1996-2002 Toyota 4Runner: Heavy Duty Gas Tank Skid Plate

Recreating the basic shape of the gas tank.  11 Gauge sheet and tube were used.  Same material as the Rockstomper Type II skid plate which has proven it self on the trails of Arizona.

Stock gas tank skid plate brackets cut off.  They are spot welded on so getting them off is not real difficult.

Main shell section welded up, side are made from 4" round, gauge 11 tube cut open and into 1/4 sections.

Stock rear brackets welded into place.  Getting them in just the right spot was quite difficult.

Completed skid plate with reinforced stock rear brackets & 3/16" side bracket.  The front bolts to the rear cross member now.

Bottom of completed skid plate, the 1/2" angle iron can be seen.

Custom 3/16" side bracket.  Stock side bracket was not re-used only the rear two were.

Reinforced stock rear bracket, 1/8" steel was added to box in the stock U channel.

Update 9-26-2005

I used the above skid for years and it did really well.  After I swapped in Dana 44 up front, I found I had different needs in a skid.  The 1/8" skid was replaced with a 3/16" gas tank skid and cross member skid.

T-Case skid bolts to sections of 3x4 thick wall tube welded to the frame rails and the gas tank skid now is held with two 3/4" .120 wall tubes for each mount.  3/16" does not seem to dent, where as the 1/8" would slightly.