armor

The kit comes with an additional cross-member skid plate that is supposed to be right beneath the modified exhaust cross-pipe (this is what installation manual suggests). The muffler shop, however, insists that they could not tuck in the modified cross pipe above the skid because then it would be too close to the tranny oil pan and would boil the oil, causing damage. Also they say it would make the bolts holding the skid pretty much unreachable. So they recommend that better solution would be to extend the skid with another one (a little longer one) that would extend beyond the cross-pipe and protect it. To me, it all kind of makes sense but I wanted to run it through you guys here and see if I should be arguing with them or not. Bottom line, as you see in the picture, the cross pipe the way it is done now doesn't really hurt the clearance (it is only 1/8" below the other skid plates as can be seen in the picture from behind) - the only problem is that it's not protected at all. Also, good news that this setup allows a little more travel clearance for the front drive shaft... It does look ugly, but not many people stare in there anyways. Worth fighting for ?

Pictures below:

Cross pipe ahead of the skid:


View from rear to front - you can barely see the lower edge of the pipe below the bottom of other skid plates

Rock Krawler Suspension

The only thing we would recommend is adding a little heat wrap so your exhaust does not cook the control arm bushings. Other than that, we would not worry too much about fighting over it!

RK