I went wheelin' at Paragon today with a group of 4 other vehicles. I'll post pics and more details tomorrow, but I have a question - While making a trip through Rock Swamp, I landed hard on a rock with my transfer case skidplate ('06 TJ Sport, btw). Initially the guy behind me said on the radio that I bent/broke a lower control arm. Upon inspection the control arms seemed to be fine, but we discovered a... lets just say "substantial" dent in my t-case skidplate. We moved on and I didn't notice any problems the rest of the day in the park, but on the way home I had a drivetrain vibration during accelleration, primarily in 2nd and 3rd gear. I have a 2" RE lift and a Skyjacker T-case lowering kit. Is the T-case lowering bracket attached to the t-case skidplate?? Looking at it, I saw 4 bolts coming through that appeared to attach the skidplate to the t-case. I'm thinking I bent the skidplate up and that FUBARred my pinion angle. Does this sound probable? Anything else it could be?
T-case skidplate
- Thread starter Jason4x4
- Start date
currupt4130
VT Hokie
It's slightly possible you bent your skid that high.
The more important question, Paragon is open? did I miss something?
The more important question, Paragon is open? did I miss something?
Quick background on the Paragon situation:
January '07 - Paragon announces that they are in a land dispute.
Late January '07 - Paragon announces that they have been ordered off the land as of Feb 5, '07 and are closing down.
Feb 3-4 '07 - Paragon hosts a "last ride" with 250+ rigs (including my TJ!)
Feb 5 '07 - Paragon is evicted.
Feb 6 '07 - Paragon appeals the eviction, appeal is upheld. The court rules that Paragon has access to/use of the land until all appeals are heard (Kyle estimates 6+ months).
Feb 7 '07-present - Paragon is open on the weekends on their usual schedule (i.e., guided monthly rides the first weekend of every month, otherwise you must have a group of at least 2). 8)
January '07 - Paragon announces that they are in a land dispute.
Late January '07 - Paragon announces that they have been ordered off the land as of Feb 5, '07 and are closing down.
Feb 3-4 '07 - Paragon hosts a "last ride" with 250+ rigs (including my TJ!)
Feb 5 '07 - Paragon is evicted.
Feb 6 '07 - Paragon appeals the eviction, appeal is upheld. The court rules that Paragon has access to/use of the land until all appeals are heard (Kyle estimates 6+ months).
Feb 7 '07-present - Paragon is open on the weekends on their usual schedule (i.e., guided monthly rides the first weekend of every month, otherwise you must have a group of at least 2). 8)
currupt4130
VT Hokie
Ahhh I didn't realize they were still open, I thought they had gotten shut down. I remember the whole thing where they got the appeal and then their trailer was padlocked? Anyway, sorry I can't be more help.
TwistedCU
Active member
Snap a digital pic of the skidplate/dent and upload it 
I didn't either. That's great!
I didn't either. That's great!
It's too dark now. I'll get ya a good shot of the dent tomorrow morning. It's pretty impressive, if I do say so myself .
Unfortunately, I did get the Jeep stuck for the first time. I've been 'hung up' several times before but was always able to work myself free. We were doing a blue trail (don't know the name) and I got in a bad spot in a mud hole and couldn't move at all.
I was promptly informed of the 'we'll pull you out but you have to wade in and hook the strap up' policy 
.
. Unfortunately, I did get the Jeep stuck for the first time. I've been 'hung up' several times before but was always able to work myself free. We were doing a blue trail (don't know the name) and I got in a bad spot in a mud hole and couldn't move at all.
I was promptly informed of the 'we'll pull you out but you have to wade in and hook the strap up' policy .
By the way, you can view the rest of the pictures I took yesterday here:
http://jasonstj.myphotoalbum.com/
http://jasonstj.myphotoalbum.com/
Sparky-Watts
Banned
As promised, here's a shot of the dent.
Oops
Dood! That's one helluva dent! :shock: And yeah, I could see where that would have changed the angle of your T-case and driveline enough to cause some vibes.
currupt4130
VT Hokie
Uhmmm is the dent the whole way across the case? Front to back that is? If it's just that little part I don't think it did, if the whole plate looks like that, then you may be right.
No, it's just in the front as far as I can tell. If that's not the culprit, what could be causing the vibration? :???:
currupt4130
VT Hokie
Pull the plate down and check your transmission mount, the bending may have ripped it apart. I don't think you raised the whole drivetrain, but I can't really tell too well from the pictures.
Sparky-Watts
Banned
I'm thinking that you lost some of the drop that your kit provided. It may be racked sideways a little too.
Hit the junkyards or get an aftermarket one. Buying one from Jeep will cost you
Yeah, kinda what I thought, too, about it being cocked sideways a little. I'm sure putting it at that kind of angle where it's neither straight front to back or top to bottom can't be good.
Well, the good news is that it isn't a daily driver, so it's not being driven in this condition (or at least, it hasn't been since I got home from Paragon). The bad news is that living in an apartment, I really have no way of fixing this myself, so I guess it'll be back to Mount Zion Offroad. Oh well, I guess it comes with the territory, right?
I'm looking into an aftermarket skid plate for the t-case. I'll talk with the shop tomorrow and see what kind of deal they can cut me. I'm also going to pick up some lower control arm skids for the front - the passenger side took a rock the other day also and while it escaped in one piece, I don't want to get stranded next time.
I'm looking into an aftermarket skid plate for the t-case. I'll talk with the shop tomorrow and see what kind of deal they can cut me. I'm also going to pick up some lower control arm skids for the front - the passenger side took a rock the other day also and while it escaped in one piece, I don't want to get stranded next time.
Sparky-Watts
Banned
Yeah, it shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to do. Heck, when my brother lived in an apartment in Tulsa and they wouldn't let people work on their vehicles in the parking lot, he'd take it over to WalMart, park in the far corner, and go to work on it!:lol:
currupt4130
VT Hokie
If you want the extra clearance from an aftermarket skid, you might as well pony up, do an SYE and CV shaft while you're at it. There's not much point in buying a high clearance skid only to drop it down an inch. Otherwise just get another stock one. Either that or get a big truck to drive over it. I used to do this with mine all the time when I still had my stock one.
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