[dwilke02]

i will be off roading my truck very soon. just needed to know how important skid plates and sliders are? how about diff. covers? it won't be amazing rock climbing or anything. just fun in mud, some rocks, and dirt. whatever else i can find as well. thanks

 

[09eq]

Depends on you and how you use/drive it. If you do leave any area unprotected, that is sure to be where you hit first, if you drive it into those situations. So I say armor everything you can, but engine and tranny/transf are expensive ones, so protect in order of value and need for 'motivation'.

 

[wolfman437]

agreed with the above. Engine/rad ski, oil pan, trans, an tcase with sliders is where id start if i were you. Gas tank wouldnt be a bad idea either depending on what exactly your doing.

 

[nismo5]

yeah body work aint cheap either so sliders are def a good idea they also double as a step to get in and a parkin lot door ding protector

 

[trippleC]

haha or u can be like me and tag that gay lil tow hook on a rock with a quad in the bed that u let ur buddy strap down... yep I got full glass coverage NOW...
I would suggest investing on getting the poor thing off the the ground being a slighty higher priority depending on what, and how often u plan on using her.. Also depends on how well u can spot on miss potential hazards...

 

[Kamikaze]

Armor is definitely crucial if you habitually wheel. I put my truck up on the rack thursday and gave it a good inspection, and im slackin on the armor department. Dings on my rear diff, factory skidds that im amazed are still on,etc. Thats my next investment but if i was you i would lift it first.

 

[bigdog]

If you’re not a nismo, you can minimaly buy the nismo skid plates and get some basic protection. They are lighter weight then "the good stuff" but should at least protect you from one hit. I still have this one on my gas tank; the others have all since been replaced.

Sliders are real important protection too and are designed to take most of the hits and keep the soft underbelly of your truck off the rocks.

But as others have already said some lift will also be required so it is a combination of products that will ultimately allow you to go off road and have fun.

 

[NismoFrontier08]

Yeah I'd say if your tight on cash search local junk yards for a Nismo and get the skid plates off that. Mine have saved me a couple times. Especially when some tard in a BMW ran over a mini boulder coming down the mountain and sent it right for me. Had it not been for my skid plates taking the huge dent the gas tank for sure would have been a goner along with other parts. So armor comes in handy even when not wheeling :goodjob:

 

[WeRideNTruX]

agreed my stock nismo skids hav saved me plenty of time the only thing really holding me back is a lift and tires and if u plan on plan in the mud any at all good m/ts and height are the best thing u can do

 

[mike]

The only NISMO skid that give you protection would be the gas tank skid.
The engine skid only covers about 50% of the oil pan. The transfer skid is a thin piece of metal that just stick out in mid air.
There is no transmission skid and there is nothing protecting the front diff.

 

[dwilke02]

my plan was to get the shrockworks skids. then the 2" body lift with 265/75/16 kumho mt's.. if i were to just get the 2" body lift now it would just higher the body and not the frame right? i also don't want a spacer. so any flaws with the plans?

 

[chainsaw]

I say sliders first, skids second then what ever ya feel from there.

 

[dwilke02]

you think sliders first?

 

[mike]

I say sliders first, skids second then what ever ya feel from there.

Normally I would agree but since the OP wants to a body lift I would say skids first.

Look at NXRocks skids. They are suppose to cover more and cost less.
NXRocks - The right way to protect your Xterra or Frontier

 

[dwilke02]

mike, i notice you have the shrockworks skids. are the nxrocks skids as good? have you seen them?

 

[mike]

mike, i notice you have the shrockworks skids. are the nxrocks skids as good? have you seen them?

I have never seen one in person, only in pictures. They are a new Nissan company and have only had skids for Frontiers for maybe 2 months.

They have been selling skid for Xterra's for about 6 months and they say NXRocks skids cover more. From the pic's I have seen I would say they are the same. To be honest I don't like either companies front skid. The angle could be better.
If I was in the market for skids now I probably would go with NXRocks.

 

[Motorcop75]

The NXrocks skids look slightly larger in terms of coverage of the trans, but the price difference was minimal when counting the shipping of all four skids. NXrocks says 3 weeks from order to ship so that's nice. I dropped $657 shipped for engine/trans,TC and gas tank.
I went lift, bigger tires, then skids. Sliders are on deck.

 

[chainsaw]

you think sliders first?

Yup, just experience talking, Ive seen guy wheel for years with no skid but lots of rocker panels get smacked all the time. Basicly I think it breaks down that people tend to put the belly (center)of the truck over the low spots in the trail and drive the wheels over the high spots (which make perfect sense) so you end up with high spots right along the same line as your rocker panels. Just a thought.

Also for me, replacing and engin oil pan or trans pan is something I can do where as body work is some thing I have to pay big $ for. Ive put a truck on a pan before and they hold up better than you might think. Not saying dont protect em at some point. Again, just my opinion, Im sure some one will say in crazy.

 

[nutsandboldts05]

Basically I think it breaks down that people tend to put the belly (center)of the truck over the low spots in the trail and drive the wheels over the high spots (which make perfect sense) so you end up with high spots right along the same line as your rocker panels. Just a thought.

Also for me, replacing and engine oil pan or trans pan is something I can do where as body work is some thing I have to pay big $ for. Ive put a truck on a pan before and they hold up better than you might think. Not saying dont protect em at some point. Again, just my opinion, I'm sure some one will say in crazy.

I would say they are crazy. Your first paragraph states the facts quite well.

I'm going with my 3" SL lift first, then I'm gonna work on armor. There aren't many trails nearby me, and I haven't gone wheeling yet, EVER. So I can do the lift now, and when I wheel, hit a easy trail to break my virginity in. Then I can work on rock sliders, then skids as I gain the experience on a trail. Then move up to harder trails.

Just my thoughts, maybe they will help you decide.