Installing Stock Rubicon Skid Plate on Sport

[Gren71]

I may have missed it somewhere, but does anyone happen to have the part number for the actual skid plate itself? I am looking for just the skid plate, I have the brackets, nutserts and bolts, just missing the actual skid plate for the non-steel bumper. Thanks.

I have just a skid plate for sale if you’re interested.

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[TSquared]

I picked up a skid plate for $50. My local dealer can have all of the brackets in next day for about $70. Hope to get it on this weekend.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I picked up a skid plate for $50. My local dealer can have all of the brackets in next day for about $70. Hope to get it on this weekend.

The plastic bumper version, I assume? Not a bad price, IMO.............
You'll be getting the nutserts to hold the lower or rear brackets, bolts, front brackets, etc. (since it won't bolt to the bumper like the steel bumper skid plate does)
I paid a bit over 60 just for the rear brackets and hardware.

 

[Wet Willys]

Just an FYI on the nutserts: you can get a pack of 10 from Mcmaster for about what one Mopar packaged one costs.

https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/128/3645

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Just an FYI on the nutserts: you can get a pack of 10 from Mcmaster for about what one Mopar packaged one costs.

https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/128/3645

Probably came from the same building where they were made.........

 

[Wet Willys]

Probably came from the same building where they were made.........

No doubt!!

 

[KQL]

I came across a couple of locations where my sport lacked the nutserts. After watching a couple of videos on them, I am not sure they serve any purpose where a bolt/nut could not be used instead. Except of course if you don’t have access to the backside of the item you’re trying to fasten to. For the skid plate install, perhaps consider just using a bolt/nut combo. You’d have your pick of stainless or grade 8 hardware at any local hardware.

 

[jebiruph]

Just an FYI on the nutserts: you can get a pack of 10 from Mcmaster for about what one Mopar packaged one costs.

https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/128/3645

I need a full set of 8, so I ordered one of these and will see what they look like.
Heavy Duty Twist-Resistant Rivet Nut
M10 x 1.5 Interior Thread, 1.0 - 4.5 mm Material Thickness
90720A550

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Just an FYI on the nutserts: you can get a pack of 10 from Mcmaster for about what one Mopar packaged one costs.

https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/128/3645

Actually, I just looked at the link - those aren't the same thing. Those are rivnuts. They are round.
The 'nutserts' that go into the frame are hex shaped just like the hole they go into.
(Unfortunately, the terms "rivet nut", "rivnut", and "nutsert" get used interchangeably and it really messes things up)
The correct type like mopar uses are set using a bolt. Just a bolt and washer, and a bit of lube, and the nutserts as I call them go in great with no special tool.
The type in that link are round and are set using a rivnut setting tool. It's more like a pop rivet in how it's set.
The round ones are what I used to attach the latches I made for my tonneau cover.
The ones for the frames are so expensive because they are special hex shaped.
McMaster-Carr does have the correct ones and they look more like what Jerry ordered. The correct ones are hex shaped.

This is what is used in the frame hex shaped holes for the skid plate brackets among other brackets and attachments. They will hold extremely well in the frame and can't turn as you "rivet" them with a bolt. I see they are made in France.

This is what I call a "rivnut" (and they are easily found on Amazon using that term!)
You absolutely will need the tool to set them because they turn in the hole otherwise. There's no way to hold them. ideally, you drill a hole the size specified for the size you are using and they fit the hole snugly so when you use the tool to set or "rivet" them, they fit tight and shouldn't turn.
They are perfectly round. The holes in the frame are hex (I'm all too familiar with that crazy area on these - mounting a receiver, then taking it off and mounting a bumper and winch and skid plate, then taking the skid plate off to mount a different receiver, then mounting the skid plate again and then taking it all back off again to trade my truck in - and now I'll do it all over again on the new one - and i have the hex "nutserts" on hand in my collection of stuff.

Comparison -

In any case, the bolts used are M10 And that's a heck of a large "rivnut" and will take some muscle and a decent tool to set. Don't use aluminum - it's going into a high strength steel frame and aluminum in steel may not work so well in an area that gets wet a lot.

The "nutsert" as I call 'em from MOPAR - or McMaster-Carr, can be set in place using a bolt and wrench. No special tool needed.
The round one will turn in the hole if you try to set it with a bolt. I can't recall how I knew that.....
Insert the hex shaped "nutsert", lightly lube a bolt and washer, and use a basic wrench to set it in the frame and "rivet" it.

