The gift that keeps giving! Those historical videos of yours just keep popping up at the right time. Thank you for your commitment to the education, and more importantly, the install. I already am cloaked: flares & steering, following your lead, new beadlock wheels and tires in 2 weeks, and seeking the skids. Its one of those 5 things I felt I needed before I tackled a good trip. Been flipping between steel and aluminum, it is hard to not go back to metalcloak, but where are you now, two years later?
Legit question! I'm still happy with steel skids for two main reasons... steel doesn't grab rocks as much as aluminum so you get more skid and the modest weight increase is so low on the jeep that you don't notice it. Would do the same kit again given the choice! Thanks for being here!
Rancho Cordova is my old stomping grounds....The Rubicon is truly one of the best off roading adventures you can go on. Love your show and you're always informative and that is a rare thing on some youtube channels.
I love Metal Cloak and my local 4WD shop in Toledo, Ohio, the birthplace of the Jeep just became a Metal Cloak distributor and when I was getting my JKU Rubicon realigned after a conversion to 1 ton steering yesterday they made sure to tell me several times to order the Game Changer from them... now I have to get these skids as well for my trip to The Rubicon in 2020!
This is like ancient history! 5 months later...I caught up, Metalcloak full skids going in tomorrow. Wish I had a lift, but I will be content making it happen on my floor. :-)
Jason - Not sure if you've considered it but with the skids in place you can put a Fumoto valve with a nipple on to replace you're oil drain plug. No worries about ripping it off with the skids and makes oil changes way nicer!
Metalcloak make great products. Original unique engineering. I have the game changer with 6 pack on my 13 JK. My only regret is getting smittybilt fenders instead of metalcloak
Maybe the extra weight will be offset by a smooth and more aero belly. Yes that's it, my gas mileage will actually improve with this upgrade! At least that's how my brain justifies these type of upgrades :) Love your channel, have fun on the Rubicon.
Another great video!!! I’m def going to plan a similar install before our trip to the famous trails....first step...gotta finally get my Jeep 😂 Looking forward to your trail video...any and all tips, tricks and hidden gems are always appreciated
This upgrade has little to do with looks and all about protection. I put scratches in every single piece that got installed on my trip through the Rubicon trail so I'm thrilled with this!
Love the Rubicon. You should try out Dusy ershim. A bit closer to where you are and about twice as long. Of fordyce, Rubicon, And the dusy I believe the dusy to be the top one, but hard to not take body damage on that one. Easily one of the hardest trails there is
Perhaps you could next do an upgrade install of an Edelbrock supercharger. You likely need some more power with all the additional steel you’ve added to the vehicle - winch, bumpers, fenders and skid plates plus the larger tires. I’m on the fence regarding adding one. Thx!
Love how beefy the armor is but I'm not convinced attaching to the motor mounts is the best option. I've beat the hell out of my stock skids on many a trail including the Rubicon and never touched the oil pan. Doesn't hurt to cover it. Agreed on the evap relocation as I nearly tore mine off. Something about connecting to the motor mounts doesn't sit right with me however. Perhaps if the welds on those stock motor mounts were better or upgraded mounts altogether. I dunno.
I think the only thing that these skid plates need are some holes on the belly for the water outlet so that no water or mud get trapped on top of the plates.
I was concerned about how heavy it all is: the complete overline system, front and rear bumpers, undercloak, etc… but for a 2-door with a 4.5” lift, I think all the weight on the bottom may actually help keep that low center of gravity.
I don't notice the weight and the protection is a must if you are going to actually wheel the thing. Just make sure to have the proper gear ratio for the size tires you have and it'll be great.
It’s great they have the hole to drain the oil. But what about a hole to get to the transfer case fluid? Do you have to take the whole thing off to get to that to change your transfer case fluid?
I know jeeps aren’t known for their mileage, but I’m curious what MPG you get now with all the upgrades. It looks bad ass, you made some awesome choices, just curious on the trade off.
It's *slightly* possible that the added aerodynamic improvement could get better gas mileage.. or at least cancel out the loss in gas mileage from all the added weight! Full undertrays greatly effect aerodynamics!
Great videos as usual. Question about your build thus far...do you have any highway speed vibrations with the 37s and Tom woods ds? Have you dealt with any jeep issues not discussed on the channel.?
