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REFERENCE: 2019+ Power Wagon Armor

@Soapy @Poolmonkey Skid looks sick. Mine should be in tomorrow. If I have access to a lift at work, realistically is it a job I can do by myself? I do have a transmission jack.
Or is it one of those jobs, like not difficult but just awkward to line up due to how heavy, big, and beefy it is? Just curious if it's something I can do on a weeknight after work or if I need to do it during the day so I can have one of my techs help me with it.
 
Shocktrooper392 said:
@Soapy @Poolmonkey Skid looks sick. Mine should be in tomorrow. If I have access to a lift at work, realistically is it a job I can do by myself? I do have a transmission jack.
Or is it one of those jobs, like not difficult but just awkward to line up due to how heavy, big, and beefy it is? Just curious if it's something I can do on a weeknight after work or if I need to do it during the day so I can have one of my techs help me with it.
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I did it on the ground…between the lift and trans jack you should have no trouble.
The skid itself minus the brackets and such, guessing mid 40s in pounds.
The biggest PITA for me was the alkali mud and dust falling from the truck’s belly.
 
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Hey guys I wanted to share a big THANK YOU to all of you, this has been a major project for us and it's incredible to have had so many of you reach out to us for our waitlist, to do a pre-order with us, and to now see these pictures & discussion. The last pre-orders shipped early last week and everyone should have (or almost have, shipping time being what it is) their kits in hand. I love customer pics & feedback so if you guys want to share anything - cool pictures, install notes, a sweet shot after you obliterate your local boulder, etc. please email me!
[email protected]

In other news, we've been hamstrung for years by a very small space that's kept us limited in the physical size of parts & amount of inventory we could have on hand. Two months ago we closed on a great commercial property that is giving us a huge boost in space and we'll be moving in starting late next week. We'll be here by phone and email but we'll be busy moving for a bit. We have had some big projects on the backburner for a long time that can now come to fruition given the processing space and improved logistics, we can have more dedicated process lines, and we can start doing installs again!

ALSO we'll be at Overland Expo PNW in Oregon at the end of this month, launching a few new products and to launch a great partnership that we've been a part of since 2021. We won't be detailing what we've been working on until the launch @ expo, except for a quick teaser - it's a fully integrated, truly plug-and-play electrical system, and it's pretty sick. If you're at Expo PNW please say hi and check out the new system & parts! We'll be on the south end next to Goose Gear.

Thanks guys!
- Marcus
 
MDethloff said:
Hey guys I wanted to share a big THANK YOU to all of you, this has been a major project for us and it's incredible to have had so many of you reach out to us for our waitlist, to do a pre-order with us, and to now see these pictures & discussion. The last pre-orders shipped early last week and everyone should have (or almost have, shipping time being what it is) their kits in hand. I love customer pics & feedback so if you guys want to share anything - cool pictures, install notes, a sweet shot after you obliterate your local boulder, etc. please email me!
[email protected]

In other news, we've been hamstrung for years by a very small space that's kept us limited in the physical size of parts & amount of inventory we could have on hand. Two months ago we closed on a great commercial property that is giving us a huge boost in space and we'll be moving in starting late next week. We'll be here by phone and email but we'll be busy moving for a bit. We have had some big projects on the backburner for a long time that can now come to fruition given the processing space and improved logistics, we can have more dedicated process lines, and we can start doing installs again!

ALSO we'll be at Overland Expo PNW in Oregon at the end of this month, launching a few new products and to launch a great partnership that we've been a part of since 2021. We won't be detailing what we've been working on until the launch @ expo, except for a quick teaser - it's a fully integrated, truly plug-and-play electrical system, and it's pretty sick. If you're at Expo PNW please say hi and check out the new system & parts! We'll be on the south end next to Goose Gear.

Thanks guys!
- Marcus
Click to expand...
Awesome, see you at PNW!
 
I had mine installed by the local off road shop that has a lift. They charged me 2 hours labor to install. They said it was one of the best skid plates had ever seen.
 
Finally got time at work to get my Dethloff Mfg trans skid on.

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Yeah my transmission jack kinda scratched it up a little because I forgot to throw a shop rag on the jack... oh well it's a skid plate, it'll be the firsts of many.

Install was actually very straight forward, only hiccup I ran into was the rear right mount ear had been nicked and bent in ever so slightly. Not blaming Dethloff for this, I'm assuming UPS man dropped it at some point. All the parts and pieces and hardware were packaged extremely well so just one of those things I'm guessing where the box was dropped at a weird angle in the UPS truck. To get it on I just simply grabbed a medium pry bar and pried slightly to get the second bolt in.

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The rear most bolt went in fine, it was the one directly forward of it that was a pain to get in because of the ear being bent. I could have pulled the whole skid off and bashed it with a dead blow to get it pushed back out a hair but my fear was that by doing that I would bend something else on the other end via transfer of force.
All in all, I highly recommend to anyone considering getting one, skid and mounts are like triple baconator style beefy. Very confident in its ability to protect the transmission/engine from any hazards on the trail.
 
