Which Skid plates do you guys recommend i get before wheeling

[LILWB]

The stock skids on the JK are fine. I have bashed the crap out of mine on Black/red level trails and my stock gas tank skid looks like corrugated metal but they have held fine. The only thing that you would need over the factory skid is the a diff cover and an Oil pan like people already mentioned but look for an oil pan skid that ties into the rest of the skids so that you can upgrade later down the line. The transmission should already be protected by a factory skid. I have the River Raider full skid system but so far have only mounted the Oil pan skid. When the other stuff gets too mangled or I have time I'll throw the rest on.
Other than that you should relocate the steering stabilizer because its in a bad place (below the axle tube) and will get bashed even on greens and you should get some lower front control arm skids welded on before you destroy the mounts.
Relocating the evap can is easy. I used a kit from RockHard 4x4 and did it in an hour in my driveway. I prefer relocating it since adding a skid to it just adds that much more weight to an already heavy jeep and you can relocate the muffler to in front of the axle and not worry about melting the can. I also will have a 2.5 gallon air tank mounted where the evap can used to be in the near future so relocating it made sense for me.

[Victim Of Pain]

^^^ All great points, that being said I put a skid on my evap can from Skid Row. Not too heavy and easy install.

[Tat2dfreak]

The only draw back is they will get beat up which will make them had to remove and even harder to line back up and the bolts are usually smashed making even harder to remove. But it better than than replacing oil or trans pans.

[stwilson74]

Relocating the evap can is easy. I used a kit from RockHard 4x4 and did it in an hour in my driveway. I prefer relocating it since adding a skid to it just adds that much more weight to an already heavy jeep and you can relocate the muffler to in front of the axle and not worry about melting the can. I also will have a 2.5 gallon air tank mounted where the evap can used to be in the near future so relocating it made sense for me.

If your putting the air tank in where the evap was won't you still want a ski there? Go aluminum, then the added weight won't be noticeable! lol Good info on that steering stabilizer, I hadn't heard that before about the JK's.

[LILWB]

I have seen 1/4 inch Al skids from asfire4x4 crack after the first time it was used leaving a gaping hole under the transmission so I wont be using Al. Guy said he didn't even remember hitting anything. I guess thats ok for just an air tank but still...
The tank I'm using will have a skid integrated into it and it will be tucked up pretty tight so I'm not too worried. its a long thin tank I stole from an old shop compressor so ill just weld some 3/16 to the feet to protect the fittings and call it a skid.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2

[stwilson74]

I have seen 1/4 inch Al skids from asfire4x4 crack after the first time it was used leaving a gaping hole under the transmission so I wont be using Al. Guy said he didn't even remember hitting anything. I guess thats ok for just an air tank but still...
The tank I'm using will have a skid integrated into it and it will be tucked up pretty tight so I'm not too worried. its a long thin tank I stole from an old shop compressor so ill just weld some 3/16 to the feet to protect the fittings and call it a skid.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2

Companies like Savvy and Under Cover Fab have had Alum skids out for a long time and rigs running Johnson Valley and the like use them with no problems... need to use the right alloy, correct thickness, and appropriate mounting method but if those conditions are met then Alum skids make alot of sense. I guess Asfir needs to go back to school on some of that, I looked at their product after a post by Tat and wasn't overly impressed with the way they have all their hardware hanging in the breeze... maybe it was just the photo but it looked like an upside-down porcupine with all those bolts sticking out. I know Gerald over at Savvy bought a JKU so he and Blaine should be developing products for it, UCF will probably have stuff out soon or may already... it would be a shame to swear off a great material just because one manufacturer made a mistake.

[Tat2dfreak]

I agree with the bolt on those, not the best design. I am surprised to here the would break that easy, they look like they are well built, at least there not mine. Haha

[Jarrett]

I think I'm about to order ranchos oil pan, control arm skid and diff cover so far anyone object?

[Jarrett]

And evap

[stwilson74]

I haven't seen Rancho's evap setup, but the control arm skids are a waste, you could make them out of scrap and weld them on or buy formed weld-on units for less than half that... if you don't weld plenty of guys on here do and would for a couple of barley pops... Not impressed with that oil pan "skid" either, it is attached to the engine so the shock of any impact is going to push up on your engine mounts directly not to mention its transferring through the engine block... I think there are better ideas out there man but thats just my $.02...