Hi AGAIN...

got the front factory skid in OK after some trimming around my bush bar. thx for the tips.

went to the JY today to get a few bolts for the stock skids, found a country XJ that had the transfer case skid so took the 2 bolts.

after getting home & trying my transfer case skid on, I notice I have only large, unthreaded holes in my frame & cross member-weird.

I may be able to get a nut in the cross member but what about the frame? I could put a self tapper in the hole, but that's not very strong-any ideas?

 

toss the factory bolts, get some 1/2" bolts and matching serrated flange nuts.
drill the factory holes (skid and "frame") to accept the 1/2" bolts and fish the serrated flange nuts into position useing coat hanger and duct tape to hold the nut to it.

I'm not a fan of the front skid... it is apt to get caught and hang you up when reversing out of difficult situations.
Hope it works for you.

 

Funny you should say that, was thinking along that solution too, but how to hold the fished nut?

Buddy came up with a solution, use both holes on either end of the skid plate (total of 4). Made up 2 small tabs with 2 nuts welded on each (one for the crossmember, one for the "frame") & fished them through. Required 2 new holes drilled in the "frame" but the nuts can't spin now as each bolt holds the other in place when tightening!

 

Congrats. You just invented the nut strip.

 

Those holes that seemed unthreade more then likely had nutserts in there. Only thing you had to do was run a tap through it. The jeeps equipped with a t-case skid had x-members had two holes that had nutserts in them as well.

 

No no nutserts, had felt around in there-sheetmetal only.