The Jeep YJ is a classic vehicle that has been around since the 1980’s. It’s a great car for off-roading, and it has a lot of power under its hood. Although it’s a great vehicle, there are some things that can be improved upon. One of those things is the appearance of the Jeep YJ.
The front end of the YJ looks like it could use an update, and this is where our Jeep YJ Tummy Tuck comes in. Our custom bumper cover will give you a streamlined look while adding functionality to your vehicle. The bumper cover comes with fog lights, which will allow you to see better when driving at night or in poor weather conditions.
This bumper cover is made out of steel and features a textured black powder coat finish that will stand up to any abuse that you put your Jeep through on off-road adventures. If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to improve the look of your vehicle without breaking the bank then this bumper cover from [company name] may be exactly what you need!
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Jeep Yj Tummy Tuck
What is a tummy tuck?
Take a look under your Jeep Wrangler TJ and one of the first thing’s you’ll notice is that the transfer case hangs down really low (especially if you have a Rubicon model). A tummy tuck means that you’re lifting the transfer case up into the body more and getting rid of that low hanging stock skid plate in favor of something flat, that doesn’t hang down (or at least doesn’t hang down as low as the stock skid plate).
Why do I need a tummy tuck?
Well, you don’t need a tummy tuck, but if you do a lot of offroading in your TJ then at some point or another you’re going to get your transfer case skid plate stuck on something, whether it be a rock, a log, etc.. With as low as the stock skid plate hands, most serious offroaders will agree that a tummy tuck is a necessity.
What do I need for a tummy tuck?
Depending on the Jeep you have and which route you intend on going you might need one or more of these for your tummy tuck:
Body Lift– There are various routes to go with body lifts, but I always recommend a solid mount body lift such as Savvy, Rokmen, or others. Avoid the poly mount body lifts such as JKS.
Motor Mount Lift (MML) – Is needed when doing any high clearance transfercase skid on a Jeep that has a suspension lift of 2” or more. Stockers can usually get away with out it, but if you are doing a tummy tuck chances are you aren’t keeping the stock suspension height. The reason this needs to be done is when you are stuffing your tranny and tcase farther up you want to tilt the output shaft of the tcase down to help with the geometry you are messing with. By bringing the front of the engine up, you will be able to tilt the output shaft of the tcase down. There are various MMLs out there including M.O.R.E. Bombproof mounts.
Double Cardan Driveshaft – Is needed when doing any tummy tuck on a Jeep that has been lifted 1.5- 2” or more via its suspension. Stockers can usually get away without it, but if you are doing a tummy tuck chances are you aren’t keeping the stock suspension height. This will be needed regardless of whether you have a Rubicon or non-Rubicon. There are a few out there (Currie, Teraflex, ect.), but the only one that I would go with is a Tom Wood.
Slip Yoke Eliminator (SYE) – Is needed when doing any skid on a Jeep that has been lifted 1.5″ or more via its suspension. Stockers can usually get away without it, but if you are doing a tummy tuck chances are you aren’t keeping the stock suspension height. If you have a Rubicon, you will not need one of these. Many people say that the Rubicon already has an SYE, but that is incorrect. It would have to have a slip yoke in the first place to elimininate it – Rubicons have fixed flange rear outputs. There are several good kits on the market such as Advance Adapters, JB Conversions, Rubicon Express, etc..
Rear upper adjustable control arms – Will be needed to rotate your pinion upward. There will be some fine tuning to eliminate driveshaft vibrations. Currie, Savvy and Metalcloak are the only ones I would consider personally. I run the Savvy adjustable control arms and personally think they are one of the best options available for the TJ.
Rear track bar relocation bracket – This angled bracket will be needed for your trackbar when rotating the pinion. With out this bracket your stock or adjustable trackbar will bind.
