Hauk Offroad Skidplates: Yikes...

ScoobyCarolanNC

Active Member
I'm just gonna stick this in here for now as a quick review. Maybe I'll come back and add more pictures later. However, if you're considering getting the Hauk Offroad skid plate system for your Gladiator be prepared... It's not easy to install in your drive way.

If you look at the pics from their website its a gorgeous kit. There ere 3 plates: a gas tank skid, transfer case, and engine skid. First thing is that its wicked heavy steel and you get to order it in factory matched powdercoat so its gorgeous.

Here's some of their marketing shots. THIS IS NOT MY TRUCK!
IMG_20200522_170147_22_7__29364.1625075125.jpgIMG_20200522_170111-01_6__29164.1623937678.jpg

I'm sure its tough as shit. I have a Mohave and its pretty much stock. II wanted this because I noticed I was banging the stock skids up pretty bad and I even had an oil leak which may have been from taking a hit on the pan.

So far though, its been a huge pain in the ass to install in the driveway. The instructions were terrible. I got a 'new' design for the gas tank skid. It was in 2 pieces and the instructions literally said "This skid is so new we don't have instructions give us a call for tech support". I did and nobody ever called me back. I called back a week later and got through and while they were very apologetic and told me the right way to do it, I'd already wasted a lot of time and effort.

If I had my way every hole would be 1/32" bigger and every bolt a 1/4" longer. I'm into Ace Hardware for $20 to replace a ton of them so far. The tolerances are all SUPER TIGHT. There's been a lot of tightening of one bolt and loosening another to whack everything with a dead blow to move it a smidge. I've stripped a few bolts because the threads were dragging on the plate as I put them in, again bigger holes needed.

Anyway, I wanted to put this up just to say that this isn't as easy as it looks. I'm sure its going to be tough as nail and everything that I paid for, but I'm like 7 hours in on this and only got the gas tank and transfer case in so far. This is not an easy install.
 
That sucks man, sounds like it’s being a real bitch. Random question, is your Mojave suspension stock? If so would you be willing to take a measurement of the front spring from the perch to coil bucket? I’m trying to figure out how much this evo 2.5 I installed netted and I forgot to take a pre measurement. Thanks
 
That sucks man, sounds like it’s being a real bitch. Random question, is your Mojave suspension stock? If so would you be willing to take a measurement of the front spring from the perch to coil bucket? I’m trying to figure out how much this evo 2.5 I installed netted and I forgot to take a pre measurement. Thanks
I’ll take a look in a bit because I’m totally interested to find out. What springs are you running now the plush rides?
 
Geez. That sounds like a complete shit show.
You’d think that bolting plates up to a bunch of pre-drilled and tapped holes would be pretty simple lol. I will say the gas tank plate has to weigh 90lbs and the transfer case skid is probably 50. Once I get this right I’m sure it’ll be indestructible.
 
Thanks in advance, yea the evo 2.5 plush rides. It just seems super tall still, so I’ll definitely report back you to you.
I heard from a few people that have installed the 2.5 on JT's and it's been yielding closer to 3 inches. When I get mine done I'll make sure to get measurements.
 
I bought a transmission jack from harbor freight when they were on super sale and use it to hold up parts like skid plates, bumpers, rock rails... at 23" sometimes I do need to add a couple of 2x4's but it's come in handy for installs and found it to be easier to move around and control than a floor jack.

edit: the scissor lift style, straight up and down movement and I can use the impact gun on it
 
Thanks in advance, yea the evo 2.5 plush rides. It just seems super tall still, so I’ll definitely report back you to you.
I measured 11" from the top of the bottom pad to the top of the bucket. My driveway slants back a bit so it may be a bit taller than if it was super flat.
 
So I got it done last night around 10. What a shitshow. Parts that are required to mount the transfer case skid are in the engine skid box I hadn’t opened yet. I had to take the transfer skid half way off and redo it. Then they use wing plates on the engine plate like evos, but the instructions show a totally different design. There’s 2 different sets of bolts in the motor mounts you can use, of course I picked the wrong ones. I got the plate up & half mounted and had to take it down again to change them.

now that it’s done: product finished quality 9. It’s heavy duty and will definitely protect everything amazingly well. Bonus points that it comes with a locking ball valve for the oil drain. You can hook up a short bit of hose and make oil changes super easy. Instructions: 3. They sucked. Install difficulty: 7. Two guys with every tool imaginable and 2 jacks could maybe do it in 4-5 hours. By myself (mostly) with one jack took about 10 although great instructions could have cut that down a bit.
 
Anyone who still buys from this dude gets what they get. I had no idea they were even still in business.
Oh it’s like that? I’d actually never heard anything one way or the other about them. I thought the snorkel looked pretty slick & they have a breather hose extension kit.
 
I had a pretty horrible experience with their skids fitting my ‘21 JLUR this spring… needless to say they’re sitting in the garage in the scrap pile. Absolutely would recommend looking somewhere else. I had good luck with MORE
 
I measured 11" from the top of the bottom pad to the top of the bucket. My driveway slants back a bit so it may be a bit taller than if it was super flat.
If this is after the skid plate was I talked keep in mind the measurement might be slightly different. Every 50-100 lbs will affect the stance.
 
I had a pretty horrible experience with their skids fitting my ‘21 JLUR this spring… needless to say they’re sitting in the garage in the scrap pile. Absolutely would recommend looking somewhere else. I had good luck with MORE
I'm sorry & glad to hear it wasn't just me. If I hadn't spent so much damn money and waited a month for them I almost scrapped them too!
 
Yeah, I fought with them for 3months trying to explain that their “skid that come with two sets of mounts to fit the new 2021 3.6’s” wasn’t even close to fitting up to mine, even after emails, measurements, photos, videos and even offering to drive 6hours out so they could mock it up on mine I decided to look somewhere else when they started avoiding my phone calls and stop answering my emails.
I think it had something to do with me saying “you should probably update the product page to Not have 2021’s on if they don’t fit…”

What a heap of trash it was after all of it too. Even if we got the engine mounts worked out, it was going to have to be modified to fit the exhaust pipe, crossmember holes didn’t line up, and it was stupid heavy. All dual layered 1/4” steel plate all around the edges for…. Compensating for a poor design that wasn’t structurally sound, I guess?

I know my MORE one has been drug across a TON in the last year and I haven’t had a single issue with it. Should’ve done it from the get go
 
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