MetalCloak 2.5 or 3.5 plus a few more questions

[Cali392JL]

That is an awesome looking Jeep! Mine should be very similar when done, though I am using the stock extreme recon wheels powder coated good/bronze.

I am replacing the front driveshaft as preventative maintenance. The issue with the driveshaft is not with the lift height, but with the droop articulation. From what I've heard if you limit yourself to a 28.5 inch extended length shock you can live with the stock driveshaft for a bit. Your metal cloak system will allow lots of articulation. If you have the rocksport, shocks, they allow full droop and you might end up having a driveshaft problem. If you ever get into serious, off-roadIng where are you encounter full droop. What shocks did you end up going with?

 

[tstevens]

That is an awesome looking Jeep! Mine should be very similar when done, though I am using the stock extreme recon wheels powder coated good/bronze.

I am replacing the front driveshaft as preventative maintenance. The issue with the driveshaft is not with the lift height, but with the droop articulation. From what I've heard if you limit yourself to a 28.5 inch extended length shock you can live with the stock driveshaft for a bit. Your metal cloak system will allow lots of articulation. If you have the rocksport, shocks, they allow full droop and you might end up having a driveshaft problem. If you ever get into serious, off-roadIng where are you encounter full droop. What shocks did you end up going with?

Thank you!

I went with King 2.5 shocks, fully extended length is 28.87 inches.

Fully drooped out, the shaft is not making contact with the T case lip so hopefully it survives for a while. If it doesn’t survive, I will replace it but I really don’t want to deal with the vibration issues.

 

[392OVRLND]

Speaking of bronze wheels... My buddy at AEV sent these over today. So ready to pick this thing up!

 

[Cali392JL]

Speaking of bronze wheels... My buddy at AEV sent these over today. So ready to pick this thing up!

That looks great. Enjoy it! Mine is going into Cloak Works (Metal Cloaks installer) Feb 7th. My garage is good for parking but not lifting. Metal Cloak 2-1/2" lift should be OK as I do not carry a lot of extra weight in the vehicle. Doing the Dura Spring bumps, MC drag link and tie rod, Undercloak minus the muffler skid and Accutune Fox reservoir (2.0). Nitto 37 Recon Grapplers and the Fox ATS steering stabilizer.

Next round new sliders, heavy duty ball joints.

 

[ksh9711]

I am running the 2.5 lift with 37's. Smaller 37's, KO2's. Here is a link to my build. If you have any questions I can help with let me know.

Stingray XR build

Our season is just starting here. Temps are dipping into low 90's maybe even upper 80's. Been getting ready for it. One thing I have been looking for was a muffler skid. This is one of the few mufflers I actually like and will probably not change. Love the stealth mode for the neighborhood. With...

www.jeep392.com

Firedude I have the same Clayton 2.5” lift I was planning on running 37” tires. If I stay with 35” tires do you think I need to replace the drive shafts? This is a non XR.

Thanks

 

[tstevens]

Firedude I have the same Clayton 2.5” lift I was planning on running 37” tires. If I stay with 35” tires do you think I need to replace the drive shafts? This is a non XR.

Thanks

Tire size doesn't matter with regards to the driveshaft - shock extension and over flexing does. How far do your shocks extend?

 

[hazards280]

I am running the Mountain Off-Road Enterprise skid plate on my 392. Overall very happy with the build quality, and coverage. I purchased it strictly to protect the cats from theft since people suck.

Edit: One downside I found is the hole for the oil drain isn't positioned great for the steel oilpan. The clearance find, it's just a bit tricky to get a socket/wrench up there and will need to direct the oil flow with some type of flexible media (aka. cardboard )

 

[JeepOwner392]

I am running the 2.5 lift with 37's. Smaller 37's, KO2's. Here is a link to my build. If you have any questions I can help with let me know.

Stingray XR build

Our season is just starting here. Temps are dipping into low 90's maybe even upper 80's. Been getting ready for it. One thing I have been looking for was a muffler skid. This is one of the few mufflers I actually like and will probably not change. Love the stealth mode for the neighborhood. With...

www.jeep392.com

Oohh! I like those wheels on your rig! Looks really nice!!

