Skid Plates- Complete System (4 door JK)

Hi Guys,

This will be my first post in trying to figure out the best method to the MADNESS. I do not know if this has been posted but I'm seriously looking into this.

So what do you guys think about this? Or should I just get the oil pan skid plate. I have the 3.5" long arm RE lift and I haven't contacted the maker to see if this will fit but over all it looks awesome. Opinions please.

Complete underneath skid from front to middle!!!! And If I do buy this I'm thinking aluminum about weight. Or should I go steel?

http://www.riverraider.com/store/JK-Skid-Plates-Complete-System-4dr

Thank you,

Jesse

JK's JK said:

Hi Guys,

This will be my first post in trying to figure out the best method to the MADNESS. I do not know if this has been posted but I'm seriously looking into this.

So what do you guys think about this? Or should I just get the oil pan skid plate. I have the 3.5" long arm RE lift and I haven't contacted the maker to see if this will fit but over all it looks awesome. Opinions please.

Complete underneath skid from front to middle!!!! And If I do buy this I'm thinking aluminum about weight. Or should I go steel?

http://www.riverraider.com/store/JK-Skid-Plates-Complete-System-4dr

Thank you,

Jesse

Click to expand...

I had this kit on my previous 12 JKUR. I will find some pics. I chose the aluminum kit and totally regretted it. The oil pan drain system sucks. The hole does not line up and when you change your oil, it doesn't drain properly and fills the bottom of the skid with the oil. I also totally dented the transfer case skid to the point where it was touching the t-case. I was incredible disappointed with its strength. I called the owner and spoke to him about how the skid failed, in my opinion. I believe his name is Bear? He would not replace the skid and wanted to charge me for another one. Never again.

I don't think I have ever heard a good story about river raider.

I wouldn't buy the RR skids, unless of course you like your skids bent up into your transfer case.

Disclaimer: this is not my pic or my Jeep.


Edit: lol...maybe it's Mackey's

I am looking at getting these but not sure. Seems a lot cheaper than the ones in the first post.

http://www.offroadevolution.com/store/products.php?cat=24&sman=1

R/
Will

As mentioned, the only people who will tell you good things about their River Raider skids are those who are unwilling to admit that they may have made a mistake. Fact of the matter is, their fitment is terrible, they get bent up when hit as shown, make it difficult to maintain your Jeep, hide things like leaks that you do want to see and trap in a lot of unwanted heat. What I can tell you is that your factory skid plates may get beat up but, for the most part, they are all that you really need and don't need replacing. For the things on your Jeep that have no protection like your oil pan, I would say you should armor it up with an EVO skid or Rancho skid. Trust me, I've run both and they are all that you need. If you have an automatic and you are lifted, I would recommend that you remove the factory tranny skid and replace it with an EVO skid or Rock Krawler HD pan.

I have the evo protek system. It's tough. It was made to take a beating. I can't speak for river raider but if you are looking for options definitely check out the evo system.

wayoflife said:

As mentioned, the only people who will tell you good things about their River Raider skids are those who are unwilling to admit that they may have made a mistake. Fact of the matter is, their fitment is terrible, they get bent up when hit as shown, make it difficult to maintain your Jeep, hide things like leaks that you do want to see and trap in a lot of unwanted heat. What I can tell you is that your factory skid plates may get beat up but, for the most part, they are all that you really need and don't need replacing. For the things on your Jeep that have no protection like your oil pan, I would say you should armor it up with an EVO skid or Rancho skid. Trust me, I've run both and they are all that you need. If you have an automatic and you are lifted, I would recommend that you remove the factory tranny skid and replace it with an EVO skid or Rock Krawler HD pan.

Click to expand...

This is what I wanted to hear. I'll take you up on those two items.

Thank you guys.

Sharkey said:

I wouldn't buy the RR skids, unless of course you like your skids bent up into your transfer case.

Disclaimer: this is not my pic or my Jeep.
View attachment 41293

Edit: lol...maybe it's Mackey's

Click to expand...

That does look like mine. Lol. Where did u find that pic?

mackey said:

That does look like mine. Lol. Where did u find that pic?

Click to expand...

LOL!! There are a few of these online. Of course, maybe they're all yours :crazyeyes:

OverlanderJK said:

I don't think I have ever heard a good story about river raider.

Click to expand...

It's a pretty cool name? :idontknow:

wayoflife said:

LOL!! There are a few of these online. Of course, maybe they're all yours :crazyeyes:

Click to expand...

I normally don'd talk trash or speak negatively about other people or companies, but I definitely learned from my mistake with purchasing them. It's sad that there are several bent/ruined skids and the company won't fix it or replace the bent ones. I bent mine on a family trip on the Miller Jeep trail which is not that difficult of a trail. I was more upset how the owner blew me off and said I must have been wheeling all crazy. Lesson learned

mackey said:

I normally don'd talk trash or speak negatively about other people or companies, but I definitely learned from my mistake with purchasing them.

Click to expand...

