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OEM Plastic Skid Plate

woodsters

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Our 2018 JLU Sport has the OEM plastic skid plate. A while back, we had a base plate installed to tow the jeep behind our motorhome. I’ve noticed for a while that one side of the skid plate hangs down lower. When I climb underneath to check, it appears that at least one (maybe more) of the plastic clips is missing. Not sure if it’s been like that since we had the work done or broke off/fell out afterwards. Does anyone know exactly which pins they are? I tried looking up the pins but I am coming up with several different type fo different body parts. Not sure if I am using the correct terminology.
Should I just remove that skid plate altogether? Is there something b water that can replace it (that will work with a base plate)?
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Our 2018 JLU Sport has the OEM plastic skid plate. A while back, we had a base plate installed to tow the jeep behind our motorhome. I’ve noticed for a while that one side of the skid plate hangs down lower. When I climb underneath to check, it appears that at least one (maybe more) of the plastic clips is missing. Not sure if it’s been like that since we had the work done or broke off/fell out afterwards. Does anyone know exactly which pins they are? I tried looking up the pins but I am coming up with several different type fo different body parts. Not sure if I am using the correct terminology.
Should I just remove that skid plate altogether? Is there something b water that can replace it (that will work with a base plate)?

Are you referring to the push pins for the air dam? > > > Fascia_components
 

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Brian, Marc is right - it’s an air dam, not a skid plate - intended to improve aerodynamics and thus fuel mileage. In my opinion it’s a useless piece of plastic. I removed it, as many do, and I noticed absolutely no loss of MPGs.
 
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woodsters

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Brian, Marc is right - it’s an air dam, not a skid plate - intended to improve aerodynamics and thus fuel mileage. In my opinion it’s a useless piece of plastic. I removed it, as many do, and I noticed absolutely no loss of MPGs.
Ok. So it’s not there to protect anything?
 

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Maybe just to keep the tall weeds from getting stuck in the steering/sway bar area. Mine left with the original bumper. No issues.
 

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Ok. So it’s not there to protect anything?
It's too flimsy to consider it a measure of "protection." The only (stock) skids underneath are the thin metal pieces for the transmission & gas tank.
 
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woodsters

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It's too flimsy to consider it a measure of "protection." The only (stock) skids underneath are the thin metal pieces for the transmission & gas tank.
Thanks. Will probably my be easier to just remove it than to try and get another clip for it. And I agree, I don’t care for the look of it.
 

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Thanks. Will probably my be easier to just remove it than to try and get another clip for it. And I agree, I don’t care for the look of it.
My daughter JK has had one side hanging for a while. After reading this, I think I will remove the thing and be done with it. Her gas mileage sucks anyway.
 
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My daughter JK has had one side hanging for a while. After reading this, I think I will remove the thing and be done with it. Her gas mileage sucks anyway.
Yeah I’m not worried about gas mileage. It gets over 20mpg and if it loses a mpg because it’s gone, I will be out a whopping 18 miles or so less to travel on a tank of gas. Not a big deal.
Just didn’t want it to affect something important.
 

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woodsters

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Upon further looking, it appears that it’s the 2 bolts that are missing. But I do not see what they screw into. Looks like if there were support brackets, that they are gone. Not sure what happened with them. The front dampener was replaced due to death wobble about a year ago at the dealership. Wonder if they did it. Or a couple years ago when the base plate was put on. But I don’t remember it being like this afterwards.
Anyone know if there is a support bracket for each of the two bolts that is supposed to be there?
 

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Upon further looking, it appears that it’s the 2 bolts that are missing. But I do not see what they screw into. Looks like if there were support brackets, that they are gone. Not sure what happened with them. The front dampener was replaced due to death wobble about a year ago at the dealership. Wonder if they did it. Or a couple years ago when the base plate was put on. But I don’t remember it being like this afterwards.
Anyone know if there is a support bracket for each of the two bolts that is supposed to be there?
My JL has a cross member, that's attached with (IIRC 2 16 mm bolts). The cross member has the holes for 2 small screws that hold the air dam. My air dam is attached with maybe 6 plastic trim fasteners at the bumper AND the two screws. I also installed a base plate for 4 down towing (actually Maximus tow loops) & did the work myself. I had the air dam off for maybe two weeks while I was working on the install & I did notice more "noise". I decided to trim the air dam and reinstall. I'm sure you can source the missing trim fasteners & missing screws from dealer if you want. Maybe the cross member was removed to facilitate base plate? If that's the case the trim fasteners at the bumper IMO would not be adequate. Here is a short vid that shows the cross member. Behind bumper
 
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woodsters

woodsters

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My JL has a cross member, that's attached with (IIRC 2 16 mm bolts). The cross member has the holes for 2 small screws that hold the air dam. My air dam is attached with maybe 6 plastic trim fasteners at the bumper AND the two screws. I also installed a base plate for 4 down towing (actually Maximus tow loops) & did the work myself. I had the air dam off for maybe two weeks while I was working on the install & I did notice more "noise". I decided to trim the air dam and reinstall. I'm sure you can source the missing trim fasteners & missing screws from dealer if you want. Maybe the cross member was removed to facilitate base plate? If that's the case the trim fasteners at the bumper IMO would not be adequate. Here is a short vid that shows the cross member. Behind bumper
Yeah I did some research and saw that metal piece. A baseplate install video mentioned cutting the ends of it where the screw holes are and mounting it where the base plate is mounted. Those pieces are there. I may just see if I can zip tie it up to something. And if that doesn’t work, just remove the thing. I’m not going to go through all of that to just put two pieces up to screw it in to.
 

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Upon further looking, it appears that it’s the 2 bolts that are missing. But I do not see what they screw into. Looks like if there were support brackets, that they are gone. Not sure what happened with them. The front dampener was replaced due to death wobble about a year ago at the dealership. Wonder if they did it. Or a couple years ago when the base plate was put on. But I don’t remember it being like this afterwards.
Anyone know if there is a support bracket for each of the two bolts that is supposed to be there?
There are two metal clips that attach to the underside of the vehicle. They are easily removable and probably were lost. The clips are what the two bolts screw into. I imagine you could pick them up at a dealership for just a couple of dollars. I wish I knew exactly what they were called, but I don't.
 
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woodsters

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There are two metal clips that attach to the underside of the vehicle. They are easily removable and probably were lost. The clips are what the two bolts screw into. I imagine you could pick them up at a dealership for just a couple of dollars. I wish I knew exactly what they were called, but I don't.
It’s not just a couple of clips. It’s a piece of metal that stretches across. It has the bolt holes on each end. Base plate installation requires to cut the ends with holes and remount those before the base plate. Then you can place the bolts through the air dam into those pieces. The pieces aren’t there and I’m not going to try and remove the base plate just to put those on there. Not worth all that.
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