The body armor, skid plating, and protection your truck or SUV needs will depend on several factors, including the make and model of your 4x4, the types of off-roading you plan to do, the amount of ground clearance your vehicle has, your driving style, personal preference, and more.
Of course, there are some basic protection improvements that every 4x4 needs. Enthusiasts with longer-wheelbase vehicles, like four-door pickups, will need to pay more attention to potential problem areas than drivers of short-wheelbase vehicles, like the two-door Wrangler. There is simply more real estate that needs to be protected on bigger vehicles.
If you spent any time at all under your 4x4, you quickly realized there are many vulnerable areas and components. Some are protected by thin stamped steel, aluminum, and even fabric skidplates, while others are left hanging out in the rocks. The 4x4s with factory off-road packages usually offer slightly more protection than the standard trim levels. Moving up, the rockers and bumpers of your 4x4 are also vulnerable. Most of these areas are delicate, painted surfaces made from body metal or plastic. They are not designed to rub on trail obstacles so they need some extra protection or a complete replacement. Read on to find out what off-road armor your 4x4 might need.
Factory Skidplates
The OE underbody skidplates found on most 4x4s are adequate for very light off-roading, but some are completely worthless in the dirt. The factory skidplates from the off-road trim levels are typically more robust and can often be added to the less off-road worthy versions of the same model 4x4. These OE skidplates can usually be found under the fuel tank, transfer case, independent front suspension assemblies, and sometimes under the engine oil pan and transmission. They will generally protect the underside from flinging debris and usually survive sliding over a dirt berm.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der June 2020-Ausgabe von Four Wheeler.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der June 2020-Ausgabe von Four Wheeler.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
2022 Summer Safari
NEK Overland led the way into parts of Vermont and a bit of New Hampshire most will never see
This fourdoor Ford foreshadowed late-model Broncos
Ddecades ahead of the '20 four-door Bronco, and even preceding the Ford Explorer and Excursion, came an SUV that could have passed for OEM and was built to answer the call for a three-row people-haulin' off-roader.
JEEP OR BLAZER BUILDING
I was hoping to pick your brain as to a couple of different builds. I have a '19 Jeep Wrangler JL and a '74 Chevy Blazer. I'm a little baffled as to what to focus on. The '74 full convertible Blazer is my dream vehicle. She's been a long build and now I am thinking of focusing my energy on my wife's '19 Jeep JL. I recently joined a Jeep club and have been going off-road with a few guys. I'm shopping around for lift kits. Would you suggest that my time be spent and focused on the Blazer or enjoy the Jeep? I really can't do both.
JEEP BEACH 2022
10 days, 25,000-plus Jeeps, 225,000-plus spectators
TAULER JACK
A new alternative to the old off-road jack
OVERLAND ADVENTURE 2022:
MEET THE PARTICIPANTS 12 outstanding, Mojave-ready over landers
JEEP GRAND CAMPER
This custom 1994 Grand Cherokee and homebuilt trailer were made to go camping
ROCK JUNCTION 2022
4 days, 23 trails, 1 awesome event
DECKED OUT SILVERADO
Is this the ultimate overland accessory for pickups?
SANDTASTIC!
Dangle the opportunity to put the hammer down on more than a dozen square miles of the largest coastal dune complex in the world, add in partying with family and friends at sand camps, spice it up a bit with a variety of motorsport competition and nightly concerts, and it's easy to see why the five-day