Dino's 99XJ

I searched and did not find what I was looking for, what companies have a belly pan that cover the trans/t-case and have a better clearance than stock skid? Got to be something out there with a smoother look and more functional that the big scoop under there now.

thanks

weeder

All depends. Do you want bolt on or fabbed?

Edit: rustys offroad has a engine tranny skid, so does skid row offroad. Theres one company that makes a oil pan skid thats pretty universal cant remember the name though.

ktmracer419

highest clearance out there that I know of is the TNT belly pan. I wasn't a huge fan of it, I managed to bend it where the exhaust cutout is and had to bend it back and brace it myself.



I must say i prefer the DPG belly skid, which bolts over your stock crossmember. simple design, effective, one big smooth surface to slide over rocks.
Jcr offroad also offers pretty much a carbon copy of it.



neither offer a ton of protection to the transmission, (tnt offers a bit more) but I have found that even in the gnarliest of rocks, its not a huge priority to protect it.

Jamison

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35459192@N03/8028336350/http://www.flickr.com/photos/35459192@N03/8028336350/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/35459192@N03/, on Flickr

I have the Rusty's crossmember and TC skid. Its the lowest I can get for my stupid NP242 Transfer Case without clocking the case.

nbonney5413

what all is involved with clocking the TC? is it a hard process? i hate looking underthere and seeing all that junk hang down, figure of im gonna do it ill do a full tummy tuck and move it all up. however i dont know much about XJs

Atmos

hooligan makes one that bolts on over the stock crossmember. don't know anyone who's tried it yet
http://hooliganoffroadengineering.com/

if you're gonna go as far as clocking the case it's time to start digging around pirate for flat bellied rigs and build yourself some custom stuff
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/jeep-...s-members.html

93XJLI

TNT definitely. sam (ktm) is a little bit of a wildman sometimes... i have his old TNT skid on my jeep and its juuuuusstt fiiiinnee. the one in my old jeep was great too. pretty much the best underbody protection you can bolt on IMHO. any bolt on belly skid WILL bend. its just the way it is.

ktmracer419

myself, or justin havent bent my dpg belly skid yet.

I feel it is a much more sturdy design, using the stock crossmember as a inner frame of sorts. The tnt is just weak in that one area. Maybe Thats an early Gen skid though. It was fine once i used some blocks of wood, a hi lift jack, and the weight of my jeep to bend it back and add some reinforcement.

ktmracer419

you can get a clocking ring, or if you have an aw4 you can make a jig and drill new holes in the transmission output housing. You will have to massage your floor a bit, and cut off a piece of transfer case (that just stuck out of the casting for no apparent reason)

Just remember your front driveshaft angle will also be a bit steeper.

I also raised my tranny mounting point about an inch when i did mine.

93XJLI

true. you lose that 1" or so of clearance with the DPG/JCR design though. but its pretty much a great cheap skid either way. a lot better than the rustys/skid row design which i bent INTO my tcase enough times for me to toss the thing bc i felt it would end up doing more damage than not being there at all..

holycaveman

Just got my clocking jig in the mail.


The local fab shop is getting me a piece of steel that fits perfectly flat with the frame for the bottom. I have to relocate the exhaust. But it will be a flat belly.

I removed the emergency brake cables already. So it will be a full skid with drive shaft cut outs. Also will act as a frame support/protection.


If the cross member hangs down I would not call it a flat belly. Just my opinion.

holycaveman

Could have made one, but for 44 bucks its not worth it.

Dino's 99XJ

It it in my signature but I should have mentioned it is a 242 with the AW4. Is there a skid that fits with those two that does give more clearance without having to cut the floor pan or modify the area? I don't want to have to get new DS's right now, just looking to get more of a breakover angle.

holycaveman

You should not have to cut the floor pan area at all. If anything a bfh to give just a little more clearance.

A skid plate is not rocket science. Bolting on bought items are cool, but in this case I can't find a single skid plate that is what I want.

Which is just a flat skid plate.

I don't believe there is anything out there you can just bolt on that will give you anymore substantial clearance without doing anything at all in the way of modifications.

As far as that goes your resignator(pre muffler) hangs down almost as far as your cross member and its in a worse location. I have been hung up on the pre muffler before. Thats why its is leaving. LOL

Dino's 99XJ

As close to flat as possible is what I want, but the muffler is ready to go anyway (not away, just moved) w/ WAY to many miles on it and looking a little rusty.. I know the 242 throws problems my way as far as available skids, but I don't like the Rusty's, the TNT seems like way to much money for all of the complaints I have heard about it on the XJ, so I am hoping there is a better one that is running around out there. I don't get crazy on the rocks and don't have a lead foot either, but the overall breakover angle is inportant in Colorado, lots of available stairstep's and other climbing obstacles.