My favorite places to go and
exercise my Zook, all have one thing in common - Rocks! And while
rocks are fun to play in, they can really shorten your day in a hurry
when they whack the transfer case and spill parts all over the trail.
What can we do? Cover that thing!
Tim Porter of Hardcore 4x4 makes a skid plate that fits like a glove
and is strong enough to keep the transfer case safe.
I
found the installation simple and easy enough for one person to do in
less than an hour. The trick is to have a floor jack tall enough to
reach your transfer case. All of the hardware is included. (Except for
the new air ratchet pictured here - Thanks Santa!)
Tim
Porter builds his skid plates using computer controlled machining
techniques to insure that all of the critical specifications are
exact.
When
I first placed the skid plate under the frame rails, I thought it
would never fit... I was very wrong! After lifting
the skid plate to the frame rails, I gave the jack handle an extra
pump. The plate "popped" into place. I then dropped the jack
and the skid plate stayed in place on it's own.
I
replaced the jack just to be safe during installation. Although it
stayed in place on it's own, the mounting bolts MUST be used to insure
the skid plate stays with the vehicle while on the road or on the
trail...
The four brackets rest on top of the frame rails and two bolts hold
each bracket in place. On three of the four corners, there are
actually two mounting positions to allow you to position the mounting
bracket where it will fit the best.
On
the passenger side of the vehicle there is a transfer case bracket that is welded in
as part of the frame. This is not something that is removable, so the
skid plate has a cut-out to go around it. There are also cut-outs
front and rear for the drive shafts and the stock catalytic
converter.
The skid plate is accessible enough for cleaning the mud out with a
hose, but does not lower the vehicle clearance more than an inch. As
you can see by the photos, I haven't lost much!
The
skid plate is barely seen when looking at it from any normal
angle. If they can see your skid plate, you are having too much
fun! (Sounds like a goal to me!)
The
transfer case skid plate was quick and easy to install. The strength
and quality of the unit was better than I had seen on any other unit
of this type. If you have invested in a quality transfer case or
pricey low end gears for your stock case - you can't afford to
pass this one up.
Time
to hit the trails and see how this baby "skids"!
Las Cruces
here I come!
Source:
Tim Porter
Hardcore 4x4 and Custom Fabrication