 

[c4ifford]

My UnderJoke system on my JKU Rubicon punctured a hole in the engine oil pan... in one of the most remote ares in the U.S. at the beginning of an annual week long guys' overlanding trip my friends and I used to take...

MetalJoke knew they had a tolerance issue with the design of the motor mount bracket for, ironically, the engine oil pan skid and quietly redesigned the part, not doing anything to tell customers that may have been affected about the potential that their part may cause catastrophic engine failure. They offered to overnight me the redesigned motor mount bracket, but it wasn't until I started throwing around the words "gross negligence" and "attorney" that they agreed to pay for my dealer to replace my engine oil pan.

After they had squared up with me on everything, I had a discussion with them about how irresponsible it was for them to identify such an issue, redesign a part, and keep quiet about it until a customer had an issue, when the issue at had could cause catastrophic engine failure. They have multiple channels through which they can get in touch with customers (website, Facebook page, Instagram page, Facebook owners' group that they themselves participated in, email newsletter, their dealer network, and their own customer contact database from their direct sales operation). I told them they were gambling with people's lives. If I had been out in the Canyonlands, or White Rim, or Death Valley, or some other place such as that, a disabled vehicle could have meant my life. Their response was basically a shoulder shrug.

Fuck 'em.

I assume you actually hit something, the skid failed and drove into your oil pan?

 

[Tank2112]

Tire size doesn't matter with regards to the driveshaft - shock extension and over flexing does. How far do your shocks extend?

Why not just use listing straps?

 

[tstevens]

Why not just use listing straps?

You can definitely do that, I was just advising that tire size has no effect on the driveshaft problem.

 

[392OVRLND]

I assume you actually hit something, the skid failed and drove into your oil pan?

Your assumption is incorrect. If you read what I wrote, I plainly stated that they knew they had a tolerance issue with the design of the motor mount bracket for the engine oil pan skid and quitely redesigned the part.

In other words, the original design of the motor mount bracket (specifically on the driver's side) was too close to the engine oil pan to allow for normal, designed movement of the motor on its mounts (motors are mounted to motor mounts on bushings / isolators and some movement is normal as the vehicle goes over bumpy terrain / roads, and has load added / removed during driving, as well as reduce NVH) and would result in repeated contact between the bracket and the upper engine oil pan in normal driving circumstances.

Once they discovered this issue, they quietly redesigned the driver's side motor mount, putting bends in the bracket at different angles to create more clearance between the bracket and the engine oil pan to prevent contact from occurring.

The skid plates were not compromised, nor was the original shape of the motor mount bracket as originally designed by MetalJoke.

 

[84jeepjohn]

That looks great. Enjoy it! Mine is going into Cloak Works (Metal Cloaks installer) Feb 7th. My garage is good for parking but not lifting. Metal Cloak 2-1/2" lift should be OK as I do not carry a lot of extra weight in the vehicle. Doing the Dura Spring bumps, MC drag link and tie rod, Undercloak minus the muffler skid and Accutune Fox reservoir (2.0). Nitto 37 Recon Grapplers and the Fox ATS steering stabilizer.

Next round new sliders, heavy duty ball joints.

Do you still have it? and any updated Pics? How did the XR rims work with the lift? I'm in the debate stage right now and am weighing options.

 

[Cali392JL]

Do you still have it? and any updated Pics? How did the XR rims work with the lift? I'm in the debate stage right now and am weighing options.

I do still have it! Probably will never get rid of it as I love it that much. I ended up swapping the 2 1/2 inch for the 3 1/2 inch metalcloak lift. I have a few other metal cloak add-ons, like the under armor, steering set up and shock relocation brackets in the back.

The factory extreme recon wheels are set up now in true bead lock form. The pictures don't show it, but I am running the Apex quick inflate/deflate valve stems which I like quite a lot. I did add an inch and a half wheel spacer to get full articulation without rubbing.