Got my Dethloff MFG skid installed. The worst thing about it is how I’m going to feel tomorrow. :D

A couple notes:
  • Based on what I’ve seen from others photos, I had to find holes further rearward for a couple bolts to bolt the rear plate due to interference from the transmission mount. That puts 2 of the bolts going through the part of the cross member where this isn’t much support so I couldn’t get them to torque properly. I was starting to compress the cross member.
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  • Using a creeper with an adjustable headrest can help with getting the rear of the skid bolts inserted
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Finished product!

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Dethloff just announced new shock skids for $289. CHeck them out at their site. I ordered mine already.
 
Did a quick install this morning of the Dethloff rear shock skids. I removed the rear tires and that made it much easier. I used a zip tie to hold them up in place while installing the 2 bolts per side. I have Bilstein 6160 remote reservoir shocks and it looks like they would easily fit larger KIngs etc. IMG_4407(1).JPGIMG_4397.JPG
 
Hey guys,
I finally got time to install my WKO rock sliders on my truck last Wednesday.
I have a few questions for those of you have already installed yours.

First: Did you use the additional spacers/shims for the 3rd mounting bracket? The instructions seemed kind of vague by saying "Two 1/8” shims are provided for the 2019 and newer models to go between the 3rd mounting plate and the frame if needed..." How would I know if I needed these? The bracket and backing plate seem to sandwich the frame pretty flat so I did not use the shims but the bolts do seem to have extra length to them compared to the other mounts.

Second: Did you torque all your bolts to 60 ft-lbs as per the instructions? This seems like a dumb question but we just tightened them pretty much as tight as we could with ratchets and wrenches and they seemed fine? That being said I am actually going to my shop tomorrow and was planning on going back and torqueing them all to spec just for good measure. My shop manager I think made a good point that I should torque them for the simple fact that if 4 bolts on a mount are all tightened to different torque that could cause the backing plate to shift on the frame and not sit completely flush.

Lastly: Did anyone else have issues with the front driver side mount's backing plate rubbing against the body? While driving over Christmas I kept hearing a creaking noise right under the driver's side front floor board and felt like I was feeling more vibrations in the cab than usual. Climbed under and sure enough the backing plate was flush against the cab. One of my techs and I got under it yesterday and tried to get a flathead in between the top of the backing plate and the body in order to create a gap while tightening the bolts but its just so damn tight in that one mount spot that we ended up having to use the end of a pry bar to get a tiny amount of gap from the body. Since then, overnight it seemed to be fine, no creaking and no extra vibration. I still plan on going back through all the bolts tomorrow morning and torqueing everything to spec just to be sure nothing moves.

All this to say, I definitely understand why everyone says the drivers side is more difficult than the passenger side. You don't realize how much they pack on to the side of the frame or right against it until you go to install something that mounts off it lol.
 

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I can't speak for WK, but I've installed several sets of their sliders and we've been working on our own design for the last 6 weeks so there's some knowledge crossover -

1. If the mounting plates sit flush and you didn't have any gaps under the brackets, shims shouldn't be necessary. The frame in regards to that area is the same for all 2014-18/19-24 trucks so I don't know why that is an optional element, but there's likely a reason they included it. There are two nut-serts in the frame that pertain to the diesel DEF crossmember, it's possible that their mount lands over that on the gas trucks and the shim has cutouts for the nutserts?

2. In my experience it's good to torque them to spec, but some are a total bear to really crank down on. The lower bolts are the most important - they are what keep the slider from sliding up on the frame under impact. In the past I've gone to 90ftlb, it really deforms the brackets at that spec but holds them really well. I would try 60'ish on the brackets you can get the torque wrench on if that's what they've spec'd and see how it works.

3. The front brackets are notorious for this - it's not WK's fault, there is so little room between frame/cab in that area, and there's so few areas to put a mount in the forward part of the truck. Without going to smaller diameter hardware you can't avoid it in that location. Generally installing the upper bolts without washers in the area under the sheet metal depression that hangs lowest will help. The real fix is to just find a really nice bump in the road and smack it ;) The cab will move down and the hardware will dent that little spot in the cab underbelly, usually ending the squeak/tapping noise for good. It's harmless with no ill-effects and is the reason most people simply stop hearing the noise - they hit a bump well enough to put a little dent there without knowing it.

WK makes a phenomenal set of rock sliders, you should be very happy with them!!
 
MDethloff said:
I can't speak for WK, but I've installed several sets of their sliders and we've been working on our own design for the last 6 weeks…
Click to expand...

I saw your teaser video the other day about some underbody protection but didn’t see the sliders mentioned. What’s your ETA for the rock sliders?
 
Gadgetech said:
I saw your teaser video the other day about some underbody protection but didn’t see the sliders mentioned. What’s your ETA for the rock sliders?
Click to expand...
Here's what we've got in the works!

