RPDjeep
New member
Installed these in preparation of picking up a popup camper next week.
Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
What was done to your rig this week?
- Thread starter 10frank9
- Start date
jtpedersen
Caught the Bug
New Armor, Cross Member
Even while taking care, our outing to SMORR left us with damage I needed to attend to. I'll post an update regarding sliders separately.
One of the first things I did was install some armor under Stitch. Basic oil pan, cross member, transmission skid. And, for what we tended to use it for, it worked fine.
However after going to SMORR in Missouri, we ended up taking a few hits that took a toll on the armor and cross member. Driving home, immediately noticed I'd picked up engine vibration, especially around 3,250 RPM. Could feel it in the gas pedal as well.
Getting home, could see the cross member had been deflected upward about 3/4 to 1", along with the armor that had been attached to it. Evap canister got deformed about the max amount it could have been w/o damaging evap canister.
Where arrows show, armor deformed, in 2 key places, right up against the exhaust.
Shopping around, found a junkyard replacement would be in the $75 range, plus shipping, if I could even find one. Only ones I could find, the yards didn't want to get into removing. So, I started looking for aftermarket.
Decided to go with Metalcloak's Undercloak solution, plus evap relocation kit.
Here, you can see the difference between stamped steel about 3/32" thick and plate steel at 3/16" thick.
Just wrapping on them, or setting them on concrete, tells you there's a world of difference between them. I think I'll have to replace Stitch before I replace this crossmember. Very confidence inspiring.
It's worth noting, I was concerned about swapping out cross member on my own, and dealing with the weight of these things, again, on my own. The cross member, turned out to be incredibly easy to swap out. Just loosened trans mount, used floor jack to lift powertrain ~1". There are 4 bolts that hold the crossmember in, designed so that it drops out of the mounts. Putting the new one in, easy-peazy. Basically lifted it, got one bolt in one end, did the other, then finished putting the 4 bolts in and tightening. It was my first hint this might be an easier-than-most install. As for the plates, I just used the floor jack to lift/support things as I moved around. With Stitch up on jackstands with plenty of space underneath, moving around wasn't 'too' bad.
In this next image, you can see where the cross member actually buckled the worst.
you'd think we were wreckless. All that happened here, we were in a rocky riverbed, when a front wheel slipped off the rock we were going over. Unseen in the water beneath us was another rock. We hit, the entire jeep reverberated for a moment. (Ugh, sh(t, that's not good).
This closeup gives you an idea of the build quality.
They say install (tank armor, cross member, trans, oil pan) is a 3-4 hour job. Perhaps if you have a lift, unmodified jeep, and did it once before. Having to remove armor, deal with other customizations (interferences), and being on my back on a creeper on my own? Well, let's say a multiple of that number<g>.
Overall, with years of doing work with aftermarket stuff on my vehicles, this is the most impressive kit of it's type that I've installed. Fit, finish, installation, could not have possibly gone better. Everything fit together perfectly. Fasteners worked perfectly, everything lined up. And, being 3/16" plate? Nice. Really pleased.
Of course, with nothing touching the exhaust now, no more engine vibration
.
Even while taking care, our outing to SMORR left us with damage I needed to attend to. I'll post an update regarding sliders separately.
One of the first things I did was install some armor under Stitch. Basic oil pan, cross member, transmission skid. And, for what we tended to use it for, it worked fine.
However after going to SMORR in Missouri, we ended up taking a few hits that took a toll on the armor and cross member. Driving home, immediately noticed I'd picked up engine vibration, especially around 3,250 RPM. Could feel it in the gas pedal as well.
Getting home, could see the cross member had been deflected upward about 3/4 to 1", along with the armor that had been attached to it. Evap canister got deformed about the max amount it could have been w/o damaging evap canister.
Where arrows show, armor deformed, in 2 key places, right up against the exhaust.
Shopping around, found a junkyard replacement would be in the $75 range, plus shipping, if I could even find one. Only ones I could find, the yards didn't want to get into removing. So, I started looking for aftermarket.
