Thread: Underside protection - how much?

Guess this is as good a place to post this as any and to save a new thread.....

Anyone got a long ranger tank fitted? Specifically the type that replaces the original and hangs a 'little bit' low on a 110?

I keep clouting mine and am starting to get a bit worried that I'm going to run out of luck and rip the bugger.

Anyone know of or made up a guard for one (or similar)? I'd appreciate any info. if anyone has done.

Cheers,

Ian.

Originally Posted by Symo

Don't over complicate the rear mudflap supports. I went to bunnings and grabbed a meter length of aluminium "L" section with the horizontal part of the "L" the same length of the fold on the back of the guard.

Cut it to fit the full length of the guard, then making sure the inside of the guard inside was spotless, I used a great amount of silicon and some clamps and siliconed the aluminium "L" on the inside of the guard on the existing lip. After the silicon set I then drilled a few holes on the underside of the guard through the small side of the "L" and added a few rivets. I then drilled a bigger hole to mount the mud flap too.

It's been there for two years now. Strong as an oxe and has the added advantage of strengthing the who guard.

My 2c

Bear in mind the fact that this cost me less than $50 and about 20 minutes of my time. And not everyone has those materials on hand. And I don't know about you, but once I jump in the car for Bunnings it's never going to be a quick or cheap exercise...

Originally Posted by n plus one

Yep, I did this too but I should warn you (and this probably also applies to the Entreq kit) that your mud flap mounts are now stronger than your rear quarter panels..

Can you see where I'm going with this?

I think if you're sensible with this kind of set-up, and follow warnings such as yours, you're fine. I don't expect this reinforcement to prevent damage from ever occuring, and all should be well aware that this poses a greater risk in some respects.

Based on the damage I'd already sustained on the passenger's side I wanted to do something to get it back into shape and to help restore some strength to the weakened panel. When I got under the car and saw the damage to the other side that could only be due to the normal movement of the mudflap, I decided that this was the way to go.

These brackets help support a very weak panel from a very poor design, and provided you remember to remove your mudflap if you encounter anything nasty (just as we should all do anyway, and just as I failed to do some time back) then these will serve as good protection for normal driving and will be a non-issue in the rough stuff.

However, each to their own.