SLR + Skid Row

[FSRBIKER]

Has anyone added the Skid Row engine skid and have the SLR lift? If so did the plate have to be altered or shimmed for installation?

[Schludwiller]

I will be in that situation this winter. Speculation was the engine skid needed spacers and (perhaps) longer u-bolts because the SLR lift drops the front differential.

But....I haven't gotten to it yet.

[Maddog]

Yep, my problem too. I contacted EOE on the issue, and this prompted Todd's question. I think a fellow MAXC'er, SEXterra (Kennedy) has the Skid Row front plate and engine plate installed on his X and I know he has the SLR lift because we installed them about the same time and had a bitch of a time with the diff dropping issue. Hopefully, I'll have my engine plate and front plate installed by mid-December so I'll let you know how it goes.

Dog

[Kennedy]

I'm not even sure the diff drop kit helps that much (or rather will do anything) in preventing CV blowout (it only drops the dif about 1/2 inch). This will only affect your CV angle a few degrees in the most extreme cases. I am also concerned about the drive shaft angle and the fact that this changes with the diff drop kit too. I've had no problems with either of these so far, but Mike at AC was quick to point these two factors out when I was lift shopping.
Of all the lifted and abused Xs on these boards, I only know of one documented instance of CV blowout... Hmmm

Spencer at SLR absolutely recommends the kit from experience, so who am I to question thier design, though none of the other available lifts have made such an offering. Just something to think about.

Anywho, the only issue with mounting the engine skid with the SLR kit is the fact that the front diff now contacts the engine skid but it DOES not prevent it from being installed properly. When you tighten down the U-bolts the skid bends ever so slightly around the bottom of the diff.

I don't like this, because the skid should not come in contact with what it's protecting, otherwise the force is transfered THROUGH the skid and into the diff mounting instead of to the frame. Luckily delrin is tough as is the diff... I think it can take it.
I mean, if this wasn't true, the current concept in place for a rear diff skid is just as ludicrous. That skid is bolted TO what it is protecting. Thus impacts are transferred through them as well. The skid just protects form scrapes and such, not VERY sharp impacts... so don't go trying to shoot your skid protected diff with armor piercing bullets.

The only other issue is vibration... As Ian documented on the XOC, the delrin bushings add a bit of vibration when in 4x4 since the soft rubber mounts are replaced. This is amplified slightly with my current setup (since the diff and skid touch). The vibrations in the diff are transferred via the delrin bushings and via the skid plate (which bolts directly to the frame)... no rattles like the noise from the exhaust though.
Those with aggressive tires will never notice this though since you already deal with much stronger vibration on a larger level. Once again, not a big issue, I don't even notice anymore... Gotta love TrXus.

I went ahead and bought a complete set of replacement OEM Diff bushings (with the mounts) They're a bitch to remove and replace with the delrin SLR kits, thus if you ever want to go back, this is the only way. I may pull the drop kit if people start experiencing problems, but I'm yet to have any so far.

Once again, none of these issues are show stoppers, so for those of you with SR skids and are looking at the SLR lift, it is quite possible with no modification required.

Feel free to post more questions

[rrdstarr]

I was wondering if anyone had done their diff drop kit yet. I was thinking about buying their Polyurethane Bushing kit.

"Polyurethane has proven to eliminate free play and absorb impact loads. Bushings are available as a set or for applications such as upper control arms, shocks, sway bars, tension arms and leaf springs."

From Spencer's website.

Does anyone have experience with that?

[Kennedy]

The stage III lift include poly forthe following items:
Upper A arms
Upper Rear Shackle mounts
Poly in the upgrade spring packs
Front and rear shocks
Upper and lower A arm bumpstops
Rear poly bumpstops
Endlink bushings

Not sure what a tension arm is...

I'm pretty sure the only thing you can install without purchasing the lift components is the bumpstops (except maybe the rear shackle bushings since the original design required the OEM ones) and the endlink bushings...

- You'll need their upper control arms to run the arm bushings.
- The Bilsteins now come with upper poly bushings and bumpstops.
- The spring packs come with the poly bushings

[Kerensky97]

Originally posted by Kennedy
Not sure what a tension arm is...

Its annother name for Torsion Bar.
You know, the front suspension shock.

[Kennedy]

So what part of the X torsion bar and mounting could be replaced with Poly? Nothing I can think of

I was thinking the tension arm had something to do with the steering components, and thus all the joint boots could be replaced with poly boots...

The add on the SLR page in reference to this has to be for a 720, Pathy or something else non X.

[Schludwiller]

Originally posted by Kennedy
So what part of the X torsion bar and mounting could be replaced with Poly? Nothing I can think of
.

The torsion bar is mounted entirely with metal anchors.

[Kerensky97]

Originally posted by Kennedy
I was thinking the tension arm had something to do with the steering components, and thus all the joint boots could be replaced with poly boots...

Maybe that is what they mean but I don't know of any place to put polyurethane on there, and I see no reason for poly boots.
I thought the only reason for the boots is to keep the grease in and water out, in which case rubber would work perfectly well.