bash plate damage

[Grey Nomad Member Find all posts View Profile Close Grey Nomad]

Re: bash plate damage

Hi all

I have the TJM underbody protection plate and am happy with it. One thing though. At the rear where the plate gets sandwiched between the chassis crossmember and the two angled bars, the plate actually just touches the round section of the bars. This makes quite a din when the rear section of the plate flexes over corrugated roads. To fix this, insert 5mm spacers between the plate and the angled bars.

Cheers - John

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: bash plate damage

Hi all

I have the TJM underbody protection plate and am happy with it. One thing though. At the rear where the plate gets sandwiched between the chassis crossmember and the two angled bars, the plate actually just touches the round section of the bars. This makes quite a din when the rear section of the plate flexes over corrugated roads. To fix this, insert 5mm spacers between the plate and the angled bars.

Cheers - John

Thanks Grey Nomad for the suggestion... I'll be installing one of these soon, so I'll give it a go... cheers. 8)

[dustie Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dustie]

Re: bash plate damage

[quote="Grey Nomad"]Hi all
This makes quite a din when the rear section of the plate flexes over corrugated roads. To fix this, insert 5mm spacers between the plate and the angled bars.


[quote\d]

Are you able to post pics where you inserted the spacers?

Thanks,
Dustie

[Grey Nomad Member Find all posts View Profile Close Grey Nomad]

Re: bash plate damage

Hi all

The spacers go between the TJM bash plate and the angled "chassis braces". Here is a picture taken from the rear of the vehicle.



I used two spare rectangular plastic pieces left over from my installation of my Outback roller drawers but anything will do.

Cheers - John

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: bash plate damage

Hi all

The spacers go between the TJM bash plate and the angled "chassis braces". Here is a picture taken from the rear of the vehicle.



I used two spare rectangular plastic pieces left over from my installation of my Outback roller drawers but anything will do.

Cheers - John

Appreciated Grey Nomad. Thanks. :wink: 8)

[Hitam 2 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Hitam 2]

Re: bash plate damage

Hi all.... new member long time reader..... interested in the ATS bash plate.... anyone has a photo? I've been searching all over and could not find one.
With 8mm of thickness all the way to the back, wouldn't it be very heavy???

Cheers...

[wengnuts Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close wengnuts]

Re: bash plate damage

Hi all.... new member long time reader..... interested in the ATS bash plate.... anyone has a photo? I've been searching all over and could not find one.
With 8mm of thickness all the way to the back, wouldn't it be very heavy???

Cheers...

There is a used one for sale in the For Sale section. Here is the link.
viewtopic.php?f=24&t=4827

Otherwise, PM assinoffroad (Darren), although he is no longer employed by ATS, he should be able assist you with something similar.

[Hitam 2 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Hitam 2]

Re: bash plate damage

Hi all.... new member long time reader..... interested in the ATS bash plate.... anyone has a photo? I've been searching all over and could not find one.
With 8mm of thickness all the way to the back, wouldn't it be very heavy???

Cheers...

There is a used one for sale in the For Sale section. Here is the link.
http://www.pradopoint.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=4827

Otherwise, PM assinoffroad (Darren), although he is no longer employed by ATS, he should be able assist you with something similar.

Thanks for the info, however the ones I actually after is the plate that covers the length from the front diff to the back of the transmissions (gearbox and t/c).

[Hutch Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hutch]

Re: bash plate damage

Hitman that is the TJM plate, the other one is from Brown Davis.

[Hitam 2 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Hitam 2]

Re: bash plate damage

Hitman that is the TJM plate, the other one is from Brown Davis.

Hmm.... its actually 'Hitam' not a typo 8) . It means black which is the colour of my prado.
Are you saying that the ATS plate that cost about $900 only covers the front diff region?
Although it might be 8mm thick, seems overly expensive for what it is then.

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Re: bash plate damage

Has anyone build or bought a replacement bash plate for the main fuel tank?

I gave mine a bit of attention with a hammer this afternoon but it's seen better days and I should really replace it. Dispite my best efforts it's still up against the tank in several places.


Mick

[TUFF IFS LUX Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close TUFF IFS LUX]

Re: bash plate damage

G'day fella's,

dont know how many of you are keen on making your own stuff or cutting and modifying your vehicles too much but I own a current shape hilux and since the front ends are almost identical with the Prado, I thought Id post what Im doing with my custom made bashplate design at the moment on the hilux.

I'll just cut and past the section from my buildup on newhilux.net-

I have finally got off my a$$ and continued my "Quest for Clearance", by making a start on my custom bashplate.