Sharing what you've experienced isn't talking trash or speaking negatively. If anything, it helps others to make better decisions about the purchases they intend to make.

mackey said:

I was more upset how the owner blew me off and said I must have been wheeling all crazy. Lesson learned

Click to expand...

:cheesy: Even if you had been wheeling all crazy, wouldn't that be a reason to have supposedly beefier aftermarket skid plates? :idontknow:

mackey said:

That does look like mine. Lol. Where did u find that pic?

Click to expand...

Google. I knew I had seen pics before.

wayoflife said:

As mentioned, the only people who will tell you good things about their River Raider skids are those who are unwilling to admit that they may have made a mistake. Fact of the matter is, their fitment is terrible, they get bent up when hit as shown, make it difficult to maintain your Jeep, hide things like leaks that you do want to see and trap in a lot of unwanted heat. What I can tell you is that your factory skid plates may get beat up but, for the most part, they are all that you really need and don't need replacing. For the things on your Jeep that have no protection like your oil pan, I would say you should armor it up with an EVO skid or Rancho skid. Trust me, I've run both and they are all that you need. If you have an automatic and you are lifted, I would recommend that you remove the factory tranny skid and replace it with an EVO skid or Rock Krawler HD pan.

Click to expand...

I was so confused for a second or two!!!! Trying to figure out where the factory Tranny skid plate was?:doh: (Because I didn't have one) So looking at the EVO set up the only thing that does not look like it will fit will be the "ProTek Exhaust & Tranny Cross-member Skid" (http://www.offroadevolution.com/store/proddetail.php?prod=EVO.ProTek.Exhaust.Tranny) Is there a solution to having a protection for the exhaust pipe or does it hit? Seems that the Long arm Rubicon express front end limits you to a certain things that you can buy( which isn't a bad thing) along with the rear!!!! I really would like to get the EVO sliders but seems I would have to mod them!!!!

Is there a way to search certain topics? My next question that I would post is about chromoly axle shafts (I've read the posting about chromoly axle shafts for newbies........Sounds like I will only upgrade the front for the moment).

mackey said:

I had this kit on my previous 12 JKUR. I will find some pics. I chose the aluminum kit and totally regretted it. The oil pan drain system sucks. The hole does not line up and when you change your oil, it doesn't drain properly and fills the bottom of the skid with the oil. I also totally dented the transfer case skid to the point where it was touching the t-case. I was incredible disappointed with its strength. I called the owner and spoke to him about how the skid failed, in my opinion. I believe his name is Bear? He would not replace the skid and wanted to charge me for another one. Never again.

Click to expand...

Sorry to hear that paying good money for a specific reason completely failed. That's why Tom (I don't know his screen name) wanted me to get on this site. Thank you for you honesty.

JK's JK said:

Sorry to hear that paying good money for a specific reason completely failed. That's why Tom (I don't know his screen name) wanted me to get on this site. Thank you for you honesty.

Click to expand...

I'm guessing Bondsy? He is good peeps. Welcome!

I modified mine... Got a little happy with the cut. Still gets the job done nicely.

my vote would be the evo protek skid!

wayoflife said:

..... If you have an automatic and you are lifted, I would recommend that you remove the factory tranny skid and replace it with an EVO skid or Rock Krawler HD pan.

Click to expand...

If you choose this route of only providing supplemental transmission skids in addition to the factory skids, I would steer clear of purchasing the Rock Krawler HD Deep Sump pan. The only reason I will ever give a negative comment on the Rock Krawler pan is the treatment I got from them for reporting a defective product directly to them. I understand things happen in manufacturing processes and human error can and will happen. The trans pan they sent to me only had about 50% of the welding completed to all the seams and corners, the sad thing is that it actually made it to their powder coater this way and then packed and shipped. I sent photos of the condition I recieved it back to Rock Krawler, then recieved an email response saying there was no way something like this was ship out. I made a phone call, was told that I could purchase a new one, but they were not refunding my purchase. It got really ugly from that point on. I ended up taking it to a buddies shop, bead blasted it, then finished welding the entire pan. When I get home to complete the install, three of the bolt holes don't even line up, all off about 1/8'',not warped from the welding kind of off center, but slid to the right or left kind of off center. No point in calling RK back, as this quality control check was probably my fault too. Anyway, I fix this issue too and two plus years later the pan still lets me know if I have trans fluid in it by leaving lovely little drippings everywhere I park. Iwill add that other than the pan being delivered with incomplete welds, mounting holes not aligned, the top mating flange not deck honed causing leaks, it does everything else it is supposed to do which is take abuse from rocks. So its got that going for it.....:thinking:

After face to face conversations with a few other guys that run the RK pan at some racing events and searching on other forums, my story is not a one of a kind with their HD Deep Sump pan. Their customer service has been slammed by many others on different forums for different products with a "not our fault, cannot help you" approach. This is the sole reason I do not recomend the purchase of their trans skid pan, really bad customer service. I have zero experience with any other RK product and it is solely because of this one episode.