RCI Skid plate removal issues

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WHITE-OUT

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Anyone have an issue with removing the RCI transmission skid plate? Seems after a couple big hits to the plate I have broken the weld nuts inside the cross member and now can't get the plate off. There is very limited access inside the cross member to grab the now spinning weld nut. I would just cut the bolt but RCI's skid have a "Bolt protector ring" that is made it so the bolt head can't be sheered off.

Any other suggestions besides drilling the bolt out are welcome. Using a pry bar to apply downward force on the plate and bolt did not help either.



 
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This happened to me as well with mine. We were able to fit a small wrench inside the hole on the frame and get it to slip over the nut. When we started to loosen the bolt, the wrench braced itself against the inside of the frame, to keep it from spinning. It's tedious and you cannot see inside there, but we made it work. To get the nut back on, we packed it into the wrench with a bit of paper so it was snug, and we were able to get the skid bolt back into place with the same procedure.

Hope this helps!

**EDIT: now I see this is your tranny skid.... mine happened on the front engine skid, so I'm not sure this will work for you.
 
WHITE-OUT said:
Anyone have an issue with removing the RCI transmission skid plate? Seems after a couple big hits to the plate I have broken the weld nuts inside the cross member and now can't get the plate off. There is very limited access inside the cross member to grab the now spinning weld nut. I would just cut the bolt but RCI's skid have a "Bolt protector ring" that is made it so the bolt head can't be sheered off.

Any other suggestions besides drilling the bolt out are welcome. Using a pry bar to apply downward force on the plate and bolt did not help either.



Click to expand...

If you absolutely can't get to the nut I see grinding in your future. I would grind/cut the head off that bolt with a metal cutting wheel and chisel the rest off. I really don't see any other way.
 
A sawzall blade cant fit in that gap above the skid to cut the bolt? That would let you get the skid plate down and then work on the rest of the bolt and spinning nut
 
e60ral said:
A sawzall blade cant fit in that gap above the skid to cut the bolt? That would let you get the skid plate down and then work on the rest of the bolt and spinning nut
Click to expand...

I was actually able to get the transfer skid plate out and that allowed enough room to get between the skid and cross member to cut the bolt.


These are supposed to the flat...

 
WHITE-OUT said:
I was actually able to get the transfer skid plate out and that allowed enough room to get between the skid and cross member to cut the bolt.


These are supposed to the flat...

Click to expand...

Wow... Well at least you know they are doing their job! Secures in my mind that when I get skids RCI is who I'm going with even though you are having this bolt issue.
 
Pretty sure this is when my skids got bent...

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N9IMewyhQGY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Cool video! Good to know that i'm not carrying all this extra weight for nothing.. Lot of people don't put on skids and seem to do fine, i guess all it takes is that one time.
 
WHITE-OUT said:
I shouldn't have trusted my two spotters! I knew it when I pulled up to the ledge I was lined up wrong, but went for it anyways.
Click to expand...

It's my belief that to be a good spotter you also need to be a good rock stacker to make drops less likely to have big clangs involved.
 
I had that same captured nut issue on a different 4x4 years ago, and ended up sawzalling the bolt, then welded a new bigger nut into place so that it hopefully wouldn't ever happen again.

Here's an idea, how about instead of "skid plates", someone starts making "skid sliders" for protection. Maybe some 1/2" criss-crossed tube or solid round pieces to slide over instead of plate steel. I always liked the UHMU or whatever it's called (cutting board material) that goes over the steel stuff, I've seen serious rock crawling guys use that stuff.

I have some ARB skids I just took off and can't decide what to do with them, but flat steel just can't hold up. At the same time that they get beat up, they do protect what is above them, so I guess we can't complain too much.
 
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