Rear shock relocation brackets – When rotating your pinion up, you will find that the can of your shock (if you have piston down, you may not have this problem) will rub the axle. If you’re looking for maximum flex, this is a good time to consider shock mount relocation to use long travel shocks. Don’t overthink this one. I just went with some basic Rough Country rear shock relocation brackets and they did the job just fine! The long term solution however, would be to outboard the rear shocks in my opinion.
Spring perch modifications – Will sometimes have to be done, but I personally have not seen a Jeep that has absolutely needed it. Rotating the pinion will cause the spring sit a bit different- resulting in the spring trying to arc…meaning the bumpstops will no longer align. This mod is not absolutely necessary with smaller lift heights, and mainly helps suspension geometry on taller lifts.
Transfer case bracket – Most people run into issues with the stock transfer case shifter assembly when doing a tummy tuck. In fact, most people have problems with it even when their TJ is bone stock. The bottom line is that the factory transfer case shifter assembly is a poorly engineered piece of garbage. Things will only get worse when you do a tummy tuck. The Savvy transfer case shifter is hands down the best transfer case shifter on the market for our TJs. Savvy took the Novak design and improved on it in several areas that make it an even better choice than the Novak shifter cable. There should be no question in your mind, Savvy is the way to go. Savvy makes a transfer case shifter for the NV241 Rubicon transfer case.
Skids – Last but not least you’ll obviously need a new skid plate if you plan on doing a tummy tuck. There’s ton of options out there. Some of the more popular options include Savvy, Nth Degree, UCF, and Rokmen. I personally run the Rokmen skid on my Rubicon and love it! It’s an extremely durable skid for a great price.
Exhaust mod – After doing the tummy tuck you’ll likely find that your exhaust is sitting right against the tub of your body (which is both loud and annoying), and sometimes the tailpipe will contact the gas tank skid. Bottom line, every instance of a tummy tuck I’ve seen has required some light exhaust modifications. For mine, I needed to cut a few inches off the exhaust hanger where it attaches to the bracket on the transmission mount. I also had to slightly adjust the tailpipe as it was rubbing against my gas tank skid after the install. I paid about $200 for all the exhaust work, but it only took them a few hours to complete. It’s pretty easy and straight forward stuff.
Too much suspension lift for a tummy tuck?
One of the things I learned first hand when doing my own tummy tuck is that you have to be careful on the short wheelbase TJs (not the LJs). If you go over 4″ of suspension lift and attempt to use an almost entirely flat skid plate (i.e. Savvy), your tucking that transfer case so far up there that it’s almost the equivalent of having 7-8″ of suspension lift. What I mean by that is that you have to rotate your rear pinion angle up so high inline with the driveshaft, that your rear track bar will be angled o far back that it will contact your fuel tank skid plate if you flex the suspension enough.
This can be fixed with custom fabrication, but I haven’t seen any off-the-shelf kit that accounts for this. For me, at 4″ of suspension lift with the Rokmen skid, my JKS rear track bar (with the track bar relocation bracket) is probably 1/4″ away from contacting my fuel tank skid plate when the suspension is flexed out.
A friend of mine who has 4″ of suspension lift did the Savvy skid plate, and his pinion angle was so high and so severe after the tummy tuck, that he either had to get a skid plate that hung a little lower (i.e. Rokmen), or lose some of the suspension lift to lessen the angle of the rear pinion / driveshaft.
On LJs this generally isn’t an issue since you have much less severe rear driveshaft angles, and you can get away with a lot more. I’m only pointing this out because I want people to know what they’re getting into. The TJ has a very short wheelbase, and therefore you really need to pay attention to driveshaft angles in the rear. There comes a point where that rear driveshaft is at such an extreme angle, that you’re either going to be burning through driveshaft u-joints like crazy, experiencing a lot of vibrations that won’t go away, or you’re going to have your rear track bar contacting your gas tank skid.
Keep this in mind when doing a tummy tuck on your TJ!
Conclusion
Do the math on the products you need for your specific Jeep and ask yourself these questions:
- Can I afford a tummy tuck?
