Perusing the parts catalog I see that "all" 4.0 Cherokee XJs come with a gas tank skid plate to protect the plastic tank. Did all XJs come factory equipped with the plate or is it an option? If so, evidently the 98 I bought 2nd hand with a trailer hitch had its skid plate appropriated by the folks who installed the hitch for the previous owner. I asked him if he had it laying around and he looked at me like I had 6 eyes. "Skid plate? What skid plate?"

Thanks

 

as far as I can remember, the factory skid plate and tow hitch have some mutual bolts.

If an aftermarket hitch was fitted, it may have needed the skid plate removed

You should be able to get what you need from a wrecker/private sale, but the bolts get very rusty, not immense fun to get them down

 

Agree. The hitch and plate share attachment fasteners and they're long enough to retain both the hitch and the plate. I removed the hitch because it will never be used. The fasteners are pretty clean (reusable). Guess I'll find a wrecking yard and see what's available.

 

96 and older did not have plastic fuel tanks. Even the aftermarket replacements are metal. The factory "skid plate" option mine has is actually just a thick plastic fuel tank cover that is only held on by a few clips against the fuel tank seam and the fuel tank straps. They may have had a metal skid plate as well, I don't know.

 

My 98 tank is an assembly of a top/bottom black blow-molded plastic heat-bonded together at a seam that joins the top & bottom halves. It's retained with two cushioned straps and strap tensioning hangers. I had it off completely when I first got the truck this past August to replace the failed pump cartridge and clean it out.

 

all 3 of my '96 have a sturdy metal skid plate over the fuel tank. Jordans is what mine look like if I take down the skid plate

only one has the optional? front skid plate, they all have a TX case skid

 

I just looked at the configuration of my 96. It has the steel tank with the plastic cover retained by the straps.

 

I took my stock '88 skid plate and plated it with 1/8" to make it stronger.

 

I see skid plates on the web - all newly fabricated brand-name products ranging from $250.00 to $350.00 - but I can have a local fabricator make a customer plate for a couple hundred less if I supply the material. I can assemble it myself, for that matter, where I work. I just thought the wrecking yard dogs would have found their way onto the web for a doable price.

@unidentifiedbomb - I see you spot welded the added armor plate to the bottom of the original skid plate. Good idea.

 

Most of the factory tank covers are just that, covers. They are thin and rust very easily. If you do any serious off-roading, you need a "Bash" plate, like 1/8" thick. Also there needs to be a space between the plate and the tank straps so the mud or dirt can be flushed out so it doesn't rust the straps.

unidentifiedbomb, I like the 2 drain holes in that cover. Very good idea.

 

It's actually fully welded on each side and spot welded along the front and back. When I put the rear shock towers in I pulled the gas tank and skid so while it was out I went to town plating the skid.

Thanks, there's actually 5 other smaller holes along the front of the skid at the corners just like the factory skid has. It for sure weights almost twice as much as it did prior to plating it.

I beat it really good at RC last outing and I did dent one edge, I don't have an updated picture but I'm covering the whole skid in stickers to add HP while dragging it on rocks.