If you HAD to choose, what skid armor should be purchased first?

Protect most expensive to repair/replace items in order

Engine
Trans
Transfer

 

I don't think you're understanding my inquiry then, but thank you, really, for trying to contribute. The main thing is that I'll eventually be using my truck further, but since it'll be a while till I'm personally there, I'd like to start nabbing pieces. And since the front will be fine while I get to that point, I'd like to know what should come next if someone had to only choose 1 piece. Currently it's really seeming like the transfer case due to the low hanging exhaust being a big weak point, especially if/when going over mound/hill

 

You can always do an exhaust reroute to take care of the low hanging pipe.

 

Wiped down my skids on lunch, they could use a wire wheel and some paint. But take a peek. You decide which is more important for you. Obviously YMMV and how I drive and the terrain I face may be different from yours.

IFS from the front


Mid skid


IFS from the rear



The IFS skid is much more beaten up, but they’ve both got dents and scratches from use. They’ve both been on the truck the exact same amount of time and done the exact same trails.

 

Is said skid aluminum?

 

Steel

 

Your asking for people to have a crystal ball; who can tell where/what you are going to hit?

You say the front skid is enough as it is for now, and then go on to ask which other skid is the most beneficial. You don't want to hear that the most beneficial (if you need any at all), is the replacement of the front (IFS). If you don't need a replacement for the front, many would argue you don't need either of the other two (for now either). Wait until you do and install them together.

In the mean time do the exhaust re-route so that the RCIs, when purchased, give you another inch or so......yeah, I know, you don't need that.

Good luck!

 

Buy all 3 front skids from @SOS CONCEPTS with 20% off during tax sale for about $560 shipped. I love my skids from him, excellent investment.

 

Great point! RCI has that option!

 

Thank you, I do appreciate the advice, honestly. It's more future proofing for when I'm finally up for the rougher challenge which is why I'm okay with waiting on the front, I'll absolutely be upgrading it. Bit since I've got time till I'm st that point, I wanna knock out other skids. I do see most places sell the front/mid/back at a lower price together than separately, which then makes me want to pick up either the gas tank skid or rear diff skid early on

 

this is so ass backwards

 

That's actually a really great idea. Where would I go to look into that and the cost? Are there any issues people have had doing that?

 

And I'm totally okay with that

 

Great! Let's get a commitment. Which one is it? Chicken or the Egg? lol

In the meantime, Exhaust Rerout!

 

Call an exhaust shop.

 

I plan on getting full skids eventually, so I will be buying it all, just not at once.

 

You void the factory warranty on affected components. At first I was not willing to do that. Later on I changed my mind. I would rather void the warranty than be stuck in the middle of nowhere.

 

Yeah, that's kind of something I'll need to ponder over. A part of me is like, fuck it, but then another part is like, "dude you've only had your truck for 7 months do you really want a big modification that soon?"

 

That is definitely something I did not think about at all, thank you.

 

It can be expensive depending on where you live vs where they ship from. I bought a set of CBI full skids, shipping was $325, that would be x2 with their product if I'd done one piece at at time. Plus, they have a packaged deal that saves more money too.