Junkyard prices for skid plates

I'm looking for the OEM skid plates for the front, transfer case, and gas tank for my 2001 XJ. I don't see them priced at car-part.com or pickyourpart.com websites, so I have no idea of what are typical prices.

I live about 2 hours from Los Angeles, and there are no XJs in the local very small junkyards. Which junkyards in the LA area should I focus on?

BTW, I sometimes visit Palmdale -- maybe there's something there?

I don't remember what I paid (probably too much). But I do recall having to explain that it was not a "cross member" to the cashier guy.

Seems they didn't really know what to charge and just looked for something to categorize it as.

Don't pay too much for them, they tend to pop up for sale or karma on naxja every once in a while.

I have the front skid, don't think I have ever hit it in the trail and it is often in the way when doing repairs.

You may check eBay to get an idea on what others are selling thier used ones at. Might even find a to good to pass up deal on one.

I got my fuel tank skid for my 2001 from J&W Jeep Recyclers in Antelope (Sacramento) CA. for $50 shipped from CA to Tennessee. The fuel tank is specific to the year. An 84-96 fuel tank skid will not fit your vehicle.

The front and t-case skids are universal and will fit. I got both of mine of local members for abuot $15 each.

Got mine for $10 each. Told the guy at the yard they were "stone gaurds"

88trailcrawler said:

I don't remember what I paid (probably too much). But I do recall having to explain that it was not a "cross member" to the cashier guy.

Seems they didn't really know what to charge and just looked for something to categorize it as.

Click to expand...

I had the same experience at a u-pull yard, initially they wanted to charge me some ridiculous amount like $30 for the front and $50 for the tank skid. I told them if I wanted to pay that much I could have got them already pulled. I think I managed to haggle them down to around half that much. I did end up selling the front skid for $40, which was a lot less than what a couple people were asking on eBay at the time. If you're not in a huge hurry I'd say the best place to look is right here on Naxja, I've seem some pop up for pretty cheap.

When it comes to getting good deals at the junkyard I've found it helps to go often, even just to go and browse or to buy one or two small items. Once the guys at the yard closest to me noticed that I'm there all the time they started cutting me better deals. When I have to go to another location where I'm not a 'regular' I pretty much expect to get bent over on the prices, but sometimes you have no choice. I bought caliper brackets for my ZJ rear disc swap and after ringing up the brackets they had the nerve to add on $10 per side for the sheetmetal dust shields which are riveted onto them, they were all bent up and I didn't even want them, but I didn't have any way to remove them there, guess I should have brought a cordless drill with me, lol...

Red91Laredo said:

When it comes to getting good deals at the junkyard I've found it helps to go often, even just to go and browse or to buy one or two small items. Once the guys at the yard closest to me noticed that I'm there all the time they started cutting me better deals.

Click to expand...

I've noticed the same thing at the tiny local JY we have here -- the quotes have fallen from ridiculous to very attractive. The only problem is that this JY has had only 4 Cherokees in the last 6 months, and 3 of them have been Grands, not XJs. The sole XJ was a '98 but was pretty worn out.

What are some good junkyards in the San Fernando Valley or Palmdale-Lancaster areas? I'm getting itchy to pull out the passenger seats and make a JY run for the skid plates and maybe even a C-8.25 axle if I can find one in decent shape. Also looking for high-pinion front axle to replace the low (o)pinion in my 2001 XJ. My Jeep has only 107K miles on it, so I will be a little persnickety about only getting wear parts (like axles) that should still have lots of life left.

Do any of you in the LA area have JY parties?

88trailcrawler said:

I have the front skid, don't think I have ever hit it in the trail and it is often in the way when doing repairs.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I wasn't expecting the front skid to do much in the way of protection from rocks, but I thought it would be a good idea to help protect the alternator from being inundated with debris -- that poor puppy is hanging so low that it seems to pick up any bit of crap that's kicked up.

I pulled my front skid to replace a leaking trans cooler line, and think I will leave it off. It has done nothing in 25 years. The gas tank skid has some nice gashes in it, so that one
has some value. I would gladly give you mine, but I am in Georgia.

GregGA said:

I pulled my front skid to replace a leaking trans cooler line, and think I will leave it off. It has done nothing in 25 years. The gas tank skid has some nice gashes in it, so that one has some value.

Click to expand...

Yes, the gas tank skid is the one I'm most interested in getting, but seems to show up in ads much less often than the front, at least for an XJ. That's why I think I'll have to forget watching the ads and just go out to some junkyard that's likely to have what I want.

GregGA said:

I would gladly give you mine, but I am in Georgia.

Click to expand...

Thank you, but I don't think I'll be in Georgia soon!