Dented Fuel Tank

[SierraBronco]

I wonder why all 2 door broncos come with a tank skid?

They’re the real bronco’s. Four doors are for Starbucks. Everyone knows that.

Still doesn’t change the fact that the factory skids shouldn’t be relied on too much…

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[Desert_Brush]

I wonder why all 2 door broncos come with a tank skid?

Because the money that we saved on the extra doors went to our skid plates.

 

[Tonka Bronka]

Finally got a few hundred miles on the new BaseSquatch, and so I took it out to the desert and high centered on a big rock to, uh... test how strong the gas tank is. I'll go with that lie story.
It passed the test, no leaks. Plastic is really strong. Bonus: my tank still showed full when I got back.

Any ideas how to get the dent out? I though it might just pop back once I removed the bracket, but nope.
Also, where is the pickup located? Front, center, back?

The pump comes out the top. Remove the tank, pull the pump, rig a plate with a hole and use air pressure to push out the dent.

 

[Tonka Bronka]

They’re the real bronco’s. Four doors are for Starbucks. Everyone knows that.

Still doesn’t change the fact that the factory skids shouldn’t be relied on too much…

I had the skid off of my Starbucks getter the other day to change the fuel pump. I don't recall thinking that I could just wad this up like aluminum foil. You have some video of someone bending one by hand? You should post it here. I think we would all like to see.

 

[SierraBronco]

I had the skid off of my Starbucks getter the other day to change the fuel pump. I don't recall thinking that I could just wad this up like aluminum foil. You have some video of someone bending one by hand? You should post it here. I think we would all like to see.

All the factory skids have been thrown away and replaced with Next Venture skids. But send me yours and I’ll happily do my best to destroy it by hand.

And to be clear-we’re talking about the factory skids. Not even 1/8” thick. You really think it’s going to be difficult to bend a 5’ length of 1/8 sheetmetal? And then there’s the skid behind the bash plate. Ya know-the one with a huge hole for the front diff. You’re of the belief these are for “serious offroading?”

 

[11811]

 

[userdude]

All the factory skids have been thrown away and replaced with Next Venture skids. But send me yours and I’ll happily do my best to destroy it by hand.

And to be clear-we’re talking about the factory skids. Not even 1/8” thick. You really think it’s going to be difficult to bend a 5’ length of 1/8 sheetmetal? And then there’s the skid behind the bash plate. Ya know-the one with a huge hole for the front diff. You’re of the belief these are for “serious offroading?”

Guess it depends on what you mean by "serious off roading". I think for folks not doing >7 out of 10 difficulty should be fine; most are probably checking out at 4 or 5's. I know I beat my stock ones up and they held up until I got beefier ones. I also rolled onto a boulder with my gas tank skid once and it scuffed it up but it didn't bend. I probably couldn't bend them with my hand, but I'm not in the gym all the time anymore. Not everybody's pushing it to 10 or needs $2k NVM full belly skids.

 

[SierraBronco]

Guess it depends on what you mean by "serious off roading". I think for folks not doing >7 out of 10 difficulty should be fine; most are probably checking out at 4 or 5's. I know I beat my stock ones up and they held up until I got beefier ones. I also rolled onto a boulder once and it scuffed it up but it didn't bend. I probably couldn't bend them with my hand, but I'm not in the gym all the time anymore. Not everybody's pushing it to 10 or needs $2k NVM full belly skids.

a very reasonable and appropriate response.

Like strength, everything is relative. A 6 is boring for us unless there is some good sightseeing. (Or good people) And a challenging (for us) 8 is boring to buggy guys or those that don’t mind body damage.

 

[userdude]

a very reasonable and appropriate response.

Like strength, everything is relative. A 6 is boring for us unless there is some good sightseeing. (Or good people) And a challenging (for us) 8 is boring to buggy guys or those that don’t mind body damage.

Oh dang man, I remember the first few times I went out with others who were as clueless as me, we were wide-eyed at a 4-5" drop. It would've been funny to hear us plottin' for several minutes how to make something I wouldn't even get outta my Bronco for now.

