Can you mount factory skid plates on a Liberty that didn't come with them?

[RonP]

Hello,
I recently bought a 2006 Liberty as a weekend toy. While at a junkyard, I was lucky enough to find a 2005 with factory tow hooks, skid plates, roof mounted light bar, and tow bar. I grabbed everything I could carry. While removing the plates, I noticed that there appear to be screw in inserts with threads and a hex shaped outer edge. I was immediately concerned that my frame may not have those. I tried to remove them in the junkyard, but I didn't have a hex wrench that big.
When I got home, and looked at my frame, as I suspected, there are only hex shaped stamped holes and not the threaded hex nuts that were in the donor Liberty. So, that questions are,
1. Are these plugs removable? Like, can I unscrew them?
2. Can you buy them new? What are they even called and most importantly can you install these yourself?
or...did I just waste my time spending 3 hours on my back in oil, mud and dirt, under a sketchy KJ balanced on old rims for nothing? :-/

Hopefully these pictures will explain better what I'm asking. You can see the brass colors threaded inserts in the first two pictures of the donor vehicle, on the frame rail and the cross member. The second two pictures are how those same locations look in my frame. Note that I only have the hex shaped holes.
Thank you for any assistance.

Yes you can buy them. When you put them in you use the boltes to sandwich them into place. I went forward with mine and just bolted them in the same holes with SS bolts nuts and washers. using never-sez helps. Start in back and work forward so the last bolts end
on the front plate, makes easier to remove for oil changes.

 

[David A. Warr]

Yes you can buy them. When you put them in you use the boltes to sandwich them into place. I went forward with mine and just bolted them in the same holes with SS bolts nuts and washers. using never-sez helps. Start in back and work forward so the last bolts end
on the front plate, makes easier to remove for oil changes.

Yes you can do it. You need to get the appropriate size “rivnets”. Some people call them “nutserts”. There is an installation tool for them but you can install them with a bolt and a nut. It is hard to do on your back with two wrenches but I did it.

 

[David A. Warr]

Rivnuts, sorry

 

[Celticlady]

Special unique tool required to mount skid plates, it is called a nutsert tool.
This is the best instructions I have for you.

He is correct. It not rocket science. Also call a rivnut. You can buy a kit with both mm & std thread. And a tool that looks like a HD pop rivet tool. Which works better when you are under the jeep.

Then you can buy just the rivnuts in 50 count bags.

Here is the critical point!!!
The rivnut is squished into the hole. It critical your hole is the correct size for the outside measurement of the rivnut before your squish it. It holds by friction! The kit will tell you the correct hole size. Or mic it and find your drill to match.

Then grease your threads on the bolts so they don't get stuck in the rivnut and spin it when you take it down.

Most of The liberties have factory rivnuts for the engine skid plat. Its mm, the head is 22mm

If you put rivnuts for the rest 3/8 or mm up to you.

The trans & 4wd plate will need rivnuts. Your transmission plate goes under the engine plate. The 4wd has its own.
Skidrow has the special bracket for the left rear bolt that you fish into the frame hold. Its works. Don't over think it.
I have been happy with Skidrow plates.