Skid plate holds up the fuel tank?

[Planepal]

So I was going to drop the skid plate on my 2004 Rubicon to route some wiring and paint up the skid plate. As I started lowering the skid plate, the tank started dropping too. I didn’t realize that the skid plate holds the fuel tank up. I stopped and tightened everything back up but I was wondering how the skid plate supports the tank. Is there a piece of foam or plastic to support it. My fuel tank is plastic, did it come stock with a plastic tank or has that been swapped out. How hard is it to disconnect the fuel fittings if I try to drop it in the future. Thanks. Paul

 

[billyp]

Stock tank is plastic and yes the skid plate is used to support the tank. It's fairly easy to disconnect the fuel lines and electrical lines to drop the tank out entirely. I'm sure you can find some detailed instructions on here if you search the forum.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

So I was going to drop the skid plate on my 2004 Rubicon to route some wiring and paint up the skid plate. As I started lowering the skid plate, the tank started dropping too. I didn’t realize that the skid plate holds the fuel tank up. I stopped and tightened everything back up but I was wondering how the skid plate supports the tank. Is there a piece of foam or plastic to support it. My fuel tank is plastic, did it come stock with a plastic tank or has that been swapped out. How hard is it to disconnect the fuel fittings if I try to drop it in the future. Thanks. Paul

plastic tank just sits in the skid and some straps run over the top of the tank holding it down in the skid.

 

[red02tj]

Pic for reference

 

[LONGJP2]

If you have fill-up issues, you can fix that while the tank is out.

 

[P man]

So I was going to drop the skid plate on my 2004 Rubicon to route some wiring and paint up the skid plate. As I started lowering the skid plate, the tank started dropping too. I didn’t realize that the skid plate holds the fuel tank up. I stopped and tightened everything back up but I was wondering how the skid plate supports the tank. Is there a piece of foam or plastic to support it. My fuel tank is plastic, did it come stock with a plastic tank or has that been swapped out. How hard is it to disconnect the fuel fittings if I try to drop it in the future. Thanks. Paul

Be very careful if and when you do drop the tank. 03-04 is a unique tank and when you break a fitting off it will hurt the pocketbook.

I always take a floor jack and slowly lower it while checking for hoses and wiring that is going to catch on everything possible. The worst thing you can do is let the tank just drop to the ground

 

[RINC]

 

[B1Toad]

When I took mine down there was about 2 pounds of forest service road gravel in it.

 

[Planepal]

Thanks for all the advice And especially the pics.