Underbody protetion for Defenders

[DRUT]

Has anybody got any after market ideas for underbody protection for a 99 defender tray back. Preferably stuff I an get made or make myself to save $$$$. Looking for engine, gearbox and t'fer case and steering gear protection. Its only a tourer but better safe than sorry. I have Bearmach diff protetion front and rear already but am looking for cheaper ideas for other areas.

cheers
DRUT:D

[Michael2]

The engine & transmission are snuggled pretty high up in the chassis to avoid damage. But you could try some heavy aluminium plate (4mm+ chequer plate) bent into a square U section, where the bottom covers the vulnerable parts, and the sides come up and "hug" the chassis rails. While you're at it, why not build a hull with elongated slots with rubber sleeves for the tail shafts to protrude and travel along, fill the chassis with closed cell filler, make sill tank pontoons and turn your Landy into an amphibious car :eek:. Sorry - getting carried away with ideas again.

[JDNSW]

Has anybody got any after market ideas for underbody protection for a 99 defender tray back. Preferably stuff I an get made or make myself to save $$$$. Looking for engine, gearbox and t'fer case and steering gear protection. Its only a tourer but better safe than sorry. I have Bearmach diff protetion front and rear already but am looking for cheaper ideas for other areas.

cheers
DRUT:D

I have difficulty seeing anything apart from the front diff and steering links that is at all at risk. Certainly never damaged anything except the track rod myself (in 400,000km including a lot of off road). Everything else is pretty well tucked up - the front axle will shield nearly everything. I am not sure whether the Defender has a guard on the fuel tank, but if not a skid plate there could be an idea - although the plate under my fuel tank has no dents in it, it has the odd bit of paint scraped off.

For the steering gear the best solution is probably a heavy track rod (several varieties available or you can get a reinforcing tube that goes over it - I've also seen advertised a bracket on the diff that stops it bending too far, but I'm not keen on that idea) and possibly drag link, although the drag link is fairly well up out of danger.

I have seen u-joint guards advertised (no point in having them on the front unless you make a habit of driving backwards), but they look to me like they would cause more trouble than having the open joints - imagine trying to untangle a bit of fencing wire wrapped round that, jammed between it and the joint. Be bad enough with small sticks and other kindling, which could ignite from friction. The rear prop shaft is prone to damage if you really try, but it is difficult to see how it could be protected without reducing clearance - remember it travels down a long way on rebound.
John

[DirtyDawg]

Tis a difficult area as you don't want to enclose as it will retain more heat from the boxes and you can't go long as the propshafts need their travel space..
I have a Troutbeck 8mm alloyset up for my steering and front diff, a bearmach Sals rear diff protector and a 70x70x90, 5mm mild steel angle and 2.5mm chequer plate protecting my fuel tank. nothing else seem to take a knock and I do try some nasty off roading;) Main consideration is do not detract from you ground clearance when adding armor.

[rick130]

<snip> a bearmach Sals rear diff protector <snip> Main consideration is do not detract from you ground clearance when adding armor.

removed 3/4" from the bottom of the Sals and used a Rockcrusher Dana 60 diff cover (nodular iron, 8mm thick, gusseted/finned and very strong) suitably chopped. Removed the very bottom bolt, screwed in a blind stud and drilled and tapped a new 10mm bolt hole slightly further up/around. Diff is ground/chopped to the very bottom of the lower bolt hole. Only around 5-7mm lower than the front diff now.

[crump]

you can get this for around $500
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[Tusker]

For a tourer, there just isn't a history of problems. Diff guard, steering protector bar, that's about all you'd need.

As to the alloy plates, skid thingies etc. I was advised not to do it. The car relies a lot on the airflow under the car for cooling. Reduce that airflow, & you could have gearbox etc issues. Not a problem in the UK, it is here.

And they fill up with mud anyway.

Regards
Max P

[JDNSW]

For a tourer, there just isn't a history of problems. Diff guard, steering protector bar, that's about all you'd need.

As to the alloy plates, skid thingies etc. I was advised not to do it. The car relies a lot on the airflow under the car for cooling. Reduce that airflow, & you could have gearbox etc issues. Not a problem in the UK, it is here.

And they fill up with mud anyway.

