Front DS Rubbing

[Black & Tan TJ]

Has anyone cut there stock T-case skid for driveshaft (front) clearence? If so how much (pictures if possible) and any structural loss?
While doing some other work I noticed a line or mark going around my front DS where it has been contacting the skid. (2002 Sahara 4.0 5 speed RE 4.5" SF lift...) I don't think I've bent or damage the shaft yet but I think this has been going on for a while and I really don't want to replace it so can I just create some clearence with Ye Old Sawall?

Thanks, B&T TJ

[Old Fart]

Get out the sawzall, or an air grinder. My guess is that if it's just a line around the shaft, you won't need to remove much metal.

El Segundo? Hey, I know where that is.....

[Kiwi]

I had to take about a 2" x 2 1/2" chunck out of the front of my stock skid.
It doesn't seem to have affected the strength, the whole thing is pretty beaten up. No pictures sorry, I'd rather spend the camera money on more mods. Maybe someone will give me one for Christmas..

[Black & Tan TJ]

I had to take about a 2" x 2 1/2" chunck out of the front of my stock skid.
It doesn't seem to have affected the strength, the whole thing is pretty beaten up. No pictures sorry, I'd rather spend the camera money on more mods. Maybe someone will give me one for Christmas..

Thanks for the info. I guess this is not unusual.

As far as a camera I might be able to help, I work for Sony and we have a store here on the lot we can buy and order electronics from. Right now there's a 4.0 mega pixel for about $150. You can look on the web site sonystyle.com and let me know if there's something you like. I'll do this for any member of this site.

Thanks for the info. B&T TJ

[Kiwi]

Thanks for the camera offer. I'm not really ready just yet, but when I am I'll send you a note. Thanks again, appreciate it.
David

[RatherBeJeeping]

Tom, we had to do this once on a friends YJ after a SOA. We notced the skid plate and welded on old u-bolt around the hole for strength.
I could drop one off at your place next week if you wanted one for that purpose.

[Black & Tan TJ]

Tom, we had to do this once on a friends YJ after a SOA. We notced the skid plate and welded on old u-bolt around the hole for strength.
I could drop one off at your place next week if you wanted one for that purpose.

Thanks John. I was thinking on the same lines, "what could I put there to add strenght after cutting". The U-bolt thing sounds good, I'll take you up on that, thing is I'm not sure how much I'll have to cut away. On the TJ, the skid has a few lips or bends before it flattens out. I'm thinking if I don't cut through the second one I'll be OK. I'm not sure how the YJ is. This weekend I'll get under there to see what I'll need to do. My Skidrow Eng./Trans. skid clamps to the T-case skids forward edge, same one I may be cutting for clearence which causes my structural concerns.

I'll let you know what I come up with, may need someone to weld it too.

Tom

[RatherBeJeeping]

Either way, just let me know. Push comes to shove bring it over to my place. We can cut the notch and weld up the u-bolt all at the same time.

[Black & Tan TJ]

Either way, just let me know. Push comes to shove bring it over to my place. We can cut the notch and weld up the u-bolt all at the same time.

John,
Thanks for your generous offer, I probably will take you up on it. Paulhead has told me your quite the fabircator and from what I seen I'll agree. I'll post some pictures here prior so you can see whats up. It shouldn't be a big deal since you've done this and I have a pretty good idea of what want.

Thanks again, pictures comming soon, Tom

[Black & Tan TJ]

Here's some pictures, the rub looks minor at this point.










John, take a look let me know what you think. I believe it only rubs at full droop but I do remember feeling something hard bottoming out on one side while flexing from time to time out on the trails. Think I found the source, in time this time.

Thanks

[RatherBeJeeping]

You're barely rubbing. That's just needing a touch with the grinder. You're not going to lose enough structural strength to need anything welded on there