Gas Tank Skid Question

Will I need longer bolts than are currently hold the factory hitch to install the gas tank skid? If yes, anyone know how long, how many and the size?

Thanks in advance.

My bolts that came with my hitch worked fine for the skid also. Should be long enough. Also there is six bolts.

jeepjeepster said:

My bolts that came with my hitch worked fine for the skid also. Should be long enough. Also there is six bolts.

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Thanks JJeepster!

Same here, same bolts for the tow, and skid, get a friend to help install, it can be a pain to get it past the exhaust pipe, while holding up the skid and the tow hitch all at once.

I have a 19 year old I will con into helping. Thanks for the advice though.

I presume I need to drop the hitch all the way down to the get the guard up and jammed into place temporarily then get the hitch back in place and some nuts started. Again I haven't crawled under there but I presume the bolts drop down with the nuts on the bottom, correct? The guard goes on first right?

Thanks to both of you for your help.

Put a floor jack under the gas tank skid. Remove six bolts. These screw directly into the frame. The holes in the frame are threaded. Use a bottle jack to hold the hitch up against the gas tank skid and replace the six bolts and torque to 65 ft lbs. Job done.
Smitty

Thanks Smitty. I had the impression that the skid had to go under the hitch but certainly over makes sense unless it would hang down too far.

The hitch does go over the skid.
Smitty

Yeah that's what I do. If I can't find a helping hand I get a floor jack out and that becomes my extra hands. (whistle) The gas tank skid is the only one I don't have. Maybe I'll get that one for Christmas or something. I've been wondering if it would work with the factory receiver hitch. Looks like my question is answered.

LibertyCRD said:

The gas tank skid is the only one I don't have. Maybe I'll get that one for Christmas or something. I've been wondering if it would work with the factory receiver hitch. Looks like my question is answered.

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The reason I sprung for it was the JP Parts Spring Sale, I think an additional 10%, plus free shipping.

Somebody said torque the bolts to 65 ft./lbs. Are you sure that's enough? With a 5,000 lb. capacity hitch and a heavy steel skid plate back there I think I'd want to get the bolts a little tighter than that. Or at least use thread lock or something. What do you guys think?

65 ft lbs are the instructions that come with the hitch and skid. The supplied bolts have a threadlock on them.
Smitty

Cool. (cool)

I had planeed on buying some thread lock. Guess I don't need to! =D>
Thanks for asking Liberty!

GOT SKIDS!

I just got my skids.... [-o< =D> \/ . I am so excited!!!!

Haave a question though. The gas tank skid is dented in about 1/2" on the drivers side front. Appears to be hidden shipping damage. I am thinking a little hammer work will get it right back but I should probably still let them know first huh.

hey, how do I post an image? I was going to scan and attach the picture that came with the Mopar GasTank skid I bought. It has a nice "how to" quality about it and the torque spec. 55-70 ft lbs. The Mopar skid came with 6 new bolts which were of the same length as the ones I removed from the hitch. I used the new bolts 'cause of the fresh thread-lock compound on them. I used a couple of chunks of threaded rod as alignment tools and a floor jack to help get it all in place, hitch/skid/holes....

ptsb5a said:

hey, how do I post an image? I was going to scan and attach the picture that came with the Mopar GasTank skid I bought. It has a nice "how to" quality about it and the torque spec. 55-70 ft lbs. The Mopar skid came with 6 new bolts which were of the same length as the ones I removed from the hitch. I used the new bolts 'cause of the fresh thread-lock compound on them. I used a couple of chunks of threaded rod as alignment tools and a floor jack to help get it all in place, hitch/skid/holes....

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Here are a couple of solutions from Bennet: http://www.jeepkj.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=370

Cowcatcher.....................Just got my gas tank skid (Mopar) today and I also have a bend in the skid like you mentioned??? I was going to take a BFH to it but decided to wait and see how it fits first as it looks like it was made that way. Not sure. Maby it is that way to clear something??? Tomorrow I'll see for sure....................Then I'll know...To BFH or not to BFH ...that is the question???????

Dave said:

Cowcatcher.....................Just got my gas tank skid (Mopar) today and I also have a bend in the skid like you mentioned??? I was going to take a BFH to it but decided to wait and see how it fits first as it looks like it was made that way. Not sure. Maby it is that way to clear something??? Tomorrow I'll see for sure....................Then I'll know...To BFH or not to BFH ...that is the question???????

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I don't think it was made that way and there was some minor box damage where my dent was. The box certainly wasn't crushed though, just poked.

I contacted JParts and asked them if they would still take it back if I whacked it with a hammer then couldn't get it to fit. They told me to go ahead. That if it came back hammered they would still replace it. So, yes, I will be getting out my BFH too.......maybe I will wait and hear how you come out first! (whistle)

I ordered the ****** and transfer at the same time and they threw those in the gas tank box. Don't know if that made any difference. (Aeh)

Cowcatcher..........My gas tank skid came in a box which did not even have a scratch on it and when I took the skid out it had a funny looking bend but not a scratch on the skid either??????? Nice shiney black paint all over. Hhmmmmmm......you'd think there would be marks somewhere if it got wacked!!! The other 3 skids were not in boxes. I put on the engine - ****** - and t-case skids this afternoon by myself. Didn't take long at all to actually put them on. It took me longer to figure out the crummy directions and zerk-nut things than to actually do the install. I laid out the pieces on the garage floor in the position that they bolted on with the attaching hardware on top of them and went from there. It was easier for me to visualize that way and it went fast.

I just noticed, you have a crd and mine is the 3.7l.....don't know if they are any different....but when I originally looked them up on the Mopar web site there was only one set of part numbers listed for all 4 skids.

Anyway......I need more hands for the gas tank skid as I have to drop the receiver hitch and then position the skid and the hitch on top of it and hold it while I thread the bolts and not spill my beer.........Whooohooo.

Dave