Just missed you when you were at MetalCloak. BTW, They snapped a pic of my Jeep without me knowing when I was there. The Jurassic Park one on their Instagram and Facebook.
Awesome vid. Question on aesthetics, does it stand out being bare metal in color? I know it’s zinc coated, just wondering how it looks or if it’s even visible against your blacked out Jeep. I have an ALLLL Black 2015 JKUR so thought I’d ask.
I really did put them to work on the Rubicon Trail! Can't even express how much more confidence I had while wheeling through the hardest stuff I've seen yet!
WOW! What a beautiful AND functional piece! Your Jeep is looking pretty awesome Jason! Out of curiosity (and yes I know we're not building race cars here), what is the difference in weight (would you estimate) between the OEM plates and the UnderCloak pieces? TIA!
Actually, just looking at the MetalCloak website specs, it looks like it weighs in at 179lbs. VERY BEEFY armor! www.metalcloak.com/UnderCloak-Integrated-Armor-System-JK-4-door-p/3366.htm
I’ve seen in several videos you/others having to drill out holes. In your fender video (I believe) you used a paint pen on the holes, do you do that any time you drill out holes?
Really nice setup. Something I noticed, and not sure what year Jeep changed this, but my '17 has a factory skid plate/protection for the evap canister. I know my old '08 did not, and looks like yours did not?
The clear zinc will be very hard to keep from rusting when it gets scratched through. Cant just spray it black and keep it from rusting. Otherwise it seems really good quality
Wow, that’s the exact skid system I’m planning on before WE run the rubicon next year! SO glad you did this and made a video of it. Question: with all your gold zinc arms in your game changer lift, why did you choose the silver skid plate? ( Was the gold too flashy?)
Cool! I've followed the build from the start. Very well done. Looks like you've made very good choices. But, now, I'm a little pissed (chuckle), I don't think I want an AEV Jeep anymore. I'm curious though. I wonder how much your Jeep weighs now. Have you noticed a change in power delivery since you've beefed everything up and is there perhaps a blower or a HEMI in your future?
We had a couple of AEV built Jeeps on this trip and I wheeled right behind each of them for a bit and can honestly say that my Jeep works way better in the tough stuff. Don't misunderstand that I'm knocking the AEV stuff... they make top tier stuff and I'm a huge fan... I want that HEMI real bad. Just saying my little 3.5 Game Changer suspension articulated and made stuff seem less dramatic.
Jason did you capitalize your “E”? Ps that little oil pan cutout is a nice touch👍🏻 I’ve seen skid plates that don’t have that. So an oil change takes a bit...
That's all well and good in the desert of California but how much mud would that sucker end up holding after a day wheeling in most of the rest of the country... In my area I'd have to cut well placed small holes in the plate for drainage/washsbility
That's a pretty good idea. I don't ever want to go wheeling without this stuff. The confidence and increased ability to slide off an obstacle is worth whatever it takes to keep it clean underneath there.
Hell it's a completely different world just going from southern Minnesota to western Wisconsin to northern Minnesota, the terrain varies massively within 5 hours drive from my house
Its trail riding, there happens to be mud on our trails. It's not like everything is sliced up nicely into this place is all rocks, this place is all sand, this place is just a giant mud pit..... we have mud on our trails along with rocks logs trees sand etc. There really isnt anywhere to spray in the pressure washer to get it out once it gets in
I don't remember the exact weight but since it is all low... I'm not concerned nor did I notice the difference in driving the Jeep. Plus, the protection from trail damage is extremely valuable so I can highly recommend this upgrade.
I actually know these answers! It was 90+ degrees and we were crawling along with the a/c on most of the time and all systems seemed perfect. All of the weight is added below the center of gravity so that actually helps when things get “tippy” on the trail! It felt great and added a ton of confidence to my driving.
So I know I’m about to years late in the comment section LOL, just wondering if you feeling weight difference when accelerating or slowing down? And just wondering if this helps lower the center of gravity with the added weight?
I didn't notice any weight difference in the handling of the jeep after this install PLUS it offers so much protection that the underside armor is worth every ounce.
