Factory Skid Plates

[winkosmosis]

Not to mention you get more air flow in the engine bay if you remove the splash guard.

Not necessarily. It could be helping create a negative pressure zone behind the radiator, so if you remove it the rad would get less flow and the fans would struggle harder

 

[winkosmosis]

I found a used front skid but I need bolts for the front where it bolts to the crossmember. I'm not sure if I'm interpreting the FSM diagram right, but it looks like there is a gap between the crossmember and the skid created by the plastic nuts. Is that right?

If so, I could drop bolts down from the top, tighten nuts onto them, then put the skid in place and hold it on with a second set of nuts

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

I've been looking everywhere for a front skid.... Can't find one for the life of me.

 

[PhotographerMike]

I found a used front skid but I need bolts for the front where it bolts to the cross member. I'm not sure if I'm interpreting the FSM diagram right, but it looks like there is a gap between the crossmember and the skid created by the plastic nuts. Is that right?

If so, I could drop bolts down from the top, tighten nuts onto them, then put the skid in place and hold it on with a second set of nuts

I think the diagram is incorrect. IIRC the 'two-ended' bolt/studs screw through the crossmember and the splash guard holes go over the top of the studs. I just bought some correct sized bolts with nuts at the hardware store to hold mine on because I'm not running the splash guard.

 

[Rodrigo_XJ]

Not too good pics but here you have my waggy´s factory skid plates

 

[winkosmosis]

I think the diagram is incorrect. IIRC the 'two-ended' bolt/studs screw through the crossmember and the splash guard holes go over the top of the studs. I just bought some correct sized bolts with nuts at the hardware store to hold mine on because I'm not running the splash guard.

Thanks. My dad suggested making a "boltstrip" from some U channel steel to hold the bolts. Seems like the best method since I don't see how else you could hold the heads from the top to screw the skid in place

 

[FlexdXJ]

Thanks. My dad suggested making a "boltstrip" from some U channel steel to hold the bolts. Seems like the best method since I don't see how else you could hold the heads from the top to screw the skid in place

Oh it can be done but you gotta pretend you are Houdini to do it! Go ahead ask me how i know!

 

[ehall]

I used an M8 tap in the holes and then cranked some bolts down to make my own studs

:dunno:

 

[Yucca-Man]

Yeah, sadly there were plenty of people taking about the factory skids, but nobody had pics up.

You'd think there'd be a stick thread somewhere. Maybe something in the junk yard upgrades threads about how to identify rare parts like that.

Thanks for the pics everyone, now I have alot better of an idea of what I'm looking at.

Are you kidding? When the "what axle do I have?" FAQ is devoid of pictures? You ask too much...

There are some good skidplate ID pics in this thread at least.

Jim www.yuccaman.com

 

[dagr8tim]

Are you kidding? When the "what axle do I have?" FAQ is devoid of pictures? You ask too much...

There are some good skidplate ID pics in this thread at least.

Jim www.yuccaman.com

Hey, thanks for dragging up a question I asked a month and a half ago, and was already answered.



Post Whore Much?

 

[winkosmosis]

Here is the U channel boltstrip I said my dad came up with. Made installation very very easy! He also cut some M12 bolts into studs when I as at work... makes getting it in place easy.

Will post a lot of pics of the skid tomorrow. There really aren't that many pics out there. Hard to get a good idea of what they protect etc.

 

[winkosmosis]

OK, removed the air dam and took some pics. I have a 2" lift with 31" tires and the bottom edge is about 13.5" off the ground. I guess that means with 2" lift, the skid extends 2" below the centerline of the axle. At stock height, the edge would extend 4" below the centerline.
I need to take some better ones to show how much it actually covers.

 

[ngrover]

Well well, I was just at the JY and saw two older cherokees with full skids. I just bought my cherokee and I didn't even know a factory option existed. So, I grabbed all three skids (tank, tc, front) and bolts for $22 total! As it turns out I won't be able to use the gas tank skid because I have a 97 with the plastic tank. Anyway, there is another set of them on a Cherokee at the yard if anyone wants to go get em! (Calgary Canada pick n pull. 1/2 price this weekend. Whey you pay for them say they are rock guards)

 

[Ogrebonz]

So after alot of searching I found an older gas tank skid, the one for a metal tank. My XJ is a 2000 w/ the plastic tank. I know it's not a bolt up easy fit, but has anyone modified one to fit the newer tank? I figured I'd grab it for a starting place at least.

 

[dagr8tim]

So after alot of searching I found an older gas tank skid, the one for a metal tank. My XJ is a 2000 w/ the plastic tank. I know it's not a bolt up easy fit, but has anyone modified one to fit the newer tank? I figured I'd grab it for a starting place at least.

I've heard of reports of modifying the older style gas tank skids to fit the 97+ XJ's. But I have no personal experience.

 

[dagr8tim]

Here's a follow up question. Any tricks or tips for getting the bolts out of the subframe rails behind the sway bar? I busted my thumb twice, and can't get a good angle/bite on the bolt to turn it.

 

[JWFokker]

Damn. I really want one of those front skid plates.

 

[iwannadie]

Damn. I really want one of those front skid plates.

Me too lol, it sucks I seem to had missed it by a day or so when I originally saw a post about them being so cheap. I looked locally but people are asking more than $20 for old rusted ones.

 

[dagr8tim]

I finally got my front skid plate off. For future reference, I had to use every extension I had with a deep well socket.

I also cut a hole in the subframe to get at the weld nut for the transfer case skid. Now I just need to get at the other two weld nuts in the transfer case.