I've done some tricky borderline-if-not-stupid stuff and trying to keep up with the betters usually brought it out. I had the stock plates about 14 months (about 55+ trips out) and I can't say I ever thought they were going to ruin me. I got the SFR beefier plates because I was working up to Wolf Caves but that's probably a pipe dream. But they do offer more protection, regardless.

I was watching wheelingoutwest's latest video in the pinch canyon and yeah, real off roading ain't what we do. We do adventure touring. Some just tour harder than others.

 

[SierraBronco]

Oh dang man, I remember the first few times I went out with others who were as clueless as me, we were wide-eyed at a 4-5" drop. It would've been funny to hear us plottin' for several minutes how to make something I wouldn't even get outta my Bronco for now.

I've done some tricky borderline-if-not-stupid stuff and trying to keep up with the betters usually brought it out. I had the stock plates about 14 months (about 55+ trips out) and I can't say I ever thought they were going to ruin me. I got the SFR beefier plates because I was working up to Wolf Caves but that's probably a pipe dream. But they do offer more protection, regardless.

I was watching wheelingoutwest's latest video in the pinch canyon and yeah, real off roading ain't what we do. We do adventure touring. Some just tour harder than others.

I saw that huge hole in the front skid and thought “yeah. That’s gotta go. I’m not relying on these at all.” And even as thick as everything is on the NVM skids we’ve still managed to bend a couple brackets on the “stingray” looking skid. They replaced them asap and now everyone has thicker mounts!

 

[userdude]

I saw that huge hole in the front skid and thought “yeah. That’s gotta go. I’m not relying on these at all.” And even as thick as everything is on the NVM skids we’ve still managed to bend a couple brackets on the “stingray” looking skid. They replaced them asap and now everyone has thicker mounts!

Totally fair observation. Y'all are pushing some boundaries, though. Which is great, I love it. I wish I were right there with y'all. There's nothing like "surviving" something stressful! Or improving a product you like and rely on.

There were a couple times I got close to hitting the cut out (especially when I flopped and broke that skid mount, that was really close...). Those for me were either borderline or moving too fast to think (like when I whacked right next to it on Mineral Creek and left a big white scrape). If novices and amateurs are smart, they go slow and keep a reasonable tempo. Not try to keep up with three built up JKU's on 37's going 30mph up the mountain...

Back on task, anyone without a skid plate that's off roading should be aware they're taking a chance. I would consider the OEM one as the base acceptable.

 

[Tonka Bronka]

All the factory skids have been thrown away and replaced with Next Venture skids. But send me yours and I’ll happily do my best to destroy it by hand.

And to be clear-we’re talking about the factory skids. Not even 1/8” thick. You really think it’s going to be difficult to bend a 5’ length of 1/8 sheetmetal? And then there’s the skid behind the bash plate. Ya know-the one with a huge hole for the front diff. You’re of the belief these are for “serious offroading?”

I never made any claims. That was you and your snide comment about folks who drive four door Broncos. So I guess you can't show us the video of your powerful strength bending up the factory skid plate. Maybe you should be more careful when you drive over to Starbucks for your latte.

 

[SierraBronco]

I never made any claims. That was you and your snide comment about folks who drive four door Broncos. So I guess you can't show us the video of your powerful strength bending up the factory skid plate. Maybe you should be more careful when you drive over to Starbucks for your latte.

I can literally bicep curl 20 pound dumbbells if I had a Grande Latte on the way to the gym. Your feeble skid plate stands no chance.

 

[jtgensler]

idk about the factory skids, because my WT didn't come with any.
I do know I bent the crap out of the factory tank strap, just with clay/mud lol.
So those went away & an RCI skid plate took the place of holding my fuel tank in.

 

[userdude]

I can literally bicep curl 20 pound dumbbells if I had a Grande Latte on the way to the gym. Your feeble skid plate stands no chance.

I thought you were talking about bending the gas tank skid? Which I thought was more like plate steel?

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