The gift that keeps giving! Those historical videos of yours just keep popping up at the right time. Thank you for your commitment to the education, and more importantly, the install. I already am cloaked: flares & steering, following your lead, new beadlock wheels and tires in 2 weeks, and seeking the skids. Its one of those 5 things I felt I needed before I tackled a good trip. Been flipping between steel and aluminum, it is hard to not go back to metalcloak, but where are you now, two years later?
Legit question! I'm still happy with steel skids for two main reasons... steel doesn't grab rocks as much as aluminum so you get more skid and the modest weight increase is so low on the jeep that you don't notice it. Would do the same kit again given the choice! Thanks for being here!
Rancho Cordova is my old stomping grounds....The Rubicon is truly one of the best off roading adventures you can go on. Love your show and you're always informative and that is a rare thing on some youtube channels.
i appreciate the support very much and glad you enjoy the channel!
I love Metal Cloak and my local 4WD shop in Toledo, Ohio, the birthplace of the Jeep just became a Metal Cloak distributor and when I was getting my JKU Rubicon realigned after a conversion to 1 ton steering yesterday they made sure to tell me several times to order the Game Changer from them... now I have to get these skids as well for my trip to The Rubicon in 2020!
I highly recommend this upgrade if you are going to do serious wheeling. Made a huge difference for me!
MetalCloak Underarmor Skid Plate is my next purchase, along with the canister relocation kit. Gotta love it. Thanks MetalCloak and AutoEdits
Good choice! You'll be very very happY!
This is like ancient history! 5 months later...I caught up, Metalcloak full skids going in tomorrow. Wish I had a lift, but I will be content making it happen on my floor. :-)
Have fun!
That's great! Definitely a worthy addition. Your Jeep just gets better and better, I can't wait to see the Rubicon video!
Thanks! Yes, it's the best it's been and feels great to drive!
It was nice meeting both you and Scott on the Rubicon trip. I can't wait to see the video from the trail.
I love it.....you aren't afraid to get your jeep dirty and possibly damaged. Talk the talk and walk the walk :-)
You certainly aren't a poser.
That Jeep is now so up armored you can now call it a tank! 👌
Jason - Not sure if you've considered it but with the skids in place you can put a Fumoto valve with a nipple on to replace you're oil drain plug. No worries about ripping it off with the skids and makes oil changes way nicer!
Metalcloak make great products. Original unique engineering. I have the game changer with 6 pack on my 13 JK. My only regret is getting smittybilt fenders instead of metalcloak
Excellent product, always look forward to your videos.
Thanks!!!!
one of my favorite channel on youtube , i like the enthusiasm and positive vibe !!keep it up. looking forward for more of your videos in the future.
That is a great skid system - Looks a whole lot easier with a lift :) My buddy and I installed ours on jack stands and that cross-member was not fun.
"FULLY CLOAKED!" Called it. Haha
Looks great Jason! Looking forward to see what I missed with the Modern Jeeper trip.
it was fairly epic! Should be a fun video... give me another week or so to get it done!
I’m totally stoked to the max about your rubicon trail video
Jason, good luck on the Rubicon Trail!!! Enjoy the trip - i‘m looking forward the vids! Many greetings from Germany, Alex 👋🏻
Howdy way over there in Germany! Thanks so much for the support and I think I should get the Rubicon Adventure video done late next week!
That's so beefy! What a bonus you got to install at HQ. Hope the trail run was good fun!
It was, just uploaded it! ua-cam.com/video/CC8L3SoniOw/v-deo.html
Man you have one of the most well built jeeps I have seen. Great videos as well.
Thanks so much!!! It is turning out very nice... I'm happy!
Dang your Jeep came a long way! So many upgrades❤️
YEP!!!!
I had a mettle Gas Tank gaurd on my 2000 S10 Blazer best thing ever
So awesome to see your KIA commercial you’re in!👍🏼👍🏼 just saw it.
Thanks!
I’m really loving your Jeep, it just keeps on getting better 👍
Maybe the extra weight will be offset by a smooth and more aero belly. Yes that's it, my gas mileage will actually improve with this upgrade! At least that's how my brain justifies these type of upgrades :) Love your channel, have fun on the Rubicon.
Maybe! Looking forward to that video as well.
Another great video!!! I’m def going to plan a similar install before our trip to the famous trails....first step...gotta finally get my Jeep 😂
Looking forward to your trail video...any and all tips, tricks and hidden gems are always appreciated
LOL! Yes, you gotta get that Jeep!
