Installing Stock Rubicon Skid Plate on Sport

[Kjm18]

Those parts are definitely needed for the rear part of the bracket. (Those also the other parts that are contained in of 82215183AB.)

I think that there is a pair of additional brackets that are needed to attach in the front.

I have a JT Rubicon that came from the factory with a plastic bumper and the optional steel skid plate. I recently replaced it with the steel bumper and needed to get a different (compatible) skid plate.

This weekend, I'm going to take the new skid plate off and see if I can pull these brackets off. (I didn't attach anything to them when installing the new skid plate. I talked to a dealer parts person and a service tech. They thought that the brackets shouldn't be needed for anything else.

Maybe someone else knows for sure???

Here are three photos:

1. Front view of Gladiator with the bumper off. The red box shows the bracket in question.

2. A comparison of the two skid plates. The one that works with the steel bumper on the top and the one for the factory skid plate is the bottom. Both are oriented in the same direction: JT front toward the bottom. Here you can see the difference... I put a red box around the spot where the bracket is used to attach this skid plate. (The rear mount point is the same for both skid plates... See the blue circle.

3. An (extreme) close-up of the The face of the bracket is in the upper part of the picture

I'm about to do the same install. Did you need anything other than the bumper and the skid plate to install the steel bumper?

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[GladiatoRic]

I got ahold of a stock Rubicon (non Steel) front bumper and also the metal skid plate that goes with it - but it looks like I'm missing some sort of mounting brackets/hardware?
Does anyone know what that skid plate bolts into and if the brackets are available anywhere?

Sport S with rubicon one piece bumper and skid plate.

 

[rickrogan]

I'm about to do the same install. Did you need anything other than the bumper and the skid plate to install the steel bumper?

If you are doing the factory steel bumper and the corresponding steel skid (that ties into the front bumper), you just need the steel skid kit 82215183AB that contains the necessary hardware. Along with the required tools, of course. The front bumper needs to be torqued to 90 ft lbs (if I recall correctly) which was enough that I dug out my torque wrench to get it right.

 

[Kjm18]

If you are doing the factory steel bumper and the corresponding steel skid (that ties into the front bumper), you just need the steel skid kit 82215183AB that contains the necessary hardware. Along with the required tools, of course. The front bumper needs to be torqued to 90 ft lbs (if I recall correctly) which was enough that I dug out my torque wrench to get it right.

Right, so I just buy the bumper and the kit and I'm good. Thanks

 

[GladiatoRic]

Bumper, corresponding skid and two brackets. Ideally from someone that has upgraded their rubicon. I got everything for $75.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Bumper, corresponding skid and two brackets. Ideally from someone that has upgraded their rubicon. I got everything for $75.

I have the stock Rubicon skid plate and front brackets coming - need the rear brackets and hardware.

 

[GladiatoRic]

I have the stock Rubicon skid plate and front brackets coming - need the rear brackets and hardware.

Crap, didn’t realize there is a rear bracket. Explains the rear holes! Do you have the part number or link to the rear bracket?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Crap, didn’t realize there is a rear bracket. Explains the rear holes! Do you have the part number or link to the rear bracket?

@rickrogan has a post on page 1 of this thread, last post on that page, he lays out the part numbers for the forward and rearward left and right brackets. That's what I will have to go by. Those are apparently the same on both Rubicon skid plates, the front brackets are only used with the non-steel bumper.

 

[MarineHawk]

I have a JT Rubicon that came from the factory with a plastic bumper and the optional steel skid plate. I recently replaced it with the steel bumper and needed to get a different (compatible) skid plate.

I just got the local shop to cut the stock skid to fit under the (in my case, Quadratec) aftermarket steel bumper.

 

[rickrogan]

I just got the local shop to cut the stock skid to fit under the (in my case, Quadratec) aftermarket steel bumper.

That's pretty cool. Would like to see pix when you have the time

 

[MarineHawk]

That's pretty cool. Would like to see pix when you have the time

It's hard to see, let alone capture in a pic, what they did. The only place where the skid comes close in contact to the bumper is where the top front of the skid meets the brackets on the bumper. I assume that they just trimmed the skid at those points. How one would want to do it would depend on which bumper is on the Jeep.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I have the Rubicon skid plate and what I believe are the front brackets in hand now.
So at this point I need to get the rear brackets and the hardware (bolts, nuts, etc.)
The skid plate is from a Rubicon with the "plastic bumper" so it's the skid plate that does not attach to or screw to the bumper.
It uses front brackets to hang from the frame horns.

 

[Swatstar10]

I have the Rubicon skid plate and what I believe are the front brackets in hand now.
So at this point I need to get the rear brackets and the hardware (bolts, nuts, etc.)
The skid plate is from a Rubicon with the "plastic bumper" so it's the skid plate that does not attach to or screw to the bumper.
It uses front brackets to hang from the frame horns.

I just finished the install of the rubicon skid under the plastic bumper. I needed 4 brackets, 8 riv nuts, 8 bolts, and 4 screw/bolts.

 

[Pocono-Jeep]

I just finished the install of the rubicon skid under the plastic bumper. I needed 4 brackets, 8 riv nuts, 8 bolts, and 4 screw/bolts.

What method did you use to install the rivnuts? I’ve been looking at the tools they sell for installing them, but the ones for the skid plate brackets are pretty beefy and I wasn’t sure they would get the job done.

 

[Swatstar10]

I just ratcheted them in until they were set tight then backed out the bolt.

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