Looking for some input on how to go about addressing armor and spare tire carrier. I just added 35s and will be on the stock carrier for now. My initial plan was to add a Morryde and call it good. But, it gets messy.
I've decided I want 4" Genright aluminum fenders. However, my GR sliders are ww2ww. So if I want the fenders to sit flush to the body (which of course I do), I need to add corner armor, which is a good idea anyway. That means I would add GR aluminum corner armor. For HD hinges I'm look at the HD hinges from @Jezza or the Morryde HD hinges. I understand that I wouldn't need the full Morryde kit with the backing plate if I'm using corner armor as that provides the strength. This would then put the tub side of the hinges mounted 3/16" further out than the tailgate side of the hinges. That then leads me to, do I need the Morryde tailgate brace to space the hinges out or do I just go with aluminum tailgate armor? If I go tailgate armor, then you also want to fill the bottom gap with a fill plate. Effectively covering all of my paint except the hood, doors, and front portion of the tub. And even then, during summer I plan to also add aluminum trail doors.
It just feels like a slippery slope so I want to make sure I'm thinking this through properly. The downside is that I like the color of my Jeep but don't think I want to do color matched armor so that it is more affordable and not getting dinged up needing touch up. But I'm not opposed to maybe running it raw for now and be painted later. It's a Land Rover color, so the only spray can paint I can find to color match is fairly expensive ($37/can). Armor is pretty large areas so I don't trust that I could make it look good with spray cans, meaning it would have to go to a body shop.
Am I going down an armor rabbit hole? Should I just live with a gap behind the bottom of the rear flare (don't want that)? Can I avoid the tailgate armor? Or do I just fire the parts cannon, armor everything, and say goodbye to the blue?
I've decided I want 4" Genright aluminum fenders. However, my GR sliders are ww2ww. So if I want the fenders to sit flush to the body (which of course I do), I need to add corner armor, which is a good idea anyway. That means I would add GR aluminum corner armor. For HD hinges I'm look at the HD hinges from @Jezza or the Morryde HD hinges. I understand that I wouldn't need the full Morryde kit with the backing plate if I'm using corner armor as that provides the strength. This would then put the tub side of the hinges mounted 3/16" further out than the tailgate side of the hinges. That then leads me to, do I need the Morryde tailgate brace to space the hinges out or do I just go with aluminum tailgate armor? If I go tailgate armor, then you also want to fill the bottom gap with a fill plate. Effectively covering all of my paint except the hood, doors, and front portion of the tub. And even then, during summer I plan to also add aluminum trail doors.
It just feels like a slippery slope so I want to make sure I'm thinking this through properly. The downside is that I like the color of my Jeep but don't think I want to do color matched armor so that it is more affordable and not getting dinged up needing touch up. But I'm not opposed to maybe running it raw for now and be painted later. It's a Land Rover color, so the only spray can paint I can find to color match is fairly expensive ($37/can). Armor is pretty large areas so I don't trust that I could make it look good with spray cans, meaning it would have to go to a body shop.
Am I going down an armor rabbit hole? Should I just live with a gap behind the bottom of the rear flare (don't want that)? Can I avoid the tailgate armor? Or do I just fire the parts cannon, armor everything, and say goodbye to the blue?
