Asfir 4x4 Jeep Wrangler TJ Gas Tank Skid Plate

Adding more trail protection to our TJ Wrangler with Asfir 4x4's Gas Tank Skid Plate

Sep. 24, 2012 By Josh Burns

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Sometimes you don’t realize you need more trail protection until you break something. This was pretty much the case on our recent trip to the Rubicon in our Jeep Wrangler. After coming off of a number of steep, drop-off ledges, we thought our Bestop HighRock 4x4 Bumper took most of the impact, but once we got home we noticed a giant dent in our factory gas shield that holds the actual gas tank in place.

After our recent trip the Rubicon, we came home with a giant dent in our stock fuel tank skid plate. Had the puncture been worse, we could’ve ended up with a fuel leak or worse.

This dent was not a good situation and needed repair and reinforcement before hitting the trail again. Aside from the obvious danger of a fuel tank leak and eventual spill, the spot was clearly a weak point on our Wrangler moving forward. Had the dent been worse it might have actually punctured the tank.

The Asfir 4x4 TJ Wrangler Fuel Tank Skid Plate kit comes with everything needed to bolt it in place.

We are really impressed with the heavy-duty brackets holding the Asfir 4x4 skid plate in place. These mount to the frame utilizing a pre-existing frame hole.

It was clearly time to add some protection for our fuel tank. We came across a very nice skid plate for the TJ Wrangler from Asfir 4x4. The company was actually installing trail protection on the 2012 Road Race Motorsports JK we featured on the site a while back. Asfir 4x4 is an Israeli-based company has been producing off-road parts for literally decades (since 1986), but this has mostly been across the pond and only in the last few years has it been distributed in the United States.

Before we installed the Asfir 4x4 skid plate, we needed to remove the stock factory gas shield. This piece actually holds the tank in place, and since it was bent out of shape and pinching on the plastic gas tank it needed to be fixed properly to avoid any future mishaps. The tank did need to be supported with a tie-down while the shroud was removed since it holds it in place.

Will from Road Race Motorsports beat out the dents on the stock gas shield to get it back into shape.

According to Eitan Urman, owner of Advanced Off-Road Technology (AOT) and North American distributor for Asfir 4x4, the company was born after talk between Israeli Special Forces teams, specifically helicopter crews (needing lightweight protection) and teams operating off-road armored vehicles. The idea was hatched to produce not only durable parts that could offer serious off-road protection, but also make it lightweight and easy to install out in the field if necessary as opposed to a heavier part that required additional manpower.

Proving they can tackle most any job, Johnny from Road Race Motorsports re-welded a bent piece on the stock gas tank shield before we reinstalled it.

The Asfir 4x4 TJ Gas Tank Skid Plate is designed to fit over the stock gas tank shield, which we like because it does not rest directly on the gas tank and offers an extra level of protection. It is designed thoughtfully to use the preexisting bolts and it cut to fit over the stock hardware.

“A steel plate you need two guys just to hold it up,” Urman said, who explained that Asfir 4x4’s aluminum parts feature, “reduced weight on the vehicle, are easier to install, and aluminum doesn’t rust.”

Since our TJ Wrangler took such a beating on our last off-road trip, we ran into a little issue with fitment of the Asfir 4x4 skid plate since we had bent the stock gas tank shield and the angle of the stock bolts, which as you can see, don’t fit through the holes properly because the whole bracket is bent.

Aside from Jeeps, Asfir 4x4 has produces accessories for Toyota, Chevy, Ford and Polaris vehicles. The parts are designed to fit a stock vehicle and bolt in or around the existing bolts in the frame. Asfir’s TJ Fuel Skid Plate fits over the factory gas shield, and it is constructed of 1/4-inch-thick 5052 aluminum. This meant we needed to pull off the stock gas shield to pop out the dent (and reduce chance of any future issue) before moving forward with the install.

With Road Race Motorsports helping us with the install, we were able to overcome the issues with our bent-up Wrangler and add more trail protection to our Wrangler. The install is pretty straightforward other than needing work around our bent parts. Since we are running a Bestop Highrock 4x4 rear bumper and not the stock piece, a corner section of the skid plate needed to be cut off. We also ran into a fitment issue with the bolt holes (as noted in the photos detailing the install), but this wasn’t a faulty design of the skid plate – this was because our Jeep had been beat up on the trail and the bolts angled awkwardly.

The sturdy brackets secure the Asfir 4x4 skid plate to either side of the frame around the gas tank. As we noted, the Asfir plate actually sits just off the stock tank so it won’t come in direct contact when it hits a rock or stump on the trail.

With the Asfir 4x4 Gas Tank Skid Plate installed, we have piece of mind that what was once a weak link on our Wrangler is now reinforced for our next trail ride. Protection aside, the billet aluminum piece just looks great on our TJ. The sturdy, quarter-inch-thick plate and brackets are great. Although it’s nice and shiny now, we sort of can’t wait to bounce it off a few rocks to really put it to the test.

Once installed, our concerns with gas tank protection are laid to rest. Most importantly, the lightweight aluminum Asfir 4x4 piece looks so nice it makes the rear of our TJ look great.