transfer case skid drop

I went to the local junk yard today and picked up a stock tc skid. the problem is that my frame and crossmember dont have the thread inserts and i have a drop kit so they need to be shimmed. The only thing i can think of is to make a spacer for the frame rail and run a huge self tapping sheet metal screw to hold it on. I dont have access to a welder so if you guys have a better idea i would love to hear it. This skid will be used so I want it as strong as i can get it without spending a wod of cash.

hey man I'm gonna be in SF next week if you need some help with this. let me know

I adde one to mine and had the same issue with the lack of welded nut insert. I got one of the biggest self tapping bolts i could find (a little stronger than the sheet metal one you suggested), then I drilled the whole where I needed it and I impacted the bolt in (just might want to turn the air gun down a 'lil otherwise you'll rip out the thread as fast as you put them in). Mine has been on for awhile and I drag it against alot of things and it hasn't moved yet.

As for the drop. On my other cherokee I just used something similar to my t-case drop to even things out. A piece of 1x1 square tube about 6 inches long works nice, and if you make it longer than the width of the skid plate you can miter the ends so it is hader to snag on things.

Any good hardware store will have nutserts. They are what comes in the mopar tc skid kit. Measure the hole, and get the right size for it. Then you basically put the nutsert in the hole, and tighten the bolt down without the skid plate there (so you can crush the backside against the hole) It also helps if you put a few washers between the bolt head and the nutsert. Then take the bolt out, mount your skid plate and bolt it up. In essence, a nutsert is like a big rivet, except it's threaded in the middle. You can get em from places like Fastenal or Grainger, but my little mom and pop place down the road has tons of em.

yep i just got a 3/4 self tapping monster and put it into the frame. The beauty part was that I didnt have to shim it i just used some grade 8's at the croosmember and was able to bend the other side so it sat flush with the rail and i still have about 3 inches of clearance between the t case and skid. Thanks for the help guys.

jbmoose said:

Any good hardware store will have nutserts. They are what comes in the mopar tc skid kit. Measure the hole, and get the right size for it. Then you basically put the nutsert in the hole, and tighten the bolt down without the skid plate there (so you can crush the backside against the hole) It also helps if you put a few washers between the bolt head and the nutsert. Then take the bolt out, mount your skid plate and bolt it up. In essence, a nutsert is like a big rivet, except it's threaded in the middle. You can get em from places like Fastenal or Grainger, but my little mom and pop place down the road has tons of em.

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Does anyone actually know what size nutsert to use on the OEM TC cross member? I had a nightmare lining it back up after the 1" drop and again when I replaced the tranny mount. I really dread going through all of that again just to get the proper size. I have 2 oem tc skids sitting here (hint) and I need to get one of them on my rig.
Reed

On the cross member you really dont need the nutzerts. There are a couple of holes right next to where the stock nutzerts would be you can use as access. Just get a couple 5/16 grade 8 bolts and drop them through the holes where the nutzerts go with a lock washer and you are good on the crossmember side. Just as strong as oem. the trouble comes on the frame side. I got the proper nutzert but i also drilled two more holes and added some of my own.

Anybody know how to get the factory bolts out of the frame rail(factory skid plate)? It might sound like a stupid question but they just keep truning like theres a nut inside the frame rail or something...

jekyllrider said:

Anybody know how to get the factory bolts out of the frame rail(factory skid plate)? It might sound like a stupid question but they just keep truning like theres a nut inside the frame rail or something...

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Read the post above yours.
You might have to cut out a piece of the rail to get into it.

:eye: My son & I both have rigs with a 1" t/c case drops & factory skidplates. I dropped my skid with a piece of 1"x2" tubing bolted in the stock holes & then tack welded on the corners just for piece of mind, then I added one more hole where it's needed & nutted & bolted it. My son did not drop his & the skid plows a little dirt where it's attached to the crossmember but it doesn't cause him any grief & he thinks it's stronger at the frame rail that way.