- Do you play in the rocks enough to justify one?
One thing is for certain, a proper tummy tuck is not cheap!
Last but not least, if there are any errors or anything that needs to be added please let me know!
i would like to bring this thread back up for some verification of terms and steps toward raising my trans/skid plate. aka(the shovel) .
looking at the list of
1.motor mount lift
2. 1.25 body lift
3. sye
4. cv drive shaft
5. skid plate , muffler, and a few other things.
and all this is done to gain more ground clearance and it just plain looks better.
well as you know im working toward installing a ford 8.8 so some of these things will happen anyway.
but for now can I install the body lift and mml as partial steps to the entire transformation?? without effecting the need to rotate my rear pinion?
i know i can’t toss the transfer case lowering kit until i get the sye and CV drive shaft installed.
Anyone here running a belly up without a body lift? What did you have to do to the floor to get it to work?
Am I correct in assuming that I could just cut a piece of the floor out to make room for the transfer case?
Then have someone just weld in a small box/hump over it?
Just trying to make this work without the body lift and was wondering if anyone had any advice!
It all depends on how high you’re lifting the stuff. Are you making a skid that’s flush with the frame or buying something like the Rokmen skid? Flush with the frame and no body lift will need much floor poundage, if not floor removal with a new box welded in. You can cut down the transmission mount, which will decrease the distance between the tranny/t-case and the skid. The AEV tummy tuck provides you with a low profile tranny mount and allows you to run without a body lift. There really isn’t a reason NOT to do a 1″ body lift. It’s virtually invisible and makes tucking things much easier. It will also allow you to be able to tuck the gas tank and run a MML (something you want with a tummy tuck) without adjusting the fan shroud (easy mod).
I just can’t stand body lifts number 1, and number 2, even a half inch body lift still raises your COG, so in my opinion, that is a huge reason not to do one. My whole build is based off of a low center of gravity, so raising the tub up an inch is the opposite of what I am wanting to do.
I was just curious exactly how difficult it is to do the TT without the body lift. I don’t mind cutting up the floor if that is the only negative.
The 1″ raise of the tub is pretty negligible, especially considering you’re raising the entire driveline up a few inches with a tummy tuck. I’m just being the devil’s advocate but I see exactly what you’re saying. Judging by your profile, you have a nice build going. I would love to see someone do a FLAT skid without a body lift, along with the required cutting. If you do it, please post pics and perhaps a mini build thread. And just so you know, a guy on ebay custom makes belly skids and will make any thickness and clearance you want for $150ish. I would look into that. There was a thread a while back but I don’t remember it.
you’re lifting the drivetrain 2.5″ or more depending on TT design, it has to go someplace. The easiest way to gain the clearance needed is a 1″ BL. The other options are pull the body up and start pounding the firewall and tunnel with a BFH. Depending what design you choose and how flat you want it, you need to cut holes in the tub and patch them with sheet metal.
The BFH route would be a crap load of work – lift body off frame, install TT & MML, set tub down and find clearance issues, use a BFH to reshape tub, set tub back down and find the next clearance issue, use a BFH to reshape the tub, and repeat. Then once you start driving it you’ll have rattles and bangs as the engine and exhaust move and hit the tub. then you’ll have to lift the body up again and clearance those areas.
mudb8 has also mentioned its possible to use a long stroke hydaulic ram to spread the tunnel apart and gain more clearance. those run around $300-400 from HF and are again a massive pain in the arse.
can go Rokman for $320 or so, or this Tera for $150. I’m starting a stretch project as well, so I thought I could labor on this while I had the rear axle off.
So has anyone done this that can speak to the actual labor involved? Did you cut it, or pound it out? If you hammered it, was it as difficult as taking the tub off multiple times like what was suggested above?
I don’t mind cutting the floor, or hammering the floor, if it in fact is all you have to do. Also, if you don’t do the body lift, is the MML still necessary?
