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Installing a mopar fuel tank skid

rocknxj

NAXJA Forum User
I've had my '99 XJ for about 4 months now and have already added over $2600 in miscellaneous parts, RE lift, BFG tires, and skids. I know this is just a start but I have to balance my time and wife's patience so I decided to go slow and only add new parts every other day.

I bought a used Mopar fuel tank skid today. Took it off a junked '89 Cherokee in hopes of giving that skid a new home and honoring the fallen XJ that parted with it.

Here's the problem. I spent an hour removing my rear hitch, muffler bracket, and heat sheild. When it came to installing the skid, it would not fit. It was sort of like pulling on your wife's bikini top when you are bored and nobody is looking. Sort of impossible to get on and darn frustrating.

What am I doing wrong? I've searched the forum. I trimmed the plastic "weld" in an effort to reduce the size of the tank. No luck. I need help from you knowledgeable and experienced XJ owners, as I am but a baby in the world of Cherokees.

If I need to trim more, what exactly is it that needs to be trimmed? I also read that all XJ tanks are the same size. This skid looks normal but it appears I need another few inches to get the beyotch on the tank.

Help is needed from you jeeple, please. I'm battered. I'm bruised. I am in need of info.

Thanks. :wave:

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Project Old Blue
'99 Cherokee Sport
RE 3.5" Super Ride lift
BFG A/T KO's
Lot's of other cool stuff
 
You didn,t read that all fuel tanks are the same here.When they switched from steel tanks to all plastic tanks(97 or98) the skid plate changed as well.You can modify a ZJ skid to fit on the later XJ,s with plastic tanks.I,m not sure what you trimmed on the plastic tank,but I bet it wasn,t good for it as the plastic tanks don,t have the plastic shield that the steel tanks do.
You need to go get the correct skid.
Wayne
 
Agreed, you should not be hacking at your gas tank...for any reason.

The last iteration of the XJs (97-01) (maybe 96? 95???, too) used a plastic gas tank instead of a metal one...it is shaped a little different, so the skid is different.

I believe the front skid and tcase skid is the same for all years of XJ. I have a '00 with the front skid off a '88.

I had a hard time finding a OEM gas skid for my XJ, so I used a skid from a '96 (I believe) ZJ...it will bolt right up, but only 3 bolt hole line up with the nutstrips...had to do some drilling...and had to do some grinding and cutting for the OEM rear took hook to fit.

I'm not sure, but the ZJ gas skid a little wider than the OEM XJ skid, so if you install a ZJ skid on your XJ, you might not be able to fit a standard hitch, but not sure...
 
D'oh! Imagine me, grinding down the seam on a plastic tank with a power tool. Holy crap. I could have been an ex-jay XJ owner.

Thanks for the info. Anybody want a used tank skid?
 
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