Rausch Creek August 19-21

I was just going to make alingment tab gussets and your photo scared me into beefing them up to an lca mount gusset too

 

yeah, once you start hitting them on things or going realy fast, they become quite a weak point.

 

Yeah im gonna make my skid protect them too, but def looks weak stock

 

just crawled under the truck and took a look around.

correct me if im wrong but it looks like the ato skid starts where the factory one does and goes back to the back crossmember for the lcas. this would cover the oil pan and front diff correct?

it also looks like the bud built ifs skid only (no mid skid) starts and ends where the factory one does. so its the same coverage as factory, just much stronger.

if this is true, if im only going to get the ifs skid, i think ato is my best route. im saying this based upon the gouges in my back lca crossmember mount and the bottom of my front diff

 

Yes sir. Ato is the way to go.

 

^ yeah all that isnt covered with the ato ifs skid is the transmission and transfer case.. hense why he makes skids for those as well

 

Ok, while having the lcas protected by the bud is nice, I think I better go with ato since I already have damage to parts it would cover. They need to get protected asap.
Something else I thought of though... Will this work with the 4cyl? I'm mostly concerned that the oil drain plug is in a different location then on the v6 and the hole in the skid won't line up.

 

If Kevin hasn't made one for a 4 cylinder he will likely just need you to measure some stuff. That's what we did for the long bed gas tank skid

 

Ok ill give kevin a call. Just need to decide if I should try and save some weight by going with the 3/16" (same as bud built) or get the beefier 1/4".

Something else I noticed while under the truck is when and if I get the other two skids from ato I don't think I will need to re-route my exhaust. With the 4cyl there is only one pipe and its tucked up way above the crossmembers.

And yes...with these skids and sliders now I hope to run some blues and maybe a blue/black or two with some good spotting.

 

blues arent too hard blacks becarfeul

 

ok guys i made my decisions. CBI sliders are officially ordered and they should be getting shipped out by the end of the week.

heres where some of you may hate me, but i decided to get the all-pro ifs skid

heres why...

i really wanted coverage for my front diff and crossmember for this RC trip. especially after looking at them this weekend and seeing that they have already taken some hits.

bud built was out because theirs does not cover those parts unless i get the mid skid as well. buying both pieces right now was not in my budget.

i talked to kevin from ato today (awesome to deal with, nice guy) and he was 100% honest and said im looking at somwhere around 3 weeks to get the skid made, could be 2, but no promises. so by the time it was shipped and all theres no way i would get it in time. thats what i get for waiting till the last minute

so after searching many threads on the forum i found that the all-pro has a chance at holding up. i also talked to a few people that own one (some of which that wheel at RC and while they say its probably not as strong as ato and buds, they do say that it has served them well and did its job. i called them up today and they had them in stock. their july free shipping offer was over, but they offered it to me anyway. so i ordered it, $269 shipped and powdercoated black. i think for the way my truck is built right now it will hold up well for me. maybe down the road i may need something beefier, but for right now i think it will be ok.

all i can say is i guess well see how it holds up in a couple of weeks.

thanks for all the help with my decisions. cant wait to get this stuff and wheel with it and you guys on some tougher trails than the greens.

(also sorry for filling this thread with stuff not directly related to the RC trip)

 

^ Allpro is better then nothing. Pick good lines you almost never use the skid.

 

x2.

I think you'll be ok with it.

 

^^^^this

 

My skids are 3/16" and John might remember that one hard hit I took on it last time when I slid sideways off a rock. Full weight of the front of the truck came down on the skid right under one of the diff mounts. Dented it up probably 1/8" or so, glad I took off the diff drop because it probably would have smashed the mount otherwise. But I'm very happy I had that skid instead of stock.

 

done.

 

Anyone passing a stroudsburg on the way to the meet?

 

I will be. Im coming from NJ on rt. 80. Need a ride?

 

Lol. Not exactly sure what that means but will take that as warning.

 

Haha, offroad head. Could be interesting.