When I purchased my 97 manual 4x4, the mechanic who inspected it discovered it was missing the skid plate that mounts under the transfer case. (I hope I have these terms right.) He ordered a new plate and support bar, which I planned on installing when it arrived, since the mechanic had finished the other work on the truck, and is not in the same town where I live. He provided the schematic from the parts manual. When the plate arrived, it did not look like the plate in the schematic. The plate I received was flat, and the picture showed a plate that bends up and over the support bar that mounts across the truck onto the rails of the frame. Eventually, through the local Dodge dealer, we determined there is a catalogue error on this part (the picture is right, but the number listed is for the wrong plate), and got a new plate, which appears to match the schematic picture. However, the new plate and bar still don't seem compatible. The plate lines up with the transfer case and the holes in the frame, and the bar lines up with the holes in the plate and the holes on the rails, but the two parts don't fit together attached to the truck. I can bolt the skid plate to the bar, but then I can only bolt the front of the skid plate to the truck, or the support bar in place, but cannot attach both the skid plate and the bar to the truck. Has anyone else run into this problem, AND figured out the correct parts and solution?

 

mine has a bar with 2 nuts (one on each side at the chassis) and a plate that bolts to the bottom of the transfer case with 4 bolts.

 

The parts I received have four holes in the plate and two holes in the bar, at the ends. The bar also has two bolts on it in the middle that line up with the holes on the plate. The schematic shows the plate attaching to the bottom of the transfer case at the front, but to the bar in the back. Could someone with a 97 manual 4X4 post or send me a couple photos of the plate and bar attached

 

My skid plate is hanging up in the back of the shed. You want it?

 

You have two mounting holes in the skid plate that match the holes in the main crossmember that supports the x-fer case and x-mission. Your frame should have three holes on each rail that mount the crossmember that comes with the plate. There are two different crossmembers that can come with the plate. One is a very wimpy bar that has only one hole for the frame, the other is beefier and has two holes that match the frame. My guess is you may have mounted the plate in the wrong position on the supplied crossbar. Try mounting the plate on the front main bar and with it hanging there, play with the supplied bar, sliding it around and see if eventually the frame holes and plate mounting holes line up.