__Well,
Here are some pic's of the front skid installed. I just used some old fashioned ingenuity for the fasteners.( cause I'm to impatient to order the RIVNUTS from McMaster-Carr.)
Flatten out three speednuts to convert them into flagnuts.
Unwind the spring all the way except for the last to coils. Clean the edges with a file on the long side of the nut.
Make a visual referance to where the holes in the plate will align with the holes in the chassis. Go ahead and mark them on the chassis with a grease pencil or something.
With the Jeep up on ramps, take your time and fish the nuts in thru the nearby large holes into position at the indicated holes. Be sure that they will lay there "flat" on there own with the threads showing. Looks harder than it is. Notice the trough that the nut is sitting in. This is important as not to let the nut rotate when it is being torqued.(and just as imprtant when taking it apart
)
Close up of the homemade flagnut as is protrudes thru the opening of the lower unibody rail. This prevents it from rotating also.
Another view from a further distance. Note the special tool with the maroon shirt covering it. You will need this to hold the skid up while starting all the bolts.................It is a size 40 waist.
Everything in place with the bolts just hand tight. Notice the center skid bolt, it will require a regular speednut for the lower engine mount. The mount runs front to back and has a opening to fit the nut. Make sure the nut fits firm over the sheetmetal plate, squeeze it in the vise a little if you have to.
Check out the clearances up front before torquing. Note how the plate wraps on the outside of the valance/bumper cover. It will not fit under.......I tried!
Hope this is a help to you all. I post back with the side spray shield install. I ran out of time today, plus they have to be cut from the original shield.
hvac59
A couple of last notes:
I got everything from Home Depot.
The bolts are all grade five 3/8 x 16
3 2" and 4 1" with lock and oversize washers(not fenderwashers)
spring nuts are from the electrical dept.
speed nuts are from hardware(with the rest of the fasteners)
use regular never-sieze on the bolts
http://www.mcmaster.com/
starting on page 3214 you may see all the rivet nuts you would ever need, and yes they will be needed for the rear skids(no improvising back there!)
Rivet Nuts
Provides a thicker flange profile than knurled rivet nuts to resist push-through.
Open-End Knurled Rivet Nuts
Knurls provide increased resistance to spin and pullout. Nut is open at bottom, allowing the use of a longer screw or bolt.
Open-End Knurled Rivet Nuts with Seal
Includes a PVC foam seal bonded under the flange.
Closed-End Knurled Rivet Nuts
Thread area is enclosed, preventing leakage past the threads from either side of your application.
Rubber-Insulated Rivet Nuts
Also known as well nuts and well-nut threaded inserts. Great for fastening metal to plastic, damping vibration, and sealing out moisture. Can be installed with a screwdriver.
Slotted-Body Rivet Nuts
A larger backside flange increases strength, making these ideal for use in plastic and thin materials. Can accommodate a wider range of material thicknesses as well as slightly oversized holes.
Screwdriver-Installed Rivet Nuts
Also known as jack nuts. Ideal for thin, soft, and brittle materials.
Nut Inserts
Can be installed into almost any material that is 0.030" or thicker.
Rivet-Type Studs
An ideal alternative to weld-and-clinch studs. When installed, a backside flange resists pullout.
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