If you are planning on beating the crap out of your floor to make this TT work why not just go ahead and make your own TT as well. My issue with the TT’s out today is that none of them actually sit completely flat to the frame rails which is one of the reasons I am so very jealous of YJ’s but that’s a different matter. I would think, however, that you could definitely make one that sits completely flush for around 150. The main reason companies don’t really make one like that is because no one really wants to run a large enough BL, ~2″, to fit it without cutting or some serious beatings, but if you are willing to do all of that there is really no reason as was stated before to settle for the Teraflex, for all the work that’s involved I would fab up my own that actually sits flush. Especially if you are planning on keeping it LCG and stretching it, you’re gonna want all the clearance you can possibly get underneath.
This is the New GenRight Aluminum Belly Up transfer case skid plate for a Jeep Wrangler TJ or LJ. It increases your ground clearance by up to 2-3/8″ inches by replacing the factory skid plate with a lower-profile and more heavy duty skid plate.
This high clearance, smooth bottom skid plate is laser cut and CNC bent from 5/16″ thick aluminum alloy.
Stronger and thicker than the stock plate to provide strong but lightweight protection to your undercarriage.
A one-inch body lift (BDL-9200) is required on all TJ and Rubicon applications for proper transfer case clearance. Some exhaust adjustment may be necessary. Fits all TJ Wrangler models including the Rubicon and Unlimited LJ.
Notes:
- This kit provides the maximum amount of ground clearance possible, but requires some fine tuning of the rear pinion angle to eliminate driveshaft vibration.
- A 1″ engine motor mount Lift (DVL-9200) or Spacer is recommended when installing this belly up skid.
- Requires use of our transmission cross member kit (BKT-1050).
- A slip yoke eliminator kit and CV drive shaft will be necessary.
- Average install time is 3 hours and requires supporting the transmission and transfer case to install.
- Rubicon models require installing a new threaded bung in the frame to mount this belly up skid plate.
- We offer this same skid plate for the Jeep YJ too (SKP-4510).
I am aware there is a thread out there similar to this in the fact that it list some of the facts about several skids on the market, but this one is complete and it just for setting up a tummy tuck. This thread will be devoted to the TJ, as this is the TJ Technical Forum and that is what most have on here. LJ’s are a bit different when it comes to driveshaft requirements, but most principles still apply.
Everyone thinks they need a tummy tuck these days. They are very useful off road and even make a TJ look better because you are no longer seeing the ugly shovel. A tummy tuck takes more than just several hundred bucks to buy one, there are other things that have to be dealt with. Most decide they don’t need one when they figure out how much it will cost. The stock skid not the stoutest, but will hold up to mild wheeling, and comes in at 41.5 lbs.
Depending on the Jeep you have and which route you intend on going you might need one or more of these for your tummy tuck:
1″ Body Lift– All depends on how much hammering (or ‘modification’) you want to do on the transmission tunnel. There are various routes to go with body lifts which include JKS ($135), Daystar, Performance Accessories, Currie, etc. It seems like everyone is scared to do one of these[, whether it be due to looks or difficulty of installation.] I have seen at least 30 posts asking if they can get away with doing such and such skid without one. A lot of people that are concerned with performance think that every Jeep should have came with one from the factory. The 1″ body lift is hardly noticeable and will allow other mods like a high clearance gas tank skid. They also help lift the body without changing the COG very much, reducing the amount of bumpstop you need to clear a given tire size.
Motor Mount Lift (MML)– Is needed when doing any high clearance t-case skid on a Jeep that has a suspension lift of 2″ or more. Stockers can usually get away with out it, but if you are doing a tummy tuck chances are you aren’t keeping the stock suspension height. The reason this needs to be done is when you are stuffing your tranny and tcase farther up you want to tilt the output shaft of the tcase down to help with the geometry you are messing with. By bringing the front of the engine up, you will be able to tilt the output shaft of the tcase down. There are various ways to lift your motor which include JKS(spacers-$60), Brown Dog(full replacement-$84), and M.O.R.E(full replacement-$139). If you choose new motor mounts instead of the spacers, get the rubber bushing versions to reduce engine vibrations. Poly bushings **can** transmit more engine vibrations, but they greatly reduce engine movement and will not degrade as fast as rubber. Rubber’s lifespan is usually a few decades…so its your choice.
