Under Body Protection

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

Now all you have to do is stop hitting the kerb and test them out on some tracks.

No one hits kerbs in my car, SWMBO is NOT allowed to drive it unless we are driving over 1,000km without a break and on bitumen.

I do suspect those pesky sports cars may have a -ve impacts on the plates though, I know they scratch my diff when I run over them

[PRADOTD Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close PRADOTD]

I have the ARB and still in perfect shape (barring the scratches) after a few knocks.

Well built and not just bent plate, properly gussetted for strength around connecting locations.

Just can't fit any OEM recovery hooks to the front and ARB don't yet have a solution.

Mine is a 2008, so if you read the other threads on recovery hooks, these go all the way through the chassis and are fine with a bridle and normal use.

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

If your not running diff drop spacers the AMTS bash plates rob you of 40mm of under body clearance. My Humble opinion is that if you have a 4 inch lift and run 40mm diff drops get an AMTS bash plate... if your not then buy a set of bash plates that hug the underbody for maximum ground clearance... oh here we go... am i the first person to actually say a bad word against his plates?

[wooley Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close wooley]

If your not running diff drop spacers the AMTS bash plates rob you of 40mm of under body clearance. My Humble opinion is that if you have a 4 inch lift and run 40mm diff drops get an AMTS bash plate... if your not then buy a set of bash plates that hug the underbody for maximum ground clearance... oh here we go... am i the first person to actually say a bad word against his plates?

Don't they bolt flush with the cross members? Meaning you don't actually lose any real clearance?

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

Don't they bolt flush with the cross members? Meaning you don't actually lose any real clearance?

Yep i see your point, the transmission plate is great and yes it does bolt flush, but the front plate has clearance for the diff to drop down to suit spacers... if your not using spacers then you are left with a good 40mm gap between the diff mounts and the plate... if your not using spacers its wasted ground clearance... well on the set i have anyway... mind you i was planning on fitting spacers but after the billies went in the CV angle was fine and the spacers were not required.

[Guest Close Guest]

Yep, what Wooley said. No real loss in clearance. Moreover, the diff drop spacers are 24mm, not 40mm.

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

Yep, what Wooley said. No real loss in clearance. Moreover, the diff drop spacers are 24mm, not 40mm.

Yep, look i think your plates are top rate, but im glad we agree they are made to suit diff drop spacers. If they were not they would sit closer to the chassis creating more ground clearance. Considering we are all chasing mm's with lifts, suspension measurements etc I think what i have previously said is fair and true. And here comes the hate mail.

[Guest Close Guest]

When you add the diff drop spacers, the diff mount still won't be below the level of the cross member aft of the sump, which is the lowest chassis member at the front end. The plates don't reduce ground clearance by 40mm either. It hugs the area at the diff drop spacers.

[wooley Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close wooley]

Ground clearance is only as good as the lowest point of the chassis: the cross member, fuel tank, etc.

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

When you add the diff drop spacers, the diff mount still won't be below the level of the cross member aft of the sump, which is the lowest chassis member at the front end. The plates don't reduce ground clearance by 40mm either. It hugs the area at the diff drop spacers.

I apologise Andrew. Ground clearance is not effected and I am wrong with saying that. I was wrong in my description, but I guess I should have said something along the line of 'approach angle' of the front plate. With no spacers, the bend (closest to CV) could have been increased to tuck up closer to the diff mounts. But knowing the plates are made 'to suit' diff drops, the issue is with me not your plates.

In saying that, the AMTS plates are a top rate product and Im glad I have them on my vehicle for my Cape trip next week.

[Guest Close Guest]

Ah! I see what you mean! This point was considered a long time ago and I decided to go this way to make it a unique selling point compared to other bashplates.

I figured that:
1. The bend in the plate at the diff drop is behind the tyres so it doesn't affect the approach angle of the Prado but if there is a high centre mound, and example climbing a rock ledge where the center of the ledge starts first before the tyres then it will hit the bashplates. The workaround would be the spotter building up the track to get one wheel up first, but this is the ideal situation. This will affect some but hopefully only a minority.

2. The CVs would have a longer life if a diff drop was in to bring the angles back closer to factory spec for those with lifts. It also means that there is more articulation before CV binding if the extension of the struts allows this.

3. I can get the diff drop spacers done at a good price so that buyers of my plates won't need to get diff drop kits from elsewhere that also includes spacers for the plates itself.

Have you got the diff drop in yet?

[prh Member Find all posts View Profile Close prh]

My reading on PP suggests that a diff drop is not strictly necessary for a standard 50mm suspension lift, but are there any benefits or drawbacks? What is involved in installing a kit?

Paul

[Guest Close Guest]

My reading on PP suggests that a diff drop is not strictly necessary for a standard 50mm suspension lift

That is correct

but are there any benefits or drawbacks? What is involved in installing a kit?

A 50mm lift pushes the CV angles down. Under normal driving conditions, the CV angles are greater than factory. Putting a diff drop in flattens out the CV angles. To me, it is a cheap mod and cheap insurance.

[prh Member Find all posts View Profile Close prh]

Andrew, can you post here or PM me with details of your diff drop kit? Cheers.

Paul

[Guest Close Guest]

Have a look at Matty's build up here and I'll send you an email.
http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...l=1#post362963