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tech
Protecting
Your Jeep's Underside
- The Suspension, Steering, and Exhaust
Leaf springs
Leaf springs are pretty capable of
handling themselves against rocks and other trail obstacles.
Many argue that Jeeps with leaf springs are protected better
because the spring acts as a skid itself.
Steering components - tie rods and ball
joints
Jeep vehicles tie rods are low and set out
right in front of the axle just waiting to get bent by
something on the trail. There are several options that
a Jeep owner can pick from to help reduce the risk of
steering gear carnage.
- Raise em' up! - Many Jeep owners
"flip" their Jeep's tie rods to the top of the steering
knuckles. See
Rock Equipment Tie Rod Flip Kit
review for a detailed look at this option.
- More Beef! - Along with
flipping the tie rods installing heavier tie rods are a
way to avoid your Jeeps wheels from a trail alignment.
These tie rods usually use thicker wall, larger diameter
tubing and heavier tie rod ends. See
SRC
Precision Products Xtreme Steering Rods
review for more info.
SRC
Precision Products Xtreme Steering Rods
- High steer steering
knuckles - These replacment knuckles relocate the entire
steering assembly to the top of the ball joint gaining
several inches of clearance. These kits usually
require substantial lift and/or spring over suspensions.
Steering box
These units sit higher on the Jeep than
most of the suspension but they are the next in line to the
front bumper. A well placed nose dive can spell
trouble for a steering box. TJ's are more susceptible
to damage due to the lack a leaf springs and shackles to
help take the brunt of an obstacle. Several
manufacturers produce steering box skid plates for CJ, YJ,
and TJ's.
Tomken Machine TJ Steering Box Skid
U-bolts
Ahh
U-bolts...Leaf sprung Jeep owners are all familiar with the
trusty U-Bolt. These babies take a pounding, bending
and twisting while being drug across some rock on the trail.
A simple solution is to install a set of U-bolt skid plates.
Many companies make variations but they all usually require
cutting the u-bolt at the bottom of the nut and installing a
guard. Personally I like the
Rock
Equipment ones the best. They use a normal u-bolt
plate with heavy tabs welded to them. After
installation a solid bottom skid is installed, bolted on
from the side, providing a smooth surface to slide over
objects.
Rock Equipment U-Bolt Skids |
Rock Equipment U-Bolt Flip Kit |
Rock Equipment also makes a
u-bolt flip kit. This changes the threaded section and
the nuts and places them on the top of the axle. This
method leaves about a 1/2 inch plate on the bottom of the
spring increasing ground clearance by about 1/2 inch.
U-bolt flip kits generally require relocating the shock
and/or sway bar mount.
Rock Equipment u-bolt flip kit on a CJ
Shocks
Yet another
component low on the bottom of a Jeep that is threatened by
trail dangers. Typically shocks hold up well to some
light abuse. A dent or two on a Jeep's shocks are
normal and don't usually cause problems. Shock damage
is often caused by a rock or other trail debris getting
stuck up in the suspension, wedging between the shock and
the axle/frame.
Exhaust
The exhaust is a very weak part
of a Jeep's underside. Mufflers, converters, and pipes
are usually made of thin metal and will bend, crease, and
dent easily, Ground clearance is the key to saving
your exhaust. If you are replacing the exhaust on you
Jeep it should be kept up as high as possible.
Flowmaster mufflers are considerably stronger than most
mufflers. They will take a pounding a lot better than
others.
Flowmaster 3 chamber muffler on a CJ-5
CJ's with V8's and V6's are pretty cool with
fenderwell headers and side mufflers. This doesn't mix
well with a serious trail Jeep. Very quickly you will
find yourself with a mashed exhaust in this setup.
Back to
Protecting
Your Jeep's Underside
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Protecting
Your Jeep's Underside
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