I personal like to get the crossmember on first. That will tie into the frame rail and the transmission crossmember. Then I like to put the engine skid on next. Keep the engine skid off the crossmebers about a half inch when getting it up in there, as the transmission skid has laser cut oval hole that allow you to slide the trans skid in behind instead of have to fit both skids (and all their weight) together at the same time, while trying to find the threaded captive nut. This is my favorite part of the new skids, not as much to physical effort in the installer part.
The transfer case then slides in behind the transmission skid, the same way the trans locks in with the engine skid. Now at their point nothing is tightened up. But once all but the front skid is on, I tighten it all up. Also, these don’t need to be cranked down on, don’t use a torque wrench, just get them snugged to what you feel could be about 15-20 ft lbs. The new bolts in he transmission crossment are the j lot things you need to torque down, I’ll get you those once I get done with this other truck.
Now the last plate is the front plate, (and you’re going to love how I locks in, it’s pretry cool) I’d ties into the engine skid by sliding the rear ward edge of it on the front edge of the engine skid. It can hangs there also, then secure it with the 5 bolts (2 of those are for the filter door) and secure the two front bolts.
If you have an ARB bumper, that little splash pan under the bumper can work with the skid plates, but it does require two hole drilled in the ARB splash shield. Again, no drilling on the frame or skid plates, just the ARB thin little splash shield (it actually helps the ARB splash shield because instead of those two tone bolts that originally hold it on, it is now secured with some bigger M8s)
The pictures will help sooooo much. But I must emphasize, skid plate fasteners don’t need to be gorilla tight, just snug them up, and give an extra little 1/8 turn yeah know.
I changed the oil two days ago, it was nice to not have to remove the skids, but you do need a good wide mouth funnel to keep it clean as the engine oil drain plug door is right below the plug, but since the plug is on an angle, the initial blast of oil goes out to the edge. That was where Bud had a decision point, make the oil changes require a funnel, or have the edge of the engine skid be weaker by having the door go all the way to the end. Figured that people that need real armor are also inclinded to use a funnel to keep the oil from going everywhere, and they probably don’t want the lowest point on their arms to be weaker on the edges. The filter was a dream through since the drain for them at is strait up and down.
