Rear Shock Skid Plates
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I now have both rear shock skid plates on, and I’m ready to Rock & Roll.
I just got done installing one of them this past Saturday, unfortunately I worked most of the day and on Sunday we ended up with just over an inch of snow and the high temp was only 31° so I will install the second one today after work…..
The 122 ft. lbs not too bad…….
but……..
That 350 ft. lbs is a back breaker, but at least I got the one done, and I’m only a little soar still…..
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Very easy install. I believe you could get them on without even jacking it up. I put it up on jack stands because I was trying to repair the damage and paint the crossmember before putting on the skids. There's no drilling as it uses existing crossmember holes. Should be pretty easy!Comment
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It has been painted for just about over a year, but the blue I used was the same as the beauty rings, and they still looked black.
I repainted the cover a couple of weeks ago when it got warm and added Stainless Steel bolts….
Does it improve my ability to climb over rocks better?
Hell No…..
But it sure looks better!!! 🤣Last edited by BroncOitis; 03-14-2024, 07:19 AM.Comment
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What Cross Member are you two talking about?
Very easy install. I believe you could get them on without even jacking it up. I put it up on jack stands because I was trying to repair the damage and paint the crossmember before putting on the skids. There's no drilling as it uses existing crossmember holes. Should be pretty easy!
There are so many skid plates, not sure which ones you’re talking about!!!
Does it cover the trans or transfer case, or something else?Last edited by BroncOitis; 03-14-2024, 07:28 AM.Comment
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Hey Henry (Skip), how difficult was it to install those? I want to do mine but wasn’t sure if I needed any special tools, or if I need to jack up the Bronco or if it’s any easier with the wheels off? Any details are greatly appreciated! 😉Comment
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Hey Henry (Skip), how difficult was it to install those? I want to do mine but wasn’t sure if I needed any special tools, or if I need to jack up the Bronco or if it’s any easier with the wheels off? Any details are greatly appreciated! 😉[/QUOTE]
You will need a 27mm and a 24mm socket with a 1/2” drive breaker bar.
it wasn’t as hard as what this guy shows, but it was difficult, especially loosening the Shock Bolt because it’s 350ft lbs.
It does take some prying the plates into place, a rubber hammer sure helped, just make sure your bolts with the nuts are open far enough.
Here is the video I watched to put them on…
Mine did not come with instructions, so I found the only video on the DV8 Shock Skid Plate.
Yes!
I did jack up the back end on the side I was working on, just to make the bolts move easier when you hit them.
I didn’t lift them off the ground though…..
Last edited by BroncOitis; 03-16-2024, 06:10 PM.Comment
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I installed the shock skids today and for me, it was a real pain in the ass. I'm not sure what torque wrench BroncOitis used , but you can't find a 1/2" torque wrench that goes to 350lbs. You need to jump up to a 3/4" torque wrench which is expensive. Also trying to tighten the shock bolt to 350 with a breaker bar and a pipe extension while the Bronco is on jack stands doesn't give you much room to swing the breaker bar. The 24mm needs to be a deep well socket but the 27mm does not.
if you haven't got the tools to do it, I would pay to have it done. Mine are done and i hope i never have to do it again!
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You will need a 27mm and a 24mm socket with a 1/2” drive breaker bar.
it wasn’t as hard as what this guy shows, but it was difficult, especially loosening the Shock Bolt because it’s 350ft lbs.
It does take some prying the plates into place, a rubber hammer sure helped, just make sure your bolts with the nuts are open far enough.
Here is the video I watched to put them on…
Mine did not come with instructions, so I found the only video on the DV8 Shock Skid Plate.
Yes!
I did jack up the back end on the side I was working on, just to make the bolts move easier when you hit them.
I didn’t lift them off the ground though…..
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Yeah, that guy makes it look pretty easy, but he didn't actually torque the shock bolt which was the toughest part of the install.Comment
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Thanks for sharing the videos. This guy spent more time unwrapping the products than installing them, but it was good to see what was involved. He didn't have a sway bar on his Bronco, so it probably would have taken him as long as the directions said it would.
DV8 didn't include any instructions with any of the skid plates I got, but they are available as a PDF download that you can print out. The instructions are pretty cut and dry. I'm going to jack my Bronco up and do the differential cover before attempting the rear shock skid plates. I thought the differential might be more challenging because it's a bigger part, but it may be simpler than the shock skid plates. It depends on how much my sway bar complicates things.Comment
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Dean is correct about the deep well 24mm socket, and as far as torque wrench, I never said I used a torque wrench I just tightened them like the guy in the video says, just as tight as taking them off.
I installed the shock skids today and for me, it was a real pain in the ass. I'm not sure what torque wrench BroncOitis used , but you can't find a 1/2" torque wrench that goes to 350lbs. You need to jump up to a 3/4" torque wrench which is expensive. Also trying to tighten the shock bolt to 350 with a breaker bar and a pipe extension while the Bronco is on jack stands doesn't give you much room to swing the breaker bar. The 24mm needs to be a deep well socket but the 27mm does not.
if you haven't got the tools to do it, I would pay to have it done. Mine are done and i hope i never have to do it again!
The Breaker bar a I have is pretty long and it made it fairly easy to break loose the bolts and tighten them.
I think what took me so long was every time I put the plate up to the shock and tried pushing it on, there wasn’t enough room for the plate to go between the bolts and nuts, so I had to pull it back down and hammer the bolt out more until it finally fit.
One more thing I forgot to mention, that as you tighten it just doesn’t simply tighten up right a way, because the plate sides have to crush inward because of the shape of the shock housing and trailing arm housing, you’ll see what I mean as you tighten, it will slowly tighten more and more with every turn.
Not sure if I explained it enough to understand what I mean…….
I did each plate in about just over an hour, the first was maybe an hour and a half…..Comment
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