"The GateKeeper" - Radiator Skid Plate

We are working on bringing you better images of "The GateKeeper" Radiator Skid Plate but for now we wanted to provide you with some updates on what we are up to.

Through testing and banging on a few rocks we came to learn that the radiator support bar on the WJ is made of bread. Literally, thin sheetmetal which can be damaged by the slightest impact. We have redesigned our radiator skid plate a few times since our Overland Bumper release in December and have finally come to a design that is satisfactory and actually serves a purpose. 

With our bumpers providing the perfect approach angle and strong mounting points, which reach all the way back near the sway bar bolts, it was imperative the radiator skid plate served a purpose as equal to the bumper. 

The actual skid plate which covers the bottom of the radiator support bar is made of 1/4" steel plate by 4" wide. The plate bends around and up the radiator support bar to reach our bumper and it mounts to the bumper. This mounting supports the underside of the skid plate for impacts where the Jeep falls from an obstacle onto an object such as a rock. The front of the skid plate is supported by eight 1" bars x .120 walls. These bars follow the lines of the upper grill to form the Jeep Seven Slot Grill Design. The 1" bars are welded to a 1/4" x 1.5" steel plate which bolts to the existing winch mounting hols. 

The point of the radiator support skid plate is to provide a gate between your radiator and the rock. For this reason we have decided to call it "The GateKeeper".

Stay tuned as we install The GateKeeper with our Overland Bumper and bash on a few rocks to demonstrate its durability. The skid plate weighs 28.4 pounds and we do not want to add any additional weight if not necessary. Only testing will determine this decision.

The pictures provided are temporary and we will have professional shots coming soon. The GateKeeper will be produced in well in advance of all orders ready to be shipped. We will provide them Primered and Bed Line Sprayed Black. No need to powder coat a product we expect to bash on rocks, although powder coating will be an available option.

The GateKeeper will be have two version. The Bumper Version and the Winch Mount Version for existing winch mount owners. Although it will not be compatible with factory bumper fascias. If you are using our winch mount with out the bumper fascia, this is a great add on and a mighty important one. 


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