Decided to go with Metalcloak's Undercloak solution, plus evap relocation kit.
Here, you can see the difference between stamped steel about 3/32" thick and plate steel at 3/16" thick.
Just wrapping on them, or setting them on concrete, tells you there's a world of difference between them. I think I'll have to replace Stitch before I replace this crossmember. Very confidence inspiring.
It's worth noting, I was concerned about swapping out cross member on my own, and dealing with the weight of these things, again, on my own. The cross member, turned out to be incredibly easy to swap out. Just loosened trans mount, used floor jack to lift powertrain ~1". There are 4 bolts that hold the crossmember in, designed so that it drops out of the mounts. Putting the new one in, easy-peazy. Basically lifted it, got one bolt in one end, did the other, then finished putting the 4 bolts in and tightening. It was my first hint this might be an easier-than-most install. As for the plates, I just used the floor jack to lift/support things as I moved around. With Stitch up on jackstands with plenty of space underneath, moving around wasn't 'too' bad.
In this next image, you can see where the cross member actually buckled the worst.
you'd think we were wreckless. All that happened here, we were in a rocky riverbed, when a front wheel slipped off the rock we were going over. Unseen in the water beneath us was another rock. We hit, the entire jeep reverberated for a moment. (Ugh, sh(t, that's not good).
This closeup gives you an idea of the build quality.
They say install (tank armor, cross member, trans, oil pan) is a 3-4 hour job. Perhaps if you have a lift, unmodified jeep, and did it once before. Having to remove armor, deal with other customizations (interferences), and being on my back on a creeper on my own? Well, let's say a multiple of that number<g>.
Overall, with years of doing work with aftermarket stuff on my vehicles, this is the most impressive kit of it's type that I've installed. Fit, finish, installation, could not have possibly gone better. Everything fit together perfectly. Fasteners worked perfectly, everything lined up. And, being 3/16" plate? Nice. Really pleased.
Of course, with nothing touching the exhaust now, no more engine vibration
.
RCVRY
New member
Yeah...we can’t see...
Pics or it didn’t happen. [emoji846]
Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
USMC Wrangler
New member
Got my ARB and EVO mount installed in a few minutes after delivery...
Ruvicon
Member
So last Xmas I built a set of rock rails for the New Years Run, but didn’t have time to finish fabbing or installing additional bracing. So before I head to the Rubicon on 8/5, figured I’d better pull them off and finish the job before the Rubicon or Fordyce wipes them out. So last weekend I made all the braces.
And took today off to weld them in before it got Africa hot.
Now letting the paint dry to reinstall probably in the morning.
Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
And took today off to weld them in before it got Africa hot.
Now letting the paint dry to reinstall probably in the morning.
Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
f14framer
New member
Lucky 13 got some new shoes today! 305/70R17 Goodyear MT/Rs![emoji16]
Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
CapnMericaMyCopilot
Member
Liners in but found out ball joints are shot. Luckily guy doing regear next weekend said he'd replace for only $100 labor
Sent from my SM-G975U using WAYALIFE mobile app
Sent from my SM-G975U using WAYALIFE mobile app
danford.lau
Caught the Bug
Lojo
New member
sipafz
Caught the Bug
Those are looking really good! Reminds me that I need to finish mine one of these days.
Brute
Hooked
Looking good Vic...
OverlanderJK
Resident Smartass
Brute
Hooked
Put it in your freezer...
OverlanderJK
Resident Smartass
Arrcherr
Caught the Bug
OverlanderJK
Resident Smartass
I know. I’m gonna take it to the dealer in a couple weeks and have them fix it. I can’t get this evap leak figured out so I haven’t been able to register it in two years. Then I think I’m gonna lower it an inch and fix some stuff with it so I can at least drive it. It’s either stretch that or LS the four door. Thinking probably more the latter.
Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
notnalc68
That dude from Mississippi
How much lift are you running? The last thing I remember seeing, was a write up, swapping Teraflex coils for Rock Krawler, I think it was.
Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app