Skidplate and Hitch

96 XJ... basically stock and stuff...

1. I'm just wondering... do the fuel tank straps go on the OUTSIDE of the factory skidplate, or on the inside? I swear they were on the inside, holding only the tank in place, before the fuel pump needed replacement, during which I discovered an awful rust hole in the trailer hitch, which brings us to our next question.

2. Those weldnuts... are they on a strip of metal? None are attached to the frame anymore, and all seem connected. To install the [Curtis round tube] hitch I'll have to a) dump the skidplate, or figure out what's interfering with the hitch and do something about it, and b) fishwire bolts through the frame and use nuts to hold the skidplate and hitch in place. This brings us to our final question...

3. How do you remove the rear bumper? Is it somewhat easy, or a complete pain in the balls? I see nuts/bolts to a mount, to the frame... somehow I feel like I'm in for a lot of frustration, profanity, and flying wrenches. I'm actually considering taking it to a shop.

Any help is appreciated. -Matt

3. How do you remove the rear bumper? Is it somewhat easy, or a complete pain in the balls? I see nuts/bolts to a mount, to the frame... somehow I feel like I'm in for a lot of frustration, profanity, and flying wrenches. I'm actually considering taking it to a shop.

Click to expand...

1) :dunno:
2) Should come free. I suggest a fast speed bump to jar it loose ( of course, it's not mine).
3) 8 bolts. Easy in theory. Harder in practice in CO. Proabably much more so in the rust belt. An air ratchet makes life simpler.

ChevelleSSLS6 said:

1. I'm just wondering... do the fuel tank straps go on the OUTSIDE of the factory skidplate, or on the inside?

Click to expand...

The straps go inside the skid. The skid is held up separately by the nutstrips.

2. Those weldnuts... are they on a strip of metal?

Click to expand...

Yes they are called nutstrips and are long pieces of steel with a bunch of nuts welded to them. They hold up the hitch and the skid.

3. How do you remove the rear bumper? Is it somewhat easy, or a complete pain in the balls?

Click to expand...

You have to remove the hitch to have a line on it. Once the hitch is off, look up under the bumper for the two mounting brackets on the rear crossmember. Each bracket is held to the crossmember by four bolts, and the bumper is held to the brackets with two other bolts. Just remove the bolts holding the bumper to the crossmember and drop the whole thing as an assembly. Wrist rotating ratchets and gear wrenches are a bug help for the limited space





After you've done it a couple of times it's cake

Get new nutstrips here http://www.jeep4x4center.com/

My Hidden Hitch included square washers, vs regular washers for the bolts, because the force needs to be spread over the thin unibody rail. The nutstrips are probably better though, and fishing through bolts and square washers is pretty hard

I have a set of nut strips sitting in the garage...PM me if you want them.

As far as the bumper, mine was stuck in there pretty good and I couldn't even get a wrench on very easily since it was smashed from things. I took a grinder to my bumper and never looked back. Good luck though!

~Scott

BTW Chevelle how is your heat shield and exhaust hanger bolted on? Should be screwed on the right nutstrip. For me those bolts are really hard.. Not looking forward to getting the 2nd one out this weekend.

I did find a place to tie a wire to support the tailpipe though. There's a hole by the shackle

Do use nut strips if you plan on using the rear receiver hitch as a recovery point. Do not use those supplied square nuts provided from Curt. I've not seen but have heard of the frame rails ripping do too not enough of the load spread out.

If you are lucky when you remove the bolts for the hitch you may not need to pull the bumper. As long as the bolts back right out there should be nut strips in there being you have a gas tank skid.

Oh I didn't see he had a gas tank skid already. That means two nut strips, which lessens the rationale of replacing them. It's much easier to just leave the bumper in place and use the old strips if they aren't too rusty.

But if like me you only have the passenger side strip, you have to take off the bumper anyway so you might as well replace both

anyone had luck getting the rear bumper off without removing the hitch? Couple of years ago, after two hitch bolt heads broke when I was trying to remove the hitch for repainting, I had them weld the hitch to the portions of the bolts that remained. Now I want to remove the rear bumper and replace with an undented one newly painted. Thanks!