1. Armor
- All Pro Tcase/Xhaust Skid
When it comes to damaging the underside of the FJ, the transfer case is the most vulnerable part IMO. It has virtually no protection from the factory, hangs lower than its surroundings, and is in the area of the truck that is most likely to smash into the ground when the break-over angle is exceeded.
It
is possible to do a lot of crazy wheeling without a Tcase skid, but keeping this vital component off the ground must be a top priority when choosing lines and assessing obstacles. In other words, smash anything and everything else first before allowing this part to kiss some rocks...
The story of my receiving the skid is pretty interesting. Trail Gear had a giveaway of their own version of this skid which is basically a carbon copy of the one that All Pro had been making for a while. I always knew that this was the kind of skid that I wanted, so naturally I tried to get in the running for the Trail Gear giveaway. I'd met Terry from All Pro at
SedonaFest II and I guess he was moved by my mad begging for the skid from Trail Gear so much that he
swooped in and randomly sent me an All Pro skid free of charge!! It was a really awesome and unexpected thing to happen...
Putting the skid through its paces scraping across some rocks.
- All Pro IFS Skid (front skid)
Since I'd landed the Tcase skid in a huge stroke of luck, it was only natural that I complete the set and pick up the other main All Pro skid. The front is a really nice unit and covers things up well without eating up too much clearance.
Front skid with fresh rashes, about to get some more...
- All Pro Transmission Skid
I got this piece as kind of a "why not" skid. It's not very heavy and not very expensive so I figured I might as well. But frankly, the transmission oil pan isn't very vulnerable, IMO. It's a good couple inches above the level of the frame, and if you're swallowing rocks down the center of the truck THAT badly you seriously need to reflect on your driving style...
- All Pro Rock Sliders
Sliders are crazy important for rock crawling! By far they are the single thing that takes the most abuse. I like the sliders from All Pro in that they stick out a ways, are angled up for better clearance, and have the little kick-out in the back.
Sliders in action on the driver's side...
2. Bumpers
- Custom Front Tube Winch Bumper
It's a shame that I have to call this a 'custom' bumper... it was made by a place in Phoenix called Desert Armor and supposed to go into production in late 2007 but the project (despite great interest in the community) shriveled up, died, and only two of these bumpers were ever made.
I went with the tube bumper because it's crazy light and I like the naked/tube look. It's compact, has massive clearance, provides great winch and light protection, and is extremely durable.
The only problem I've had with this bumper is the way it is mounted to the frame... anyone planning to fab their own tube bumper needs to be mindful of this if the bumper is to house a winch or be used as a recovery point.
One night at Table Mesa with homedad I became severely stuck in a silty river bottom. To avoid getting into the freezing cold water to access the front tow hooks, I climbed out the door, across the hood, and attached the strap directly to my bumper.
After a few good tugs, I was free... but THIS happened!
Moral of the story - if you're going to tug on the bumper, it needs to be mounted to more than just the flat plates at the end of the frame.
Before leaving on the 2008
Continental Divide Expedition I wanted to have the bumper more securely mounted to the truck just in case such a situation should arise again. Fortunately for me, I had access to BellyDoc
who in no time welded some additional tubing on my junk between the bumper and frame... problem solved, it is as rigid as can be.
- Rear Bumper - THE ULTIMATE BUMPER MOD!!!!!!!
This is the greatest mod I have ever done. It's free, has negative weight, and offers the greatest possible rear bumper performance. Plus, I think it looks pretty cool and fits right in with my naked theme...
I did this in October of 2007 and when I unveiled the idea to the forum here, I was completely roasted by a few people. To those folks, here's a big
for ya. You can
relive that hilarity here.
When I first did it...
Lately it's come in pretty handy...
Just don't try to peek up my skirt...