Regards
Max P

Another problem with them is that if you go offroad at all (and why would you get them if you don't?), they will accumulate a nice thick bed of grass seeds, chaff and small sticks, stuck together with your oil leaks, just waiting for the exhaust to get really hot on that steep, slow hill, on a typical inland day with the temperature in the low forties and the humidity down to single digits. Or for a stone thrown up to strike a spark on something. If you are still off road when this happens, the local bushfire brigade is not going to be happy, and even if you are on a road, YOU are not going to be happy.
John

[crump]

or you could keep them clean.

[JDNSW]

or you could keep them clean.

On a Landrover! Rank heresy.

But seriously, yes, you start of with good intentions and gradually lapse. And in any case the buildup can happen in a few hundred metres across a paddock; I've seen the chaff guard on the 2a stuffed with grass seeds in even less than this - fortunately it has no skid plates or similar underneath to collect them.

[rick130]

As JD says, the chassis and outriggers, etc collect enough crap driving 'round paddocks as it is. Our Patrol is (was) even worse, being lower with even more skid plates and nooks and crannies to collect stuff.

One of the small mercies of not living on a farm anymore is that I don't end up with Saffron thistle and occaisonally Tiger Pear (nasty stuff) stuck in me when working on the trucks.

[sclarke]

From a bloke who has bent a few parts and sat my Fender on a big Rock more than once.......

Diff guards are worth while
My front guard protects the Track rod.
Front steering guard like the troutbeck has saved my front bits lots of times.
Gearbox and sump are a waste of time, if you hit them your are really in trouble. the chassis is a tad larger than the Disco or Rangie one......

What you cant protect.....
Tailshafts, Rear track rods and Brake disc's. all of these items ive damaged........

Weight is a killer as you add bits.....

Clarkie

[djam1]

It depends on what you are going to do and where you are going to do it.
Just remember the mining companies use to remove the bash plates from under Land Cruisers in Central Australia because of the danger of spinifex build up and fire.
Must say the only thing I have ever damaged that was a problem was a front steering rod.

[DRUT]

thanks for the tips folks. I think I'll stick to steering gear protection fter reading your views. Hadnt thought of the fire risk at all.

cheers
:D

[DirtyDawg]

I have the same set up as Steve "Crump", I went tearing across some flat bush/paddock with about 500mm tall wild barley or the like and upon getting back on a track I hit some mud and associated water that is with it and back across another substantial grass area and on to the black top , where I had to get out to relieve myself on a fence post. Before remounting I had a look underneath for any foliage and all was clean with a little discoloured water from the mud, No grass seeds or stalks, or mud piled high. When I got home give the Pig a quick bath underneath.
Last time we were out as a group LandyAndy witnessed the front protector and took a photo of the rear diff protector doing their job against rock.
If you do go off road touring it is likely an sensible to choose the more safe route around obstacles, but when you go as a group to find the most challenging with the likes of RichardK and Gordon (Ghaggis)protection is essential:)
Spinifex seed's, those grass tufts are solid as rock almost and would make an unwelcome ride across them,most trips out back you remain on known tracks as the risk of straying off them is too great with their remoteness and at speed any crap that did manage to get caught would be blown off.
In my experiances anyways

So out of all you guys posting ,they do this and they collect that, how many of you have them?;) or is it just hearsay.

[crump]

I have the same set up as Steve "Crump", I went tearing across some flat bush/paddock with about 500mm tall wild barley or the like and upon getting back on a track I hit some mud and associated water that is with it and back across another substantial grass area and on to the black top , where I had to get out to relieve myself on a fence post. Before remounting I had a look underneath for any foliage and all was clean with a little discoloured water from the mud, No grass seeds or stalks, or mud piled high. When I got home give the Pig a quick bath underneath.
Last time we were out as a group LandyAndy witnessed the front protector and took a photo of the rear diff protector doing their job against rock.
If you do go off road touring it is likely an sensible to choose the more safe route around obstacles, but when you go as a group to find the most challenging with the likes of RichardK and Gordon (Ghaggis)protection is essential:)
Spinifex seed's, those grass tufts are solid as rock almost and would make an unwelcome ride across them,most trips out back you remain on known tracks as the risk of straying off them is too great with their remoteness and at speed any crap that did manage to get caught would be blown off.
In my experiances anyways

So out of all you guys posting ,they do this and they collect that, how many of you have them?;) or is it just hearsay.

agreed, they are self cleaning, and I dont have any oil leaks.