pan skid and there slider rails I'm now saving up for the rest of there skids starting with the gas tank skid, the gas tank skid was last on my list because it already has a skid lol after a couple decent hits its dented pretty good and I wouldn't be surprised if I lost some capacity<-exaggerating but on the jku's the gas tank is asking to get hit
If it's a newer JK, don't forget about the exhaust loop.
I would put skids for the lower control arm mounts on the "Pretty Important" list. Mine have saved my mounts from some serious damage.
I'm with johna on the stock t-case and gas tank skids - I'm also impressed with how well they work, although the gas tank skid does tend to get dented. Otherwise, I've been high-centered on my stock t-case skid several times, and it only has a few scratches in it. Keep it and spend $ somewhere else.
I wouldn't bother with any body armor, but if you play on narrow / really rocky trails be ready to relocate your license plate to the spare tire. It will eventually get busted off.
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