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Who's actually seen the factory gas skid fail?

Hypoid

Hypoid

NAXJA Member
NAXJA Member
Location
Golden, CO
I picked one up for cheap, pulled some 1/8" sheet from the scrap bin at work, and am wondering if I should add a layer to the sides.

Common sense says the span across the bottom is going to take the energy from an impact. If more is transfered to the sides, how well do they hold up?

Has anyone seen the sides distort?
 
mine works just fine after hitting some of the harder trails...

but I also have a reciever hitch that is my departure angle limiter...

ive heard that removing that, or moving that up will cause the gas tank to get hit more...


time will tell...
 
While I have never seen anything puncture a tank through the stock skid, I have seen the stock one take some good hits and dent up and into tank causing the gas tank to dent in as well.
 
XJ_ranger said:
mine works just fine after hitting some of the harder trails...

but I also have a reciever hitch that is my departure angle limiter...

ive heard that removing that, or moving that up will cause the gas tank to get hit more...


time will tell...
Click to expand...
Im not as extreme as Opie, but I agree.

I hit my hitch all the time the one time Ive gone through the con.
Never once hit gas tank skid.
 
I've had the factory gas tank skid on the XJ from day one (no hitch), with 12 years of the hardest trails out there, and I can still put 20+ gallons in the tank.

I say run it and don't worry about it.
 
Well I have to say I have beaten the crap out of my stock gas tank skid. It got bent so bad after my last run to Johnson Valley that it actually partially blocked off the fill tube inside the tank and wouldn't let me fill the gas tank without the pump constantly shutting off. I think it has to do with my crappy driving skills than anything, but bad things happen along the way while having fun. I also have a bad habit of following guys on trails that me and my small tires shouldn't be on. Long story short, if you got one already, reinforce it. If you are looking to buy one, get a good aftermarket one.

Here's a picture of my bashed in tank.
standard.jpg
 
Bryan C. said:
It got bent so bad after my last run to Johnson Valley that it actually partially blocked off the fill tube inside the tank and wouldn't let me fill the gas tank without the pump constantly shutting off.
Click to expand...


Oh, is a bent tank skid what causes that? I thought that's just the way it filled.

:D
 
LMAO!!! Last year I went to change the fuel pump. Dropped the tank, found a 4" deep dent under the plastic cover. Since I had the more expensive style pump, I went with the less expensive style on a loaded assembly, bought a new tank. All told I have about $300 hanging under there. I don't want to do it over very soon.

The self serve yard I go to sets cars on a stand made of two steel wheels welded together in a "T" shape. I see the factory skids bowed from being set on one stand...need more steel!
 
Johnnybegood_5 said:
I had a 93 xj and the stock plastic skid plate did will blocking whatever was shot at it but one day it took a big hit causing gas to leak everywhere....
Click to expand...

That plastic thing hardly qualifies as a skid.
I think the "stock" skid everyone has been discussing is the optional steel skid, not the plastic cover.
 
i've been running the factory skid with no problems, hammers,rubicon,moab. there are some small folds on the sides where it extends past the side suoports, but no other damage. there are scrapes and scratches and at one point ,at least,i know i have rested the weight of the rig on it with no problems. no problems. but like stated above, if you try hard enough, you mcan make anything fail!
 
Mine hasn't failed yet, but it does have about a 2 1/2-3" DENT in the bottom center, and my gas guage is off about a 1/4 tank now. I guess that while the XJ is down for front axle seals this week, that maybe I should go ahead and reenforce the skid plates on it before they give up (you should what my tranny X-member looks like).
Oh yeah: 4" lift (junkyard style), 235/75/15 whatever was on sale tires, 4.0, B/A 10-5, and 4.10 gears!
 
Last edited:
I run the OEM skid and a class 3 hitch. Hitch takes most of the abuse, though I have hit the skid on the rare occasion. (8 inch? lift and 38's)
No problems with it.
 
ren said:
Mine hasn't failed yet, but it does have about a 2 1/2-3" DENT in the bottom center, and my gas guage is off about a 1/4 tank now. I guess that while the XJ is down for front axle seals this week, that maybe I should go ahead and reenforce the skid plates on it before they give up (you should what my tranny X-member looks like).
Oh yeah: 4" lift (junkyard style), 235/75/15 whatever was on sale tires, 4.0, B/A 10-5, and 4.10 gears!
Click to expand...

I don't know about the skid, but my x-member has got to be more bent than yours. I have set it on rocks on several occasions and a couple of times had all 4 tires off the ground....my unibody is coming apart and my jeep kinda looks like a boomerang now!
 
LMAO!!! Uh, yeah Ren, a dent in the tank is what I set for a fail point. I have my first layer welded on from front to back, with a seam in the middle. I'll run a layer on a bias and bolster the vertical section just because I have the steel.

Things pretty heavy with one layer, I'll need more spring now. LOL
 
Just a quick update: I stopped at two layers so I could lift it without a jack, although I have deliberated a layer of diamond plate to help keep a floor jack located. I did leave a little crush zone at the front, that's where the pump is: The tank I removed had the slosh well bent as well. Water can drain out the sides.
tank_skid2.JPG

The old tank after I tried straightening the slosh well.
tank_skid.JPG

I installed the class 3 hitch, my wheelin style is a little more assertive. Now for that crossmemeber...
 
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