Gas tank skid plate compatibility. '97 Mounty onto a '03 ST ?

[MidnightRebel07]

Hey y'all I have a '97 Mercury Mountaineer (wife's truck, daily driver grocery getter) that has a steel gas tank and a steel gas tank skid plate. I have a '03 lifted Explorer Sport Trac (daily driver, trail rig, tow rig, etc...) that has a plastic gas tank and no skid plate.

My question is will the Mounty's skid plate bolt right onto the ST ? Looking at the two from underneath they look to be the same same and design tanks. before I remove the skid plate from the Mounty I'd like to find out if it will fit the ST.

 

[01STrunner]

I dont have a difinitive answer but this may help. Here's a couple pics of the ST plate before I bolted it up. Maybe you can tell if its the same as the Mounty plate. The front tab closest to you in the second pic isn't supposed to be bent though (bent in shipping).

 

[MidnightRebel07]

O.k. so I finally tried the skid plate swap from my wife's '97 Mounty to my '03 Sport Trac. Just a heads up, it won't work for a late 2002 Sport Trac with the 23 gallon plastic tank, it will however fit the '01-early '02 ST with the 20.5 gallon steel tank.

 

[sport97]

That sucks, can it be modified easily to fit? Thought about yanking the one of my GFs mounty before we sell it tomorrow but i'm just to lazy. I need to fab one up for my f150.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

I reinstalled it back on her truck since the back tank strap was rusted apart and the skid plate was holding the tank up. Just need to be extra careful this Sunday.

 

[swshawaii]

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7938&postcount=1

 

[MidnightRebel07]

I'm looking for the steel skid plate. I know a couple guys that crushed their composite plates the first time out. Thanks though man, the search comtinues.

 

[obie]

Have you considered swapping over to the smaller 01 ST tank? I'm looking into the same thing on mine, and I'm wary of plastic skid plates as well.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

I like my plastic gas tank, no rust. That's a huge helper here in the rust belt. When I do my SAS I plan on moving my tank up and making a full under belly skid plate.