“This is my first aftermarket skid plate install. The installation was a little challenging but I really like the results. There are no gaps in-between the pieces and only adding another 15lbs to my jeep is a big deal to me. As I want to save lbs for my camping gear and wear and tear on my drivetrain.”
“These skid plates are incredible. Super strong looks great and I have no doubt that the undercarriage of my Jeep is well protected. Everyone else in these reviews mentioned easy install. I was not so lucky. Maybe I waited too long to install them and had bashed my undercarriage already but the fitment of the transfer case and gas tank skid was a royal pain. I had to cut much more of the gas tank skid than what the instructions called for. I had to cut a lot of the sides of the factory gas tank skid. Also the cross member for the rear of the transfer case skid had to be trimmed a little since it hit the frame on the driver side. Even with all the trimming I still had to use a floor jack to push the skids up in order for them to align. I did use the hd transmission cross member that thing is super stout as well. I wouldnt hesitate to buy this kit again if I had another Jeep but I would do it sooner since maybe my undercarriage was already bashed and made install difficult. I gave 4 stars only because I feel that artec could have made some of the hardware holes a little larger (on the pass side gas tank) for easier hardware install. I had to drill those holes out to 12. Also since every Jeep is different I think that instead of fixed nuts on the cross member and small brackets there could have been a floating nut clip that allows for more misalignment.”
“I bought the aluminum version of this kit to cut down on weight in prep for the Rubicon trail and can honestly say it enabled me to make a few mistakes and take several hard hits on rocks. It did its job and protected the key parts and enable me make it through without breaking down and without major damage. 100% worth the investment and the plates seem perfectly fine for many more adventures.Tips for future buyers- The install for me was not easy or quick. Unfortunately I had to make several modifications using an angle grinder to help align the plates to the threaded bolt holes (I also installed the HD crossmember from Artec which I think is a must with this kit) but I blame the Jeep tolerance specs and not the Artec skid plates --so just beware that the install could take you 10 hours. I also found that in order to drill the last exterior hole for the gas tank skid I needed to remove the rear passenger tire in order to get a drill bit straight on. The gas tank skid was the hardest part of the install because the inconsistent way Jeep presses and forms their thin metal armor around the tank had lots of issues. You will need a floor jack and lots of elbow grease to get things aligned properly before you can bolt things in. - The last issue I faced was how to get the rivnuts installed. The directions are not very clear at least I couldnt figure it out. There is a video that shows how to do this but it didnt work as observed for me. During the Rubicon trail both rivnuts became loose and dislodged themselves from the jeep frame. The skid plate remained in place due to the other bolts on the adjacent side holding things in but this was concerning and annoying as it created a loud rattle. Im not sure how to fix it as Id likely have to remove the plate grind out the rivnuts and install new ones but the rivnuts themselves did not work as intended so keep that in mind. Wish there was an alternative solution..havent found one yet.”
“I really love this belly pan kit No instructions came with it but I found them online. It was a little confusing at first but after doing it installing another one wouldnt be a problem.”
“The skid plates are very good quality and fitment. Note if you have Teraflex exhaust extensions for the cross pipe you will have to remove them for the oil pan skid plate to fit. We are very happy with the product and it did its job in Moab Utah The only issue we had installing it the kit was missing the larger countersunk allen head bolts that go to the cross member. We stopped at your shop on the way to Moab however you guys were closed. All good though and we would recommend this set up for sure”
“We beat the heck out of our race car over some of the toughest terrain with full confidence in our Artec Industries Bellypan system to hold up to the abuse and protect vital components from harm. Our Jeep was built using only the best parts whether it be off the shelf or custom fabbed and for us the Artec Bellypan was the clear choice. You wont find a better skid plate system for your Jeep anywhere.”
“First saw the kit at TDS and noticed other vendors were running this kit on there rigs and I was sold. -Easy install great fit. -Customer service was extremely professional from sales tech support and shipping. Thank you for making a outstanding American Made product.”
“I love the skids they are very stout. I had a few issues with install the nutserts provided were not the same pictured in the instructions and needed a nutsert tool to install. Instructions were hard to follow install is pretty strait forward but still more detailed instructions would be nice. I called technical support 8 times and they never answered I left a voicemail and still havent received a call back. I had to remove my exhaust spacers so my driveshaft rubs a little now (think Im gonna trim the skids as it seems like an easy fix) All that aside I love the high tolerance of the skids that fit together awesome. I have no fear of resting my jeep on rocks now. Im still giving a high review because the product is amazing and all the issues I had were with the install.”