Double Cardan Driveshaft– Is needed when doing any skid on a Jeep that has been lifted 1.5- 2″ or more via its suspension. Stockers can usually get away without it, but if you are doing a tummy tuck chances are you aren’t keeping the stock suspension height. Will be needed, Rubicon or not. There are a few out there (Currie, Teraflex, ect, but only one that I would go with- Tom Woods which run around $315 (Quadratec).
Slip Yoke Eliminator (SYE)– Is needed when doing any skid on a Jeep that has been lifted 1.5-2″ or more via its suspension. Stockers can usually get away without it, but if you are doing a tummy tuck chances are you aren’t keeping the stock suspension height. If you have a Rubicon, you will not need one of these. Many people say that the Rubicon already has an SYE, but that is incorrect. It would have to have a slip yoke in the first place to elimininate it – Rubicons have fixed flange rear outputs. There are several good kits on the market such as Advance Adapters ($270 Quadratec), JB Conversions($300-$400), Rubicon Express ($330)
Rear upper adjustable control arms– Will be needed to rotate your pinion upward. There will be some fine tuning to eliminate driveshaft vibrations. Rokmen and Currie are the only ones I would consider when dropping money on them as of right now. Rokmen-$249. Currie- ($229)
CV trackbar bracket-This angled bracket will be needed for your trackbar when rotating the pinion. With out this bracket your stock or adjustable trackbar will bind. Rubicon Express-$70
Rear lower shock mount extenders– When rotating your pinion up, you will find that the can of your shock (if you have piston down, you may not have this problem) will rub the axle. Some extensions like those from Currie-$30 will get the job done. If you’re looking for maximum flex, this is a good time to consider shock mount relocation to use long travel shocks
Spring perch modications– Will sometimes have to be done, but I personally have not seen a Jeep that has absolutely needed it. Rotating the pinion will cause the spring sit a bit different- resulting in the spring trying to arc…meaning the bumpstops will no longer align. This mod is not absolutely necessary with smaller lift heights, and mainly helps suspension geometry on taller lifts.
Transfer case bracket– Anyone that knows transfer case brackets know that Novak ($150) is in the top of the game. There are others out there like the one from Advance Adapters or Skyjacker that are cheaper alternatives, but just doesn’t work like the Novak. The stock shift lever can often be used when a TT is install in conjunction with a MML & BL, since these keep the drivetrain and accessory angles as close to stock as possible.
Kilby– I really haven’t seen many people run this skid, but looks to be well made. Skid is made from 3/16″ bare steel (you will need to paint or powdercoat it). Skid can be done without a body lift. Incorporates Rubicon locker pump mount. Clearance gains?
Weight- 38lbs
Price- $340
AEV– I haven’t seen one complaint with this skid. Skid is made from 1/4” gusseted steel and 2.75″ more clearance is possible with this skid, but where the tcase sits it has less clearance. Uses a super low-profile tranny mount. Skid comes with flat bolts that cannot hang up on rocks and comes powdercoated. Skid can be done without a body lift, but 42RLE auto owners might need to ‘modify’ the firewall/trans tunnel. Incorporates Rubicon locker pump mount.
Weight- ?
Price- $529
Rokmen– Beautiful skid, best tig welding I’ve seen for mass production Skid is made from 1/4″ laser cut bare steel (you paint it) that is CNC formed. Gains of 2.25″ will be seen. Uses stock tranny mount. Body lift is suggested. I have seen the back of this skid bend from mild wheeling, but this skid provides one of the best all around deals.
Weight-?
