JCR T-Case skid mounting issues

[menos]

I've had a JCR t-case skid on for over a year without any major issues. It's held up pretty well to some pretty good hits. I had to drop it the other day to work on the exhaust and I noticed that all but 1 of the well nuts on each side had failed mostly due to the holes in the sheet metal ovaling out.

I can't just install new well nuts in the previous holes since the holes are too big now. I'm kinda thinking I've got two options: drilling new holes in the skid and drilling for new well nuts or through bolting using the existing holes in the skid and frame rail.

I'm thinking through bolting with crush spacers would be the strongest but there are a couple of issues with that: fuel lines on the inside of the frame rail and the lack of access to the inside of the frame rail with the skid mounted up.

Thoughts?

 

[doubleg]

Exact same thing happened to me over the weekend when I was putting my JCR t-case skid back up also. I have one on each side that fell through the hole. Hopefully someone has a good idea for a fix for this.

 

[FuryIII]

Crap... now I'm afraid to take mine off!

 

[doubleg]

LOL Dont unless you have to. Ive had mine off 3 times now, and I knew one of the inserts was getting loose, but I had no clue about the other one until the other day.
There has got to be an easy fix for this. Or I hope there is.

 

[NOTNSUV]

Any fixes for this issue? I have a brand new JCR skid and might not use it if this is a big deal. Who has a better mounting system?

 

[menos]

I ended up just through bolting it. My initial concerns about lack of access were unfounded. I used large grade 8 washers on the inside frame rail to spread the load a little bit. I did have to slightly relocate the fuel and brake lines but not by much.

 

[Nealio240z]

I FIXED THIS PROBLEM!!! Ok first off I wanted to use the JCR skid to build my long arms off of. I knew it would not be strong enough at all. What I did- I drilled 5/8 holes all the way through the "frame" where the skid would mount. I then used 5/8 o.d. steel tubing and cut it to length the same width of the "frame" and slid the tubes through. I then welded the ends of the tubing to the "frame" channel. I put my JCR skid in place and sandwiched the frame rail with bolts through the tubing. I also used a backing plate of 1/4" steel to give the other side strength. I have been wheeling it this way for 5 years locked on 35's. Never had a problem with moving or dropping the skid. Hope this helped.

 

[NOTNSUV]

Yeah, both answers helped. I'll just plan to drill through both sides of the frame, back it up with some steel or big washers on the inside of the rail and call it good. I won't be putting LA on so don't have deal with tubes, etc. Should be an EZ removal if I ever have to drop the xfer case. Not planning hard core wheeling but want the skid for the ocassional elk retieval or such where I won't have to worry about banging a rock.

JCR gas tank skid will be here Monday. Figuring I'll drop the tank and R/R the fuel pump & screen since I'm new to this rig and it has 142k on it.. no way to know if the pump has ever been replaced. And then I'll have a 'spare' pump for the trail.

Gotta weigh this thing when I'm done bolting steel to it. Planning 4.56 w/31s

Thanks a bunch guys.

 

[NOTNSUV]

Finally got it installed today. Went with the nutserts without issue. I think the key is to be sure and use an impact when installing the 'serts so they get fully expanded.
Next up (right now): test fit the JCR gas tank skid then paint this afternoon and install tomorrow.