After MONTHS of trying to track down skid plates for my 2003 Dakota Quad Cab, I finally found the front plate at a dealer in West Virginia and the transfer case/tranny plate at a dealer in Idaho. The gas plate remains elusive but I did get some additional info that you can actually still buy the plate itself... but it's ~$400!!

Here are some part numbers for anyone in the future trying to track down these parts.

Front #82205936 superseded by #82208172

Transfer #82205937 superseded by 82208173

Fuel Tank (Accy part number) #82203839

Fuel Tank "Factory" part number
52102426AB - plate
6503452 - studs
6502337 - nuts
6101340 - uNut/Channel Nut


I finally bit the bullet today and called a number of parts places and dealerships around the country! I probably made 50 calls this morning. I may have very well obtained the last "accessory package" of these plates on the planet.

Both plates were found in a very dusty box jammed way back in the parts department. One guy even told me he had always wondered what was in the box. =)

 

i assume you off-road often...

 

bat might need a set for when he lays that bitch on the ground!

 

no, the 4 banger doesn't get anywere near close to the ground if he had a proper V8, maybe

 

id make my own skid plates for that price... maybe aluminum ones?

 

yeah but welding aluminum is real tricky. it doesn't get red hot and leave a heat signature through the welding mask so its super easy to burn through. plus its real soft to start(depending what kind you buy). and expensive too if you get the pure and strong one. for all that hassle i would just use some heavy gauge steel and be done with it.

 

That's affirmative. I'm not planning on doing any rock crawling, but there a thousands of miles of backroads in Colorado and Utah I want to cover with my kids... my wife isn't into the off-road thing so much although occasionally I can get her out for an autumn leaf-peepin' ride.

I've waited for a long time for a vehicle like my Dakota. A few years ago I bought my wife a NICE Durango... has All-Wheel Drive/4x4, Factory Limited Slip, etc. It was outfitted for family adventures in Colorado. We've taken it off-road like three times. =(

Back when I had my 4x2 (Was a Toyota Tacoma... not the Pre-Runner model... the "regular" 4x2) I took that thing up, over and around some crazy stuff. I can recall a number of times pulling up on a group of big-*** 4x4's out in the middle of nowhere and their eyes just popping out of their heads wondering how in the hell I got back as far as I did with a stock 4x2. My motto... slow and steady.

Now, I've got my dream truck... A white, Quad Cab, SLT Sport 4x4 with the heavy-duty service package, towing, 4.7L V8 and a place to plug in my iPod. My wife actually bought me the truck last Valentines day after some guy from Florida plowed into me after a snowstorm and totaled my Tacoma (he was late for a meeting).

This summer was my first real 4x4 outing up and over Georgia Pass here in Colorado from Jefferson to Breckenridge. It was awesome, but I would have felt much better with some protection on the underside. I have a number of trips planned based on a couple of books I got from http://www.adlerpublishing.com/. These are by far the best 4WD books for Colorado, Utah and Arizona out there.

So, I'm just starting off with my 4x4, but I've driven thousands of miles off-road. Now I'm just gonna kick it up a notch.

Oh, and did I mention I got BOTH the front and tranny plate kits for $50? =)

Pays to to the research and negotiate the price.

 

Skid plates showed up today. =) I'll be bolting them on this weekend and will be sure to post some pics...

 

where do you roll in Utah. up here in the basin around vernal.

 

Ok, I got them bolted on in about fifteen minutes... unfortunately, my digital camera is dead. I can't even get the darn thing to turn on (yes, the battery is charged). So sorry... no pic's for now.

Now I just need to find the gas tank plate... that's gonna be a big one!

As far as my adventures in Utah go, mostly I've just done some pretty easy stuff around the Colorado/Utah border getting to and from mountain biking trailheads, but with the release of the above referenced book from my previous post, I can't wait to get my hands on the book and start planning some Utah outings.