Price- $344. +$20 for Rubicon locker pump mount.
Clayton– This skid uses the 2 piece design. I haven’t seen many people use this skid. It might have something to do with it only advertising .5″ gain for 97-02 and 1″ gain for 03-06 Wranglers. Uses 3/16″ steel for the cradle and 1/4″ for the skid plate. Comes with a finish, but not specific. Works with their long arm set up if you ever decide to go that route.
Price- $475
Weight- ?
Skyjacker– Zinc coated skid made from 3/16″ steel with gusseted corners. Comes with shifter bracket. Gain in clearance is not specified. Only made for 97-02 Wranglers. Body lift required
Price- $410 (Quadratec)
Weight-?
Teraflex– Up to 2 3/8″ gain. Made from 3/16″ steel. Body lift recommended for Rubicon. Comes with finish, but not specific. Comes with a 5/8″ MML.
Price- $450 + Rubicon compressor mount for Rubicons
Weight- 79 lbs
Under Cover Fabworks– Made for 97-06 Wranglers, the skid is fabricated from 3/16″ thick carbon steel plate (with optional upgrade to 1/4″ plate). The parts were designed in 3D CAD software and laser cut then bent on a CNC press brake. The UCF Transfer Case Skid Plate is reinforced in the middle of the skid from one side to the other with a stiffening channel/transmission mount. The front and rear edges are ramped to increase strength and aid in sliding over obstacles. Clearance gains of about 2″ over the factory skid plate will be seen. The total height of this skid is about 2″. Skid comes bare and does not include hardware.
Price- $169 for 3/16 and $229 for 1/4″
Weight- 60lbs (Im guessing for the 1/4″)
New:
Under Cover Fabworks has released a skid that has the exact characteristics of the steel skids they produce, except they will be offered in 304 Stainless and 6061-T6 Aluminum.
Price- $329: 1/4″ Aluminum
Weight-26 lbs
33 Engineering– As far as I know they are out of business, if you can still find one it is the 1 of only skid made that can be dropped without supporting the tranny. It uses a crossmember and a skid that is bolted to it. 2.75″ of added clearance are said to be gained from the skid. that was ordered bare or powdered. 1″ body lift required.
Jeepmedic-. Although no longer in business, you may be able to find one used. Skid is made from 1/4″ gusseted steel with quality powdercoating. Gains of 2.25″ will be seen from this beefy skid. Reuses stock trans mount and includes Rubicon locker pump mount. This was regarded as the best skid on the market at the time JeepMedic closed.
Price – ~$200-400 used in good condition
Weight-?
Goferit– Im not sure if these guys are still around. There isn’t much info about these skids and not many people run them. Steel thickness? Clearance?
Price?
Weight?
Savvy Offroad– Everyone is talking about this skid. Will be made from aluminum and there has been word that it will be a completely flat skid. This not only will have the highest clearance, it will have a chance (with the UCF skid) to be the lightest of any skid listed. Savvy has some competitive pricing so I like most people I can wait to see this thing. You will most defiantly have to run a body lift if this skid is flat or do some serious modding to the tub.
Clearance gain-?
Price-?
Weight-?
*Exhaust mod– For every skid listed you will likely have to mod your exhaust so it will not contact the skid and or the lower control arm. Some people can get this done by themselves while others need to go to an exhaust shop. Going to an exhaust shop usually isn’t too expensive for this fairly simple mod.
*BL or No-Some skids say body lift required or recommended, but can be done with out with enough hammering on the tranny tunnel as stated in the beginning. While most skids can be done without a body lift, you are tucking the transfer case closer to the body. There will be more noise as well as more heat coming from the exhaust as well as the tcase transferred to the floor board. Keep in mind – with a tummy tuck you are lifting the entire drivetrain up 2″ or more – meaning you’re changing the output shaft angle and you need to make room for the relocated components. The easiest way to do this is a 1″ MML + BL.
*Prices are from the manufacturer unless stated otherwise