"armor"

taliv

Observer
when people here use the word "armor" as in, for example, "you will want armor for this trail" what do they mean, and what are the normal minimum and maximums?

i am aware of aftermarket and factory plates that protect parts of the drive train like differentials. And of course, the more functional bumpers and brush guards on the front. Is there more to it than that? do people protect against 'pin striping'? or just dents? or just breakages that would leave you stranded?
 

pugslyyy

Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
when people here use the word "armor" as in, for example, "you will want armor for this trail" what do they mean, and what are the normal minimum and maximums?

i am aware of aftermarket and factory plates that protect parts of the drive train like differentials. And of course, the more functional bumpers and brush guards on the front. Is there more to it than that? do people protect against 'pin striping'? or just dents? or just breakages that would leave you stranded?

It means whatever you want it to. Most of the time I think of it as referring to underbody bash guard type stuff. skid plates, differential guards, fuel tank plates, etc. It really depends on the vehicle and what its most vulnerable spots are.
 

Hilldweller

SE Expedition Society
It also depends on what vehicle you're wheeling and where you're wheeling it.
There's overlanding and there's rock crawling.
People will armor-up their Jeeps with body wrap steel at the corners, above the rockers, etc. There are even laser-cut magnetic panels available to slap over the doors, hood, and other exposed pretty parts for when you're in pinstripe areas.
There's a part of the Amicalola approach trail that has brushy area that I call "the car wash" --- you get enveloped by the foliage and the screeching sounds are enough to make some rookies cry.
 

kmlacroix

Explorer
When I had my Grand Cherokee, the skid plates and sliders game in handy a few times. The plates from the factory were actually pretty good. The factory "plates" on my F150 are a joke and will be replaced. Generally it is a good idea to protect your vehicle from the environment and the environment for your vehicle.
 

Hilldweller

SE Expedition Society
...
what are sliders?
The black run of steel below my doors running from fender to fender.
Comes in super handy when you're bouncing off things. I buggered the rocker on my Power Wagon something awful at the Flats...

002_zpsrtcttpmt.jpg
 

tgreening

Expedition Leader
Well in the olden days it all used to be skid plates. Skid plate for your tranny, skid plate for your xfer case, skid plate for your "fill in the blank".

Then a recent graduate of the Phoenix Online School of Marketing thought "there's got to be a sexier word for skid plates that'll sucker people into buying them and paying more for the privilege". After an afternoon of watching CNNs' coverage of the war in the middle east and the devestation wrought by ieds he had a Eureka! moment.

"I know! I shall call it all armor, giving it that oh-so-sexy military connection of manly toughness and young impressionable males shall line up in droves to purchase the "armor" for their Tacomas and Tundras and all manner of rice based foreign automotive goodness, and all shall be well in the automotive marketing world".
 

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