I need a full set of 8, so I ordered one of these and will see what they look like.
Heavy Duty Twist-Resistant Rivet Nut
M10 x 1.5 Interior Thread, 1.0 - 4.5 mm Material Thickness
90720A550

Just a quick glance - it looks correct. Course M10, hex, etc.

 

[Wet Willys]

Actually, I just looked at the link - those aren't the same thing. Those are rivnuts. They are round.
The 'nutserts' that go into the frame are hex shaped just like the hole they go into.
(Unfortunately, the terms "rivet nut", "rivnut", and "nutsert" get used interchangeably and it really messes things up)
The correct type like mopar uses are set using a bolt. Just a bolt and washer, and a bit of lube, and the nutserts as I call them go in great with no special tool.
The type in that link are round and are set using a rivnut setting tool. It's more like a pop rivet in how it's set.
The round ones are what I used to attach the latches I made for my tonneau cover.
The ones for the frames are so expensive because they are special hex shaped.
McMaster-Carr does have the correct ones and they look more like what Jerry ordered. The correct ones are hex shaped.

This is what is used in the frame hex shaped holes for the skid plate brackets among other brackets and attachments. They will hold extremely well in the frame and can't turn as you "rivet" them with a bolt. I see they are made in France.

This is what I call a "rivnut" (and they are easily found on Amazon using that term!)
You absolutely will need the tool to set them because they turn in the hole otherwise. There's no way to hold them. ideally, you drill a hole the size specified for the size you are using and they fit the hole snugly so when you use the tool to set or "rivet" them, they fit tight and shouldn't turn.
They are perfectly round. The holes in the frame are hex (I'm all too familiar with that crazy area on these - mounting a receiver, then taking it off and mounting a bumper and winch and skid plate, then taking the skid plate off to mount a different receiver, then mounting the skid plate again and then taking it all back off again to trade my truck in - and now I'll do it all over again on the new one - and i have the hex "nutserts" on hand in my collection of stuff.

Comparison -

In any case, the bolts used are M10 And that's a heck of a large "rivnut" and will take some muscle and a decent tool to set. Don't use aluminum - it's going into a high strength steel frame and aluminum in steel may not work so well in an area that gets wet a lot.

The "nutsert" as I call 'em from MOPAR - or McMaster-Carr, can be set in place using a bolt and wrench. No special tool needed.
The round one will turn in the hole if you try to set it with a bolt. I can't recall how I knew that.....
Insert the hex shaped "nutsert", lightly lube a bolt and washer, and use a basic wrench to set it in the frame and "rivet" it.



Just a quick glance - it looks correct. Course M10, hex, etc.

<-----Guilty of using the terms rivnut and nutsert interchangeably!!

The part # that jebiruph ordered is what I meant to link to and what I used. It's actually on the page I linked to, but grouped in as a rivnut, and they only illustrate the nutsert when you click on the individual part#.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

<-----Guilty of using the terms rivnut and nutsert interchangeably!!

Yeah, I'm a member of that club as well.

In any case, what Jerry ordered is a fraction of the cost, but looks like the right spec.
Still - maybe those come from France as well LOL

 

[TSquared]

The plastic bumper version, I assume? Not a bad price, IMO.............
You'll be getting the nutserts to hold the lower or rear brackets, bolts, front brackets, etc. (since it won't bolt to the bumper like the steel bumper skid plate does)
I paid a bit over 60 just for the rear brackets and hardware.

Yep the plastic version w/o bumper attachment holes.

Thanks @Wet Willys and @jebiruph, Even after shipping that 10 pack should save about $30 versus the dealership parts.

I considered using a nut and bolt at each location but it would really be a pain to get a wrench behind the top bolts. If you were just using the lower bracket it would be fairly easy though. For less than $20 though just get the nutserts from McMaster, sure to save a lot of time and frustration.

 

[jebiruph]

These shipped quick. They look like they will work, but the zinc plating "for mild corrosion resistance" seems to indicate the possibility of corrosion. Given the difficulty of removing them once installed, I'll probably pass and pay for the factory rivnuts that seem to be corrosion proof. It looks like my free skid plate is going to cost about $130 for the hardware to install.

 

[TSquared]

So the nutserts from McMaster worked fine but I would suggest getting a wrench on the back side of them when using an impact.
The metal was soft enough that I had two of them "round out" and had to extract them. I had a third start to, got a wrench on the back of it and worked great.

All in spent less than $150, not a bad upgrade

 

[ShadowsPapa]

There are often you get what you pay for things involved. Jerry's description and then finding they are soft....I'll stick with the mopar parts. Far better quality. The finish on the mopar nutserts is really pretty good and looks to be cad not zinc.

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