Thanks for the video. Well done. I was looking for some quality inexpensive skids. Hard to find. Ended up ordering a full set from Hauk for my 2014 JKU. Nothing lined up on my rig either. It took a while But once the ratchet straps were on they all snugged together. Super happy with them. Thanks again for the great content.
Hauk makes sturdy stuff. I don't know what they call them, but you might want to look into getting some cup washers/spacers and a different bolt heads that will sit into the cup. This will protect the bolt heads. With good use, you will grind your current bolt heads and they will be very tough to remove next time you need to get at your TC etc. Check out what metalcloak does with their bolt heads to see what I'm getting at.
You bring up something that can be a great point @4:12. I have had a rattle under my old TJ and the JKUR. I highly advise getting under there and shake the rig down for loose bolts. Even go as far as to have someone rock the whole Jeep whit you under it if ya have to. I did this yesterday and found my rear track bar on the TJ was about to lose the bolt on the frame side. The JKUR was a bolt on the skid where it bolts to the frame. Scary to think a simple bolt could ruin your day if you are not hyper vigilant with these inspections. Why do I do this now days...imagine being above tree line in the Rocky Mountains, about 11,542 feet elevation, Storm cloud over the valley moving in with lightening and all of the sudden you hear clunk-bang-boom under your rig....had a shock bolt came out of the axle end and the shock extended to the ground and wrapped under the jeep grabbing the brake lines....
Yeah that is a good call. I am going to do a few sections of the WABDR and will be doing just this prior to going. Gotta make sure everything is good to go. Don't want something to go bad a 100 miles from the nearest services!
Wish you had a pic of the front of the engine skid. Mine was too close to my front diff and wore a spot in one of the splines coming off the diff. My jeep is now at a 4x4 shop and they are having hell trying to figure out what to do, especially since the dealership that installed it didn’t keep the directions. The mechanic there said the directions were horrible anyways.
great video Doug! those stock skids had some major Reiter rash!!!. upgraded skids should be higher on the upgrade list for the reasons you found, being that the stock ones are so weak that damage to the supporting mounts is very hard to deal with after the damage has been done. those skids look like they will perform very good.
I definitely agree. I should have done this a year ago when I bought the jeep completely stock. Didn't have a single scratch on those plates. Should hold up for next time I get out there with you guys!
Everything bolts to the transmission crossmember. It does reuse the transmission crossmember bolts so you would need to support the crossmember if you were to unbolt the skid plates.
I usually do adjust the music to the level of the rest of the video. I must have not adjusted this one. My apologies for that. Hopefully your ear drum will recover.
@@4WDTrek I hear you. I recently bought a pre-abused 2010 Wrangler Sport Unlimited and am presently waiting for a Dorman replacement for the fuel tank skid plate that is rusted in half. Oh the fun that will be! Hurricane Ian wiped out my cars with the storm surge so I had to buy what I could find in an area where anything used is very scarce. I do like driving the old Jeep heap though. Hopefully she has some miles left beyond the 133,000+ on the clock as I got her.
@CaptTurbo I bought my 2012 wrangler with 140k miles. Still runs perfectly fine! I have upgraded a lot of stuff on it, but the engine and trans still work well. Eventually, those will be also replaced though.
I’ve learned that the best fab shops producing underbody protection always add gussets to the mounting points to protect the mounting hardware.
Fab shops doing custom work do tend to have better underbody protection than anything that is just bolt on.
Definitely learned this the hard way. Had to cut the skid plates off as the fasteners were absolutely bashed.
Thanks for the video. Well done. I was looking for some quality inexpensive skids. Hard to find. Ended up ordering a full set from Hauk for my 2014 JKU. Nothing lined up on my rig either. It took a while But once the ratchet straps were on they all snugged together. Super happy with them. Thanks again for the great content.
Glad I could help you out bud!
If you haven't already, hit that subscribe for me!
Thanks!
Hauk makes sturdy stuff. I don't know what they call them, but you might want to look into getting some cup washers/spacers and a different bolt heads that will sit into the cup. This will protect the bolt heads. With good use, you will grind your current bolt heads and they will be very tough to remove next time you need to get at your TC etc. Check out what metalcloak does with their bolt heads to see what I'm getting at.
That is a very good call. I will be likely replacing them all with something like that.
