Having seen the Rasta skids installed in person last week, I don't see what all the fuss is about. They are, IMO, not designed particularly well, with some major flaws from a protection point of view. And the construction leaves much to be desired in my mind as well. THe only redeeming feature is the lighter weight, and I dont see that as a major plus when you are talking about damage control. You will likely need to replace sections of the Rasta much more frequently than a steel skid after serious hits. They leave many more sections of the undercarraige exposed, have many more gaps between plates, have those front "scoops that are bound to rip the front section off in a serious hit, and have a rear crossmember that will not stand up to the weight of the FJC if it gets high-centered on it. Bend corners are not welded together, which create weak spots at every crease, and hardware is exposed between the plates and the OEM frame in several spots. Seems to me folks are just blinded by the shiny aluminum, and not thinking about what a skid plate should do.
I'll stick with my heavy steel BudBuilts, which nave been thrashed about and have remained problem-free. And if saving a 100-150 lbs becomes that critical, I'll get rid of my passenger !!! ;D
Good luck on your decision... :
