Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler JK engine mounts

Took off transmission skid plate and...

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SirNajera

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Noticed this. Rubber seal cracked. Front of the Jeep is to the left. First time taking the skid plate off so I am not sure how long this has been going on.

Other info - Had transmission lines replaced and transmission serviced by my mechanic due to a leak in the lines 3 months ago.

Drives fine, nothing at all noticeable.

I'm very new to working on my Jeep, hoping for any/all help. Road trip coming up soon.

Thanks all

2012 JK 2-door Sport, 103xxx miles, automatic transmission

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Does your Jeep have a lift?

You can buy a rebuild kit for that, I bought one on Amazon a few years ago. It's not to bad of a job, but if your Jeep has a lift then you might need a new driveshaft.
 
BLACKJKU said:
Does your Jeep have a lift?

You can buy a rebuild kit for that, I bought one on Amazon a few years ago. It's not to bad of a job, but if your Jeep has a lift then you might need a new driveshaft.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply :) bought it used and based on using these instructions found on another post (thank you Chris) it does not appear to have a lift. It was quite the task to take that picture lol

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When I bought my JK, it already had a lift but wasn’t installed properly. I’ve been fixing the issues and my joint had the same torn boot issue. I went with a whole new front driveshaft with a double cardam joint. Working great so far.

I wonder how much of a driveshaft angle these high angle Rzeppa joints can handle. Definitely cheaper than a whole driveshaft. The thinner replacement driveshaft does help with exhaust clearance.

Also, you DO have a spacer lift on your Jeep.
 
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Dude, yeah that's pretty common actually. Once you get that skid plate off you realize how much stuff is just... hanging out down there, haha. On my JK I was honestly surprised how exposed everything felt without it.

So here's the thing – if it's just dusty and dirty underneath, no biggie. Just spray it down, let it dry, and you're good. But take a minute while you've got it off to actually inspect stuff. Look at your pan for any dents or leaks, check your lines for any abrasions or rubbing, and make sure your cooler lines aren't getting pinched anywhere. I found a small weep on mine that I probably would've missed otherwise.

If you're planning to reinstall the skid, just clean everything up first and maybe throw some undercoating on the pan if you're feeling fancy – keeps moisture away. Make sure all your bolts are tight when you put it back on too, because loose bolts vibrating around down there sucks.

What exactly are you seeing under there? If there's something that doesn't look right, definitely worth posting a pic so we can help you figure it out. Better to catch stuff now than have problems later out on the trail.
 
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yeah dude mine was crusty too. bunch of dirt packed up under there that i couldn't even see til i dropped it. just hose it out and see what you got. sometimes theres small cracks or leaks that only show up once its clean. if tranny fluid's good youre probably fine though
 
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Mopar said:
When I bought my JK, it already had a lift but wasn’t installed properly. I’ve been fixing the issues and my joint had the same torn boot issue. I went with a whole new front driveshaft with a double cardam joint. Working great so far.

I wonder how much of a driveshaft angle these high angle Rzeppa joints can handle. Definitely cheaper than a whole driveshaft. The thinner replacement driveshaft does help with exhaust clearance.

Also, you DO have a spacer lift on your Jeep.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your input. I'll likely be looking to replace the DS's this summer.

Is this the spacer lift you are talking about? Guessing I would measure this to work on narrowing down exactly what type/kind it is. I swear I learn something new every day on here lol.

Screenshot_20260412_133750_Gallery.jpg
 
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Yep that’s the spacer lift. Nothing wrong with a spacer lift. Gives you a smaller lift at lower cost. The negative to spacer lifts is they often lack the other parts to make a proper lift.

Unless there is something wrong with it, you don’t need to replace the rear drive shaft with a lift. You DO need to replace the front driveshaft….or at least a high angle Rzeppa joint.

I’m gonna guess you have a 2.5 inch spacer lift.
 
Mopar said:
When I bought my JK, it already had a lift but wasn’t installed properly. I’ve been fixing the issues and my joint had the same torn boot issue. I went with a whole new front driveshaft with a double cardam joint. Working great so far.

I wonder how much of a driveshaft angle these high angle Rzeppa joints can handle. Definitely cheaper than a whole driveshaft. The thinner replacement driveshaft does help with exhaust clearance.

Also, you DO have a spacer lift on your Jeep.
Click to expand...

Just emphasizing what you stated, driveshaft pinion angle can help diagnosis premature joint failure. W/ high lifts and non adjusted pinion angles because of lack of adjustable control arms will contribute to driveline failure. The question is whether to purchase an axle shaft that can operate in more extreme angles or add adjustable control arms for adjustment to the pinion angle.

I get it though, a lot of people purchase parts and install them in stages instead of "all the correct parts at the same time".
 
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