Skid Plate

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With Jeff Pollock

Gas Tank Skid Plate by Hardcore 4x4 & Custom Fabrication - Installation

Are you tired of the wimpy stock Zook gas tank skid plate? Is your 10-gallon tank now a 7-gallon tank thanks to those pesky rocks? Well now there is a true Hardcore skid plate for the Zook gas tank from Tim Porter at Hardcore 4x4 & Custom Fabrication. Here we will walk you through a stock gas tank skid plate removal and then install this �beefy� piece of work from Tim Porter. When I say it is beefy, I mean BEEFY!!!

The HC 4x4 gas tank skid plate consists of 7-gauge steel formed to encompass the stock Zook gas tank. The sides are open much like the stock gas tank skid plate for cleaning purposes and a hole has been punched out in the bottom of the plate for access to the gas tank drain plug. This is truly a quality piece of work. As for weight, the skid plate weighs in at a mere 30 lbs. After you install this I am sure you will be more than satisfied.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not do this with a full tank of gas. It is best to have as little fuel as possible in the tank to reduce the weight while removing and installing the gas tank skid plates.

Tools Required:

Floor jack
Piece of wood/wood block
(2) Vise grips
14mm socket
Socket extension
Ratchet
Liquid Wrench/WD-40 or some other type of lubricant
Breaker bar (maybe depending on long it has been since you tried to remove the bolts)
Safety Glasses (To protect the eyes from the �10 tons� of dirt and debris wedged in the stock gas tank skid plate)

Old stock gas tank skid plate removal:

	Support the gas tank and skid plate with a floor jack. Use a piece of wood as a buffer between the jack and skid plate. Saturate the bolts with the penetrating oil

	Remove the four 14mm bolts that hold the gas tank and skid plate in place with the ratchet, extension, and 14mm socket while the jack is still supporting the gas tank and skid plate.

Place the vise grips on the sides of the gas tank, thus attaching the tank to the tank support on the frame.

Lower the floor jack enough to remove the old skid plate.

New HC 4x4 gas tank skid plate installation:

	Slide the new gas tank skid plate between the jack and the gas tank.

	Eyeball the bolt holes and slowly raise the jack to position the skid plate. Remove the vise grips as necessary while you raise the skid plate into position. Insert the stock bolts into the holes, tighten the bolts and you are finished. Be careful not to cross thread the bolts.

Enjoy the satisfaction of knowing your gas tank is now protected from rock damage!

Note: The gas tank skid plates come painted in a black hammered powder coat finish known as Silver Vein. The skid plate in the picture was painted yellow for greater visibility for the installation article.

Source:

Hardcore 4x4 and Custom Fabrication

Attn: Tim Porter
26 Second Ave.
Mount Sterling, OH 43143
(740) 869-4830
tphc4x4@msohio.net

09/15/04 14:51

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