Such good content and quality. Growing quick Jason. Nice to see this channel getting more and more traction.
great video Jason.
man that undercloak system looks awsome. Real piece of insurance you got there...
cheers
It was great to have, made me much happier!
Sweet. I'm more into the minimalist look on my Jeep, but these offer some sweet protection.
This upgrade has little to do with looks and all about protection. I put scratches in every single piece that got installed on my trip through the Rubicon trail so I'm thrilled with this!
Super cool! Can't wait for the trail footage. Also, I saw you in a KIA commercial the other day! Pretty neat! Congrats!
Thanks! Yes that Kia thing was a good day at "work"
Love the Rubicon. You should try out Dusy ershim. A bit closer to where you are and about twice as long. Of fordyce, Rubicon, And the dusy I believe the dusy to be the top one, but hard to not take body damage on that one. Easily one of the hardest trails there is
Perhaps you could next do an upgrade install of an Edelbrock supercharger. You likely need some more power with all the additional steel you’ve added to the vehicle - winch, bumpers, fenders and skid plates plus the larger tires. I’m on the fence regarding adding one. Thx!
this would be a great deterrent for CAT theft, which is a huge problem here in So. Cal
Awesome under armor! And great video. Thank you for sharing.
Awesome video as always. Super clean shooting compared to how other people do installs
If metal was sexy your skids plates are it. Awesome looking armor best if seen to date very sleek yet great functionality.
Very nice upgrade , Amazing adventures ahead !
I love it !!! I personally would’ve sprayed it first , but that just me
It looks like quality product
This is an awesome upgrade!
Dude. Just realized that that is you in the passenger seat in the Kia Sorento rock climbing commercial. Lol
Yep!
Love how beefy the armor is but I'm not convinced attaching to the motor mounts is the best option. I've beat the hell out of my stock skids on many a trail including the Rubicon and never touched the oil pan. Doesn't hurt to cover it. Agreed on the evap relocation as I nearly tore mine off. Something about connecting to the motor mounts doesn't sit right with me however. Perhaps if the welds on those stock motor mounts were better or upgraded mounts altogether. I dunno.
Great video, Jason!
I think the only thing that these skid plates need are some holes on the belly for the water outlet so that no water or mud get trapped on top of the plates.
I want to pre-congratulate you on 100k subscribers !!
Thanks , taking forever!
We need to vote you in for a Motor trend on demand channel, you are like Dirt every day and roadkill had a baby lol
I am one ugly baby!!! LOL ... thanks so much! Very kind of you and I hope to keep you entertained here!
Far more hotrod garage then roadkill!! There's way to much win hhhahaha
he is the videographer for dirt everyday extra.
Reagan I know
nice video i always learn something from you jason you are the best
Actually, you are the best for watching and showing support!!!
fullpatrol dreame b
I was concerned about how heavy it all is: the complete overline system, front and rear bumpers, undercloak, etc… but for a 2-door with a 4.5” lift, I think all the weight on the bottom may actually help keep that low center of gravity.
I don't notice the weight and the protection is a must if you are going to actually wheel the thing. Just make sure to have the proper gear ratio for the size tires you have and it'll be great.
Nice, great protection, my jku is jealous
It is good!
Dude I just realized you are in the Kia Sorento commerical. I almost lost my shit when I saw that haha good work!
It’s great they have the hole to drain the oil. But what about a hole to get to the transfer case fluid? Do you have to take the whole thing off to get to that to change your transfer case fluid?
Very nice! Well protected I like it
I know jeeps aren’t known for their mileage, but I’m curious what MPG you get now with all the upgrades. It looks bad ass, you made some awesome choices, just curious on the trade off.
It's *slightly* possible that the added aerodynamic improvement could get better gas mileage.. or at least cancel out the loss in gas mileage from all the added weight! Full undertrays greatly effect aerodynamics!
Looking awesome.
I love your channel and your a cool dude
Thanks a whole ton!
Great vid and overland rig ilove your mustang project
Your big fan from Saudi Arabia with love
Great to hear from you! Thanks so much for the support!
Great videos as usual. Question about your build thus far...do you have any highway speed vibrations with the 37s and Tom woods ds? Have you dealt with any jeep issues not discussed on the channel.?
