Can you mount factory skid plates on a Liberty that didn't come with them?

[WesStevens]

Hello,
I recently bought a 2006 Liberty as a weekend toy. While at a junkyard, I was lucky enough to find a 2005 with factory tow hooks, skid plates, roof mounted light bar, and tow bar. I grabbed everything I could carry. While removing the plates, I noticed that there appear to be screw in inserts with threads and a hex shaped outer edge. I was immediately concerned that my frame may not have those. I tried to remove them in the junkyard, but I didn't have a hex wrench that big.
When I got home, and looked at my frame, as I suspected, there are only hex shaped stamped holes and not the threaded hex nuts that were in the donor Liberty. So, that questions are,
1. Are these plugs removable? Like, can I unscrew them?
2. Can you buy them new? What are they even called and most importantly can you install these yourself?
or...did I just waste my time spending 3 hours on my back in oil, mud and dirt, under a sketchy KJ balanced on old rims for nothing? :-/

Hopefully these pictures will explain better what I'm asking. You can see the brass colors threaded inserts in the first two pictures of the donor vehicle, on the frame rail and the cross member. The second two pictures are how those same locations look in my frame. Note that I only have the hex shaped holes.
Thank you for any assistance.

 

[LibertyTC]

Special unique tool required to mount skid plates, it is called a nutsert tool.
This is the best instructions I have for you.

 

[WesStevens]

Special unique tool required to mount skid plates, it is called a nutsert tool.
This is the best instructions I have for you.

THANK YOU! That is exactly what I needed to know. I appreciate it.

 

[JeepJeepster]

No, they are not removeable.

You can buy a nutsert tool that makes quick work of installing them.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TODXQW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[Shankster]

On some locations you also have the option of just drilling a hole up through the top of whatever member you're attaching to and installing a long bolt with a nut. I did that where I could and nutserts on the others. I made the mistake of not buying the tool and tried to make my own with a nut and bolt - ended up goofing up one or 2 of the nutsert installs. Once you've rounded the hex hole you're pretty much screwed so be super careful to not allow the nutsert to rotate as you install it. I forget what year the skidplates I bought came off but some of the holes didn't match up (I think it was the trans skid) on my 02 so I either had to use the long bolt method or drill new mounting holes in the skid plate. I've considered welding my goofed up nutserts to the chassis but pretty sure they're stainless steel so that presents some compatibility issues with the carbon steel chassis and the welding rod I have.

 

[KJowner]

Stainless will eat carbon steel if you live anywhere where the roads get salted

 

[WesStevens]

On some locations you also have the option of just drilling a hole up through the top of whatever member you're attaching to and installing a long bolt with a nut. I did that where I could and nutserts on the others. I made the mistake of not buying the tool and tried to make my own with a nut and bolt - ended up goofing up one or 2 of the nutsert installs. Once you've rounded the hex hole you're pretty much screwed so be super careful to not allow the nutsert to rotate as you install it. I forget what year the skidplates I bought came off but some of the holes didn't match up (I think it was the trans skid) on my 02 so I either had to use the long bolt method or drill new mounting holes in the skid plate. I've considered welding my goofed up nutserts to the chassis but pretty sure they're stainless steel so that presents some compatibility issues with the carbon steel chassis and the welding rod I

Thanks for the input on this. I hadn't considered the long bolt method. That is a great idea and could definitely work for some of these mounting points. I did look into that AVK Nutsert tool and it is priced very reasonable, so I'll probably grab that. Do you recall what size (nutsert) you used? I was about to reach out to them and see if I can order everything all at once.
For what its worth, I got the skid plates from an '05 JK, and intend to install on an '06. I haven't held the skid plates up to my frame yet to line up holes, but they look very close. I guess I'll see.
Thanks again

 

[klc]

I bought an engine and fuel tank plate from deadjeep.com and they bolted right up. Fuel plate uses the same bolts as the trailer hitch, you’ll need to remove and replace that if you have one.

 

[WesStevens]

I bought an engine and fuel tank plate from deadjeep.com and they bolted right up. Fuel plate uses the same bolts as the trailer hitch, you’ll need to remove and replace that if you have one.

I didn’t grab the gas tank skid plate from the donor Liberty yet but am seriously considering it. The Pick Your Part lot has the KJ jacked up/supported by the gas tank skid plate, which makes it impossible to remove as they don’t allow jacks in the yard.
Do you recall if the gas tank skid plate and trailer hitch also rely on Rivnuts in the frame? Thanks

 

[Shankster]

I didn’t grab the gas tank skid plate from the donor Liberty yet but am seriously considering it. The Pick Your Part lot has the KJ jacked up/supported by the gas tank skid plate, which makes it impossible to remove as they don’t allow jacks in the yard.
Do you recall if the gas tank skid plate and trailer hitch also rely on Rivnuts in the frame? Thanks

Gas tank skid does not require rivnuts. Bolts right up to existing mounting points. I'd grab that gas tank skid if you can - well worth having.

 

[Shankster]

Thanks for the input on this. I hadn't considered the long bolt method. That is a great idea and could definitely work for some of these mounting points. I did look into that AVK Nutsert tool and it is priced very reasonable, so I'll probably grab that. Do you recall what size (nutsert) you used? I was about to reach out to them and see if I can order everything all at once.
For what its worth, I got the skid plates from an '05 JK, and intend to install on an '06. I haven't held the skid plates up to my frame yet to line up holes, but they look very close. I guess I'll see.
Thanks again

Rivnut size I wrote down is M10x1.5x17mm and p/n 06506644AA. You might double check that though.

 

[Shankster]

Rivnut size I wrote down is M10x1.5x17mm and p/n 06506644AA. You might double check that though.

I think I found some generic ones since I didn't want to take out a 2nd mortgage for the Mopar part. It's possible the factory ones fit snugger though but I remember thinking the ones I got were a decent fit.

 

[WesStevens]

Thanks again. Ouch, just looked up the original Mopar part you referenced. Dang, they're $8.82 a piece! Now I know what you mean. I'll focus on the generic search.