Four Wheeler – October 2019

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER OCTOBER 2019 65

SOURCES

Front Runner Outfitters

818/253-1322

frontrunneroutfitters.com

GenRight Off Road

805/584-8635

genright.com

MetalCloak

916/631-8071

metalcloak.com

RotopaX

801/299-1885

rotopax.com

Smittybilt

888/717-5797

smittybilt.com

Stuffsack.com

480/899-6458

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13. After numerous encounters with rocks, every
    skidplate on the JK had been heavily massaged,
    especially the thin covering on the gas tank. In fact,
    the gas tank skid was dented so severely that we
    lost a few gallons of fuel capacity. In addition to the
    skidplates, the factory transmission crossmember
    was bent out of shape and the oil pan had also taken
    two softer trail hits. Enter the MetalCloak Undercloak
    Integrated Armor System. The kit included^3 ⁄ 8 -inch,

zinc-coated steel protection for the gas tank, oil pan,

transmission, and T-case, as well as a heavy-duty re-

placement crossmember and all necessary hardware.

14. In order for the MetalCloak gas tank skidplate
    to fit over the factory skidplate, we first had to
    remove the dents. With help from ratchet straps and
    jackstands, we removed the dented skidplate without
    dropping the fuel tank, gently helped it back to its
    original form, and reattached it to
    the Jeep.
    15. With the replacement crossmem-
    ber in place, the remaining skidplates
    interlocked smoothly. The instruc-
    tions noted that leaving hardware
    loosely threaded until all skids were
    in place would make alignment an
    easy task. Drilling was required, as
    per the detailed instructions, for two
    bolts on the frame and two bolts on
    the existing gas tank skid.
    16. Securing the oil pan skidplate
    required two bracing arms, which
    bolted to the Jeep’s engine mounts.
    17. With the Jeep’s underbelly coated
    in steel, we have the confidence to
    attack obstacles that our not-so-lifted
    JK on 33-inch tires would normally
    shy away from.
    18. When traveling without the Jeep’s
    roof and doors, the Smittybilt GEAR
    Trail Bag keeps clothes, the tire repair
    kit, and cookware organized and
    ready at a moment’s notice. When
    stowed inside the 90L Dry Duffel
    from Stuffsack.com, not even a mon-
    soon can get our socks wet.

19-20. The Smittybilt Rapid Air

Deflator makes dropping the air

pressure in the tires a simple task. When our time on

the trails comes to a close, the portable Smittybilt

Air Compressor breathes life back into the 33-inch

Dick Cepek Trail Country EXP tires to the tune of

5.65 cfm, which translates into just under two

minutes per tire. fw

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