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Some months ago, I gave my bash plates a good workout sliding over rocks. I knew I'd have to get around to reshaping them someday, and that day came yesterday. 
After inspecting them under-body and seeing how the surface-rust was taking hold, I decided to give them the beauty parlour treatment and get them back into some sort of acceptable condition.
I bought the bits and pieces needed to do the job:
Removing the plates is just like following a bouncing ball... just keep removing any 12mm bolt holding them in place. All but one bolt was easily removed with a 12mm socket (sometimes with an extension). One bolt required a 12mm ring-spanner, since it was too close to the drive-shaft to remove with a socket. (I wished I had a ratchet ring-spanner!).
Here they are all laid out (the Prado felt a cool breeze where a breeze ain't normally felt
):
A close-up of the surface rust and damage:
Three of the plates required some 'surgical' panel-beating, but this one was the worst:
I sanded the rust from them by first using 100 grade followed by 240 grade sandpaper:
Then some panel-beating. If anyone has input on how best to do panel-beating, I would like to hear it. This is an example of my brutal effort. All I can say, is that it seemed to do the job...
Back in the garage, laid out the plates ready for their beauty treatment:
Step 1: Apply the rust-converter and wait 15-30 minutes. This stuff covers a very large area... I poured about 3x too much of the liquid into my container.
Step 2: Wash with damp cloth, immediately followed by a cloth dampened with Methylated Spirits, and finally a dry cloth. After that, whereever there was rust it was now nice and shiny:
Step 3: Paint (or spray) on the Chassis Black:
Step 4: Admire the beautified bash plates... ready for some more bashing:
Reinstallation was just as straight forward as removal. Though, it was a big help having another pair of hands available.
Cheers,
LFaR.
After inspecting them under-body and seeing how the surface-rust was taking hold, I decided to give them the beauty parlour treatment and get them back into some sort of acceptable condition.
I bought the bits and pieces needed to do the job:
Removing the plates is just like following a bouncing ball... just keep removing any 12mm bolt holding them in place. All but one bolt was easily removed with a 12mm socket (sometimes with an extension). One bolt required a 12mm ring-spanner, since it was too close to the drive-shaft to remove with a socket. (I wished I had a ratchet ring-spanner!).
Here they are all laid out (the Prado felt a cool breeze where a breeze ain't normally felt
):A close-up of the surface rust and damage:
Three of the plates required some 'surgical' panel-beating, but this one was the worst:
I sanded the rust from them by first using 100 grade followed by 240 grade sandpaper:
Then some panel-beating. If anyone has input on how best to do panel-beating, I would like to hear it. This is an example of my brutal effort. All I can say, is that it seemed to do the job...
Back in the garage, laid out the plates ready for their beauty treatment:
Step 1: Apply the rust-converter and wait 15-30 minutes. This stuff covers a very large area... I poured about 3x too much of the liquid into my container.
Step 2: Wash with damp cloth, immediately followed by a cloth dampened with Methylated Spirits, and finally a dry cloth. After that, whereever there was rust it was now nice and shiny:
Step 3: Paint (or spray) on the Chassis Black:
Step 4: Admire the beautified bash plates... ready for some more bashing:
Reinstallation was just as straight forward as removal. Though, it was a big help having another pair of hands available.
Cheers,
LFaR.
Snaga
ops:
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