We just finished production of our 3500 rear shocks guards, I need to get them on the site.

--------------------------

The below parts just had final version checks finished, these are going into production -

Diesel:
- DEF/T-Case HD Guard

Power Wagon / Gas:
- T-Case/Emissions Canister HD Guard
- Catalytic Converter Anti-theft Guard

---------------------
In the works -

Power Wagon:
- 3-Bar Upgrade Skid - we're waiting on some prototype parts to come in for these, probably 2-3 weeks to get these finished


All powertrains 2500/3500:
- HD Rock Sliders - I'm not positive on our ETA for these, they need to pass testing first, I'm thinking we can have these finished in the next two weeks. We're finishing some of the accessory components for our test set right now.

I've wanted to make a really dialed in set of rock sliders for a long time, and with the new shop we finally have the space to do it. As our design stands, we've been able to shave ~42 pounds off the set, WITH using a heavy wall rail and making these super beefy! As it stands these are a future-proof product with some really cool features; no need to order them with any options up front, you can add/modify a top plate and treadplates in the future, etc. I'll share more details on these soon :)
 
MDethloff said:
I can't speak for WK, but I've installed several sets of their sliders and we've been working on our own design for the last 6 weeks so there's some knowledge crossover -

1. If the mounting plates sit flush and you didn't have any gaps under the brackets, shims shouldn't be necessary. The frame in regards to that area is the same for all 2014-18/19-24 trucks so I don't know why that is an optional element, but there's likely a reason they included it. There are two nut-serts in the frame that pertain to the diesel DEF crossmember, it's possible that their mount lands over that on the gas trucks and the shim has cutouts for the nutserts?

2. In my experience it's good to torque them to spec, but some are a total bear to really crank down on. The lower bolts are the most important - they are what keep the slider from sliding up on the frame under impact. In the past I've gone to 90ftlb, it really deforms the brackets at that spec but holds them really well. I would try 60'ish on the brackets you can get the torque wrench on if that's what they've spec'd and see how it works.

3. The front brackets are notorious for this - it's not WK's fault, there is so little room between frame/cab in that area, and there's so few areas to put a mount in the forward part of the truck. Without going to smaller diameter hardware you can't avoid it in that location. Generally installing the upper bolts without washers in the area under the sheet metal depression that hangs lowest will help. The real fix is to just find a really nice bump in the road and smack it ;) The cab will move down and the hardware will dent that little spot in the cab underbelly, usually ending the squeak/tapping noise for good. It's harmless with no ill-effects and is the reason most people simply stop hearing the noise - they hit a bump well enough to put a little dent there without knowing it.

WK makes a phenomenal set of rock sliders, you should be very happy with them!!
Click to expand...
Hey Dethloff,

Thanks for answering my questions. Yeah the shims don't have any cutouts they're just flat steel on both sides which is why it seemed like a why-use-it kinda deal.
I'll try to torque them all to 60'ish ft-lbs tomorrow just for peace of mind.
Truth be told, on the driver front bracket backing plate we actually got a screw driver stuck in there the first time lol. Had to pry it out and then use a pry bar to create a gap. Who knows I probably did dent the body a little with the pry bar and maybe that's why it doesn't rub anymore lol.
 
Shocktrooper392 said:
Lastly: Did anyone else have issues with the front driver side mount's backing plate rubbing against the body?
Click to expand...

Not after install, but I did come down hard on a rock and push it up. I had to loosen it up, pry it back down a bit, and tighten again.

The shims are because not every PW frame is exactly the same. Apparently in some years they got the diesel frame, or at least that's what the instructions I got said. If you need them, you'll know. Tighten it up and it won't quite touch. I used mine. IIRC, the diesel frame doesn't need the shims and the gas frame does. I would not testify to any of this under oath, it's just what I recall.
 
So today I torqued all the bolts on the WKO rock sliders... glad I did cuz even though I thought the passenger side was tight... it wasn't lol.
As for the driver side front backing plate, we removed it, used a grinder to create notches at the top edges of the washers so they wouldn't rub the body and would be flush with the backing plate, super glued the washers in place on the backing plate so they wouldn't rotate during reinstall, and for good measure we put a strip of 3M double sided body tape on the top of the bracket but left the red peel strip on the top so it wouldn't stick to the bottom of the body.
Basically creating a super thin rubber bushing between the top of the backing plate and the truck body. I wish I had gotten a pic but we were just trying to get it done.

So far so good, we did pry down on the backing plate while torqueing to spec but there's so little space up there it's hard to tell if we created a gap or not. No creaking noise all day or tonight driving around. Figured it'd help to post this in case someone else struggles with getting rid of the backing plate creaking noise.
 
@Shocktrooper392 At some point, if you could snag a picture of where you were experiencing the rubbing, I'd be very interested. Currently in the process of developing sliders and learning from anything others have experienced goes a long way.
 
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