It looks like it adds a little bit of arrow dynamic... maybe it helps with MPG's too...lol
Need one for my TJ
So close to 100k
Wow that is some serious armor. Did u notice a weight different when u first drive it? Looks awesome!!
I didn't notice the weight difference at all and on the trail it made a HUGE difference in comfort and peace of mind!
Just missed you when you were at MetalCloak. BTW, They snapped a pic of my Jeep without me knowing when I was there. The Jurassic Park one on their Instagram and Facebook.
Cool! What did you have done?
AutoEdits I got the 3.5 and 6 packs, thanks to you. But I went to get a retorque. Now you have me looking at this also. Might call them today.
Awesome vid. Question on aesthetics, does it stand out being bare metal in color? I know it’s zinc coated, just wondering how it looks or if it’s even visible against your blacked out Jeep. I have an ALLLL Black 2015 JKUR so thought I’d ask.
I really like the clear coating... looks great to me!
Now lets see that skid plate put to work.
I really did put them to work on the Rubicon Trail! Can't even express how much more confidence I had while wheeling through the hardest stuff I've seen yet!
Love to see some shots of them post-trail :) I'm considering these skids if they can be made to fit my 6.2L / 6L80 / 3" exhaust swap.
I want to see those post trail shots too. Hope you got some and can work it into your edit.
WOW! What a beautiful AND functional piece! Your Jeep is looking pretty awesome Jason!
Out of curiosity (and yes I know we're not building race cars here), what is the difference in weight (would you estimate) between the OEM plates and the UnderCloak pieces? TIA!
Actually, just looking at the MetalCloak website specs, it looks like it weighs in at 179lbs. VERY BEEFY armor!
www.metalcloak.com/UnderCloak-Integrated-Armor-System-JK-4-door-p/3366.htm
Sounds about right but because it’s so low I don’t even notice it.
Grate project dude awesome
I’ve seen in several videos you/others having to drill out holes. In your fender video (I believe) you used a paint pen on the holes, do you do that any time you drill out holes?
Most of the time... any little bit of corrosion prevention is good.
AutoEdits agreed, keep up the great videos! I can’t wait to own a Jeep one day
Any plans on a power adder? Jeeps getting pretty heavy 😁
Really nice setup. Something I noticed, and not sure what year Jeep changed this, but my '17 has a factory skid plate/protection for the evap canister. I know my old '08 did not, and looks like yours did not?
His has the factory skid, but it's paper thin.
Yes, this! Plus I really get why moving to the rear makes sense... just get it out of any possible impact zone.
The clear zinc will be very hard to keep from rusting when it gets scratched through. Cant just spray it black and keep it from rusting. Otherwise it seems really good quality
Are you sure about that? We'll find out together... LOL
Very nice dude!! Going to need to get new gears anytime soon you think?
Edit.. oh yeah you got new gears 2 years ago..
This channel deserves millions subscribers !!..and u forgot to post your dog lol..
Amazing upgrade. Just out of curiosity, how much does you jeep weigh after all the beefy upgrades? Did you do any engine mods to help with the load?
I don't really notice any difference. It was slow before the upgrades and it's the same slow now... LOL
Thanks for answering this - I had the same question. Thanks for the great videos!
I just ordered this kit from Metalcloak. When it arrived I weighed each piece, the total was 187 lbs.
Dude you got a cool car;)
Wow, that’s the exact skid system I’m planning on before WE run the rubicon next year! SO glad you did this and made a video of it. Question: with all your gold zinc arms in your game changer lift, why did you choose the silver skid plate? ( Was the gold too flashy?)
I just realize that your the guy in the Kia suv commercial in Moab
Yup!
Awesome looks great
Thanks, I love it!
Haven't watched the whole video yet, how serviceable are the fluids, etc, with a system like this?
Cool! I've followed the build from the start. Very well done. Looks like you've made very good choices. But, now, I'm a little pissed (chuckle), I don't think I want an AEV Jeep anymore.
I'm curious though. I wonder how much your Jeep weighs now. Have you noticed a change in power delivery since you've beefed everything up and is there perhaps a blower or a HEMI in your future?
We had a couple of AEV built Jeeps on this trip and I wheeled right behind each of them for a bit and can honestly say that my Jeep works way better in the tough stuff. Don't misunderstand that I'm knocking the AEV stuff... they make top tier stuff and I'm a huge fan... I want that HEMI real bad. Just saying my little 3.5 Game Changer suspension articulated and made stuff seem less dramatic.