I have drawn up 2 or 3 different designs and contemplated heaps about whether to keep the sway bar on or off.....if keeping it on, whether to make a bashplate like the Artic Trucks with the lower portion of the swaybar exposed through the bashplate (see pic below) or to cover it completely.....well,.....I decided to keep the swaybar on and ended up with a fourth idea. You know, kind of progressing and modifying as you go along.

Artic Truck bashplate-


The main thing that hinders the hilux clearance underneath are the 2 brackets that run from the front radiator crossmember to the engine crossmember. The design of these brackets means that any bashplate is low and forward portruding.

The 2 brackets seen in pic below-

FJ cruisers and tacomas do not have these fitted in the USA.

This is what I ended up doing - My TJM FUG I decided to make use of, be a shame not to, so I used the rear portion of the front bashplate. The brackets that go between the engine crossmember to the radiator crossmember where removed and cut on an angle to not only provide a support for the bashplate on either side, but also for a mounting location for the rear portion of the TJM FUG which I had cut into 2 pieces.

In the pic below you can see one of the brackets that has been cut to suit the future profile of the new bashplate, and in the distance you can see the standard bracket as a comparison. Also, note, that the bottom of the swaybar will not stick out past the bashplate-


Another view of the cut bracket-


And both brackets cut and mounted up-


Before I cut the TJM FUG, I fitted it onto where it would go with the newly modified brackets behind it, and measured where I would need to cut it-


I had a long strip of 5mm thick steel plate lying around so I measured up bolthole locations where the brackets used to mount upon and fitted the plate to the radiator crossmember. This will be a mounting point that I will weld the bashplate to between it and the modified FUG.


Heres another view-


When I get round to it, I will weld that plate onto the TJM Guard, and the steel plate, then I will make another smaller plate to replace the ARB one which is weak as piss, to go from the steel plate forwards towards the ARB bar.

This bashplate design gives me 2" more clearance in height, and puts the first and lowest point of contact behind the front of the tyres, 4" further back then before...I think thats not a bad improvement in clearance.

I think Ill find Ill more than likely impact things at the front lower edge of the bullbar now before the actual bashplate.

One thing the newhilux's are reknowned for is clearance in this area, but this surely has improved it abit.

Well, heres some pics from tonights efforts....

Heres a pic of the side plates and front plate tacked in place before removing to finish the weld properly.Damn its hard to weld with one hand upside down when the other hand is holding the pieces in place!


Heres more of a side view. Its hard to tell because I cant get the camera exactly side on but the bottom corner of the bashplate is about 3 inches behind the front of the tyre....awesome!


And an aerial shot....still have to clean up the weld, grind them flat and smooth and complete the welds on the inside.

I tried using some metal filler to smooth out the corners, but it dont look like it went too good.

Ive painted it in the last day or 2 and will fit it probably tomorrow night as I need to service me hilxu so might as well change the oil whilst the bashplate is off.

Im sure if you wanted to, you could do the same or similar with the Prado.

Oh, by the way, the steel is 3mm steel plate, the same as the TJM bashplate. yes, if you land on an object with the weight of the vehicle it will surely bend, but I dont plan on doing that, I plan on crawling over obstacles and letting the locker and tyres do the work.

cheers

[vx05 Member Find all posts View Profile Close vx05]

Re: bash plate damage

Has anyone build or bought a replacement bash plate for the main fuel tank?

I gave mine a bit of attention with a hammer this afternoon but it's seen better days and I should really replace it. Dispite my best efforts it's still up against the tank in several places.


Mick

Hey Mick,
Is there an easy way to get the bash plate off?
Spent a little while yesterday trying, but the drive shaft blocks any easy access to one of the bolts holding it on. I was hoping to give mine a bit of clearance too, I don't like the idea of the plate sitting against the tank if you happen to hit something else.
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Steve

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Re: bash plate damage

but the drive shaft blocks any easy access to one of the bolts holding it on

I had trouble with that one too. :wink:

In the end I got at it with a 1/4 ratchet, long extension and a universal joint just before the socket.

1/2" drive is too fat and ring spanner would take a day and night due to lack of room to swing it.

All the other bolts are staight forward.

Mick

P.S: Wear safety glasses so you don't get dirt in your eyes :wink:

[vx05 Member Find all posts View Profile Close vx05]

Re: bash plate damage

Bugger! I was hoping for a response along the lines move part A to slot B and it comes out easy.

Safety glasses, yep found that out too :lol:

Thanks, will give it another go
Steve