Aluminum VS Steel Skids

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Bloodthirsty

New member
So I'm starting to look at full skid systems. Specifically for my diesel JLURD but I'm having a hard time in the aluminum vs steel dept. I've had both in the past and beat the hell out of my TJ using Rokmen aluminum tummy tuck skid. I'm trying to keep the weight down on the JLURD so aluminum is entertaining in that area. Of course I still believe steel is the stronger option.

All that said, anyone have opinions on either or both? And is anyone making a full aluminum system for the diesel? Thanks all.
 
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Personally, I hate full skids and refuse to run them on any of my rigs. All they do is trap heat, add weight and make it very difficult to fix or service your Jeep, especially on the trail. What comes on your Jeep from the factory is all you really need and if anything, adding something to protect the transmission cooler lines is about the only thing I would consider. Granted, I'm just a mall crawler.

With that said, in order to make aluminum as strong as steel, it has to be a lot thicker. Also, I find that aluminum tends to grab on to rocks where as steel tends to slide over them better.
 
wayoflife said:
Personally, I hate full skids and refuse to run them on any of my rigs. All they do is trap heat, add weight and make it very difficult to fix or service your Jeep, especially on the trail. What comes on your Jeep from the factory is all you really need and if anything, adding something to protect the transmission cooler lines is about the only thing I would consider. Granted, I'm just a mall crawler.

With that said, in order to make aluminum as strong as steel, it has to be a lot thicker. Also, I find that aluminum tends to grab on to rocks where as steel tends to slide over them better.
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That's another option for me as I've been there done that with rock crawling and plan on this rig to be ran in more open spaces. That said I know I'll eventually point it in the direction of rocks as soon as I get it on the trails. Totally agree it makes things a bigger pain. Heat is also a concern of mine especially not being very well versed on the diesel(first one).
 
Bloodthirsty said:
That's another option for me as I've been there done that with rock crawling and plan on this rig to be ran in more open spaces. That said I know I'll eventually point it in the direction of rocks as soon as I get it on the trails. Totally agree it makes things a bigger pain. Heat is also a concern of mine especially not being very well versed on the diesel(first one).
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From personal experience wheeling a diesel JT, I can tell you that it gets stupid hot and to the point where the computer will pull power out to help save the engine/trans. The last thing I would want to do is trap more heat than is necessary.
 
wayoflife said:
From personal experience wheeling a diesel JT, I can tell you that it gets stupid hot and to the point where the computer will pull power out to help save the engine/trans. The last thing I would want to do is trap more heat than is necessary.
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Thanks man, great to know. This one hasn't seen the trail yet(only a few months old) so I still have a big learning curve with it.
 
Like Eddy said, the stock skids are very durable. Besides diff skids, only skid I added, was Rusty's oil and trans skid. It is one skid that attaches to engine mounts and cross member at trans. It is well made and Steel! The fuel tank, and other stock skids DO take a pounding and hold up very well. Eventually they will probably need to be replaced, but I am also in the camp of not liking full under skid.
 
BlueRubicon said:
Like Eddy said, the stock skids are very durable. Besides diff skids, only skid I added, was Rusty's oil and trans skid. It is one skid that attaches to engine mounts and cross member at trans. It is well made and Steel! The fuel tank, and other stock skids DO take a pounding and hold up very well. Eventually they will probably need to be replaced, but I am also in the camp of not liking full under skid.
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Know of any that provide an oil and trans skid for the diesel? I'm assuming they are different anyway.

Also Eddie, how is the stock DEF skid holding up? Any issues there?
 
Bloodthirsty said:
Know of any that provide an oil and trans skid for the diesel? I'm assuming they are different anyway.

Also Eddie, how is the stock DEF skid holding up? Any issues there?
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So, the diesel JT that I was driving belonged to Mel from EVO. We just ran the Rubicon and so far as I could tell, it's holding up great.
 
Bloodthirsty said:
Know of any that provide an oil and trans skid for the diesel? I'm assuming they are different anyway.
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If I were you...I would call Rusty's and Quadratec and others, and ask them if the skids they have will fit your Diesel. You are right...they probably are different and no one as of this moment may have a skid. But I would call around. Diesel fairly new so shops may not have fabricated one yet if very different from 3.6 and 2.0.
 
BlueRubicon said:
If I were you...I would call Rusty's and Quadratec and others, and ask them if the skids they have will fit your Diesel. You are right...they probably are different and no one as of this moment may have a skid. But I would call around. Diesel fairly new so shops may not have fabricated one yet if very different from 3.6 and 2.0.
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Sounds good. I'll start looking around. Thanks!!!
 
wayoflife said:
Personally, I hate full skids and refuse to run them on any of my rigs. All they do is trap heat, add weight and make it very difficult to fix or service your Jeep, especially on the trail. What comes on your Jeep from the factory is all you really need and if anything, adding something to protect the transmission cooler lines is about the only thing I would consider. Granted, I'm just a mall crawler.

With that said, in order to make aluminum as strong as steel, it has to be a lot thicker. Also, I find that aluminum tends to grab on to rocks where as steel tends to slide over them better.
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So do you run any skids? After installing the EVO LA I notice how exposed the exhaust cross bar is. Have you had or seen this being a issue at all? I originally thought to go with aluminum but for a skid I don't think its strong enough to handle big slams. I am about to pull the trigger on the EVO Protek skid system and feel it covers just enough but not to much at the same time and doesn't add that much extra weight on a JKU.
 
MericaMade said:
So do you run any skids? After installing the EVO LA I notice how exposed the exhaust cross bar is. Have you had or seen this being a issue at all? I originally thought to go with aluminum but for a skid I don't think its strong enough to handle big slams. I am about to pull the trigger on the EVO Protek skid system and feel it covers just enough but not to much at the same time and doesn't add that much extra weight on a JKU.
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I run an oil/trans skid on JET but run NOTHING other than factory skids on our JT. I do run a Synergy skid on Moby but only because the factory one was modified when we were running a Full Traction long arm kit and I couldn't find a decent replacement.
 
With the emissions that come with the diesel engines I wouldn't get any more skid plates for it other than what comes from the factory. Because when it does a regen for the DPF going down the road it puts off a lot of heat
 
Do not buy Rock Hard skids they will not clear the front DS full droup or even close.
We tried using them on a 2001 JLU diesel and they hit. We called them and their answer to the crappy design is to run limit straps.

Friend got some MC ones as he didn't want to wait for Artec's AL ones.

FYI their skids for a JK with a LS didn't fit either. I just ended up fabing my own.
 
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