Moooore Powwwer!
I can't imagine trying to get all the mud off the backside of those things lol
I would guess a pressure washer and worst case would be to un bolt them to clean... takes like 10 minutes.
Wish the transfer case plate is a bit longer, functioning as CAT protector!
Nobody is getting that cat... with this setup.
Dude, where you a passenger in a Kia commercial going offroad? Could swear I saw that today.
Yep!
With no holes to allow water to escape you’ve basically created a giant suction cup. Why did they decided this week?
I haven't had a problem.
Jason did you capitalize your “E”?
Ps that little oil pan cutout is a nice touch👍🏻 I’ve seen skid plates that don’t have that. So an oil change takes a bit...
I did make that a big E and made it AutoEdits... total makeover! LOL
I noticed that too. I kept thinking “when did he go plural?” But with multiple upgrades the new name makes sense.
How much weight does this add over stock Hard Rock JKU Rubicon?
3:40 Charcoal cannister? What is it steam powered?
Just don't pull a rookie move like me and have wheel lock lug nuts...... pain in the ass. 🤣
That one cost me hours on the trail.
Yikes!
I'd say the rookie mistake would be not having the key with you. Just keep the key with your wheel change equipment.
That's all well and good in the desert of California but how much mud would that sucker end up holding after a day wheeling in most of the rest of the country... In my area I'd have to cut well placed small holes in the plate for drainage/washsbility
That's a pretty good idea. I don't ever want to go wheeling without this stuff. The confidence and increased ability to slide off an obstacle is worth whatever it takes to keep it clean underneath there.
VERY valid point. Being west in Jeeps we sometimes forget that off road has a different meaning on the east coast.
Hell it's a completely different world just going from southern Minnesota to western Wisconsin to northern Minnesota, the terrain varies massively within 5 hours drive from my house
Its trail riding, there happens to be mud on our trails. It's not like everything is sliced up nicely into this place is all rocks, this place is all sand, this place is just a giant mud pit..... we have mud on our trails along with rocks logs trees sand etc. There really isnt anywhere to spray in the pressure washer to get it out once it gets in
Serious rock crawling trails will have very little mud, usually the day after rain and like 1 inch deep at best... so a non issue.
I think I just saw you in a Kia Sorento commercial!
You sure did!
I was just going to say this as well. Kudos to you @autoedits.
Did you feel a difference on how rigid it felt on the road after the stiffer cross member was installed?
I didn't notice that difference while driving but when I'm hammering onto some rocks... I definitely notice how strong it feels.
Just did my diffs so this makes sense to me. Diesel JLUR
Kits ready yet for 2dr 2018 Wrangler ??
Awesome! Just saw you on a Kia commercial I think! Was that you?
Yep!
Awesome!
Nice add! What is the total additional weight on that mod? Thanks for sharing.
I don't remember the exact weight but since it is all low... I'm not concerned nor did I notice the difference in driving the Jeep. Plus, the protection from trail damage is extremely valuable so I can highly recommend this upgrade.
Jason what did you think of the km2s? I have a brand new set of km3s on my jeep right now. How many miles should I reasonably expect out of them?
Really great all around tires. I would say if you rotate regularly and keep the alignment right... 30,000 + should be no problem.
Jason, thanks for the response. Is 30k with rotating the spare in and out?
Skid plates have some pros but what about heat extraction and gained weight?
I actually know these answers! It was 90+ degrees and we were crawling along with the a/c on most of the time and all systems seemed perfect. All of the weight is added below the center of gravity so that actually helps when things get “tippy” on the trail! It felt great and added a ton of confidence to my driving.
Probably under 50kg
How much weight does all that add to the Jeep?
So this kit will not work on the 2021 wrangler because they now use hydraulic motor mounts so there is no where to bolt those front arms.
So I know I’m about to years late in the comment section LOL, just wondering if you feeling weight difference when accelerating or slowing down? And just wondering if this helps lower the center of gravity with the added weight?
I didn't notice any weight difference in the handling of the jeep after this install PLUS it offers so much protection that the underside armor is worth every ounce.
So you leave the OEM gas tank skid in and just put that one over it?
Yes.