Thank you for the tip!
You bring up something that can be a great point @4:12. I have had a rattle under my old TJ and the JKUR. I highly advise getting under there and shake the rig down for loose bolts. Even go as far as to have someone rock the whole Jeep whit you under it if ya have to. I did this yesterday and found my rear track bar on the TJ was about to lose the bolt on the frame side. The JKUR was a bolt on the skid where it bolts to the frame. Scary to think a simple bolt could ruin your day if you are not hyper vigilant with these inspections. Why do I do this now days...imagine being above tree line in the Rocky Mountains, about 11,542 feet elevation, Storm cloud over the valley moving in with lightening and all of the sudden you hear clunk-bang-boom under your rig....had a shock bolt came out of the axle end and the shock extended to the ground and wrapped under the jeep grabbing the brake lines....
Yeah that is a good call.
I am going to do a few sections of the WABDR and will be doing just this prior to going.
Gotta make sure everything is good to go. Don't want something to go bad a 100 miles from the nearest services!
Wish you had a pic of the front of the engine skid. Mine was too close to my front diff and wore a spot in one of the splines coming off the diff. My jeep is now at a 4x4 shop and they are having hell trying to figure out what to do, especially since the dealership that installed it didn’t keep the directions. The mechanic there said the directions were horrible anyways.
It wore the splines on the drive shaft? I have a lot of clearance on my skid. I have zero issues
I just got these myself. You should come down to Yacolt and run Jones Creek.
Silverstar, Old Ugly and all those trails.
I would be down to check some new trails out!
great video Doug! those stock skids had some major Reiter rash!!!. upgraded skids should be higher on the upgrade list for the reasons you found, being that the stock ones are so weak that damage to the supporting mounts is very hard to deal with after the damage has been done. those skids look like they will perform very good.
I definitely agree. I should have done this a year ago when I bought the jeep completely stock. Didn't have a single scratch on those plates. Should hold up for next time I get out there with you guys!
For the jk manual transmission skid plate, can you just unbolt everything to install or will the transmission fall?
Everything bolts to the transmission crossmember. It does reuse the transmission crossmember bolts so you would need to support the crossmember if you were to unbolt the skid plates.
CONTROL THE VOLUME OF THE MUSIC. JESUS CHRIST. BLEW MY EAR DRUM OUT
I usually do adjust the music to the level of the rest of the video. I must have not adjusted this one. My apologies for that. Hopefully your ear drum will recover.
Why is the music SO LOUD?!
Yeah, that one part. I'm really sorry about that.
@@4WDTrek no worries. Good video overall!
@@neilmarshall4927 thanks bud! Please subscribe for some support of the channel!
How much does the Hauk system weigh?
I couldn't quote the exact weight of them as I didn't weight them. I would probably put them in the ballpark of 250 pounds or so.
really really really!!!!!
Yes really
Most likely probably
Remind me not to buy a used Jeep from this guy. 🤣
Don't worry, I won't be selling it. I use it, abuse it and fix it.
@@4WDTrek I hear you. I recently bought a pre-abused 2010 Wrangler Sport Unlimited and am presently waiting for a Dorman replacement for the fuel tank skid plate that is rusted in half. Oh the fun that will be! Hurricane Ian wiped out my cars with the storm surge so I had to buy what I could find in an area where anything used is very scarce. I do like driving the old Jeep heap though. Hopefully she has some miles left beyond the 133,000+ on the clock as I got her.
@CaptTurbo I bought my 2012 wrangler with 140k miles. Still runs perfectly fine! I have upgraded a lot of stuff on it, but the engine and trans still work well. Eventually, those will be also replaced though.
@@4WDTrek I think you have the 3.6. I have the old 3.8 with auto trans.
@CaptTurbo this is correct. Eventually, I'll be swapping out the engine and trans. I'm doing prep work now though, like... new axles.
RIP headphone users
Yeah thats my bad on that one. Hope it didn't hurt your ears too badly.
Subaru, ford, and Jeep? Someone is a glutton for punishment 🙂
Haha why do you say that?
@@4WDTrek lol, I have the same combo. It's always something. But I love them all 👍
@@jonmr1 gotcha gotcha. Mustang is a definite work in progress. Will be dropping a pretty rad build series on it here soon
Still have the instructions?