I am told today that Brown Davis Automotive in Melbourne are now offering a steel "sump and diff underguard". Has anyone had experience with this product if so any info would be helpfull. I think I have seen photos with a Treg with a similiar or same fitted, I think it was on the Outback Trip thread and may have been TREG000 ??????? Any comments or info ????
Can we throw this open to anyone who will provide a pattern for fabrication? Plating is my top priority after yesterdays bush bash. IMO, the best way to do this is a fabricated plate steel or alloy from the front bar to the cross member behind the tranny. That basically replaces the crap plastic 'protection' (yeah, right - protection from what?). Does anyone have a pattern they want to offer????? It could be fabricated in quantity (get an order process in place to the fabricator with a deposit paid) and I'm sure there will be plenty here who will pay for one at a reasonable price ('cause this forum keeps popping up with the same topic). Otherwise, everyone makes their own version. Yeah or nay?
Here another German manufacturer who has some photos ans schemtic drawings. Wonder if they would let them produce in liscense in Oz but I think the quantities are just too low unless they are interested in selling their other products for the more common 4wds.
How hard is it to do this? Not hard if it's a standard Treg design as in "one size fits all". Can we evolve this? We just need a standard drawing. It's just a fabrication then on.
I know I promised some pics of mine, but with the missus full of flu and me babysitting, I didn't get around to taking them off and snapping some pics. I'll try to do it asap.
Mine was designed for a T2 and the front mounting holes don't line up with my front spoiler, but that's a minor. Also, two holes where it mounts to the transfer case cross member had to be redrilled because of the difference in drivetrain length between the V6's & V8 and the R5 & V10. (Remember, the rear propshafts are different lengths. )
But the basic shape is a "one size fits all" deal.
If you go into their online shop you can see that they distinguish between all except vor v6 3.0tdi. Not sure what's different from all models to the diesel, but Seikel or Antec have 1 size fits all.
The Antec one I inquired once, think shipping was around 800aud.
Looks like a good start but they all look a bit light duty to me, fairly thin, maybe 3mm but very hard to tell from pics, and no reinforcing/stiffening except a bit of an edge turn up. The bolt head are all exposed to rocks and could be seriously distorted making routine service a real headache when removing the skid plates. If I were making it there would be some refinement in the design features including possible service access hatches. Just my 2 cents worth. Love to say I can make these for you now but just can't yet, John
in the description they are saying that non of the plates have to be removed, all have service hatches. Was looking for them but couldn't spot them on the photo.
The ones from Seikel look a bit better to me.
There are a lot of guys in the German Forum (Touareg-Freunde.de) who have all sorts of bash plates from teh original VW ones to these and Seikel, Antec etc.
General consensus seems to be that the Alloy ones are the most desirable ones as they are light and form slightly which absorbs the energy in contradiction to the steel ones which are heavier and don't form usually.
I guess they are not meant as rock sliders, more designed as a stone and branch protection.
I have just telephoned Brown Davis Automotive in Melbourne. They have made two sets to order at this stage and still have the pattern. Apparently there is a front section and an optional rear piece. The price is approximately $475.00 and it neeeds to fitted professionally as "he thought they had to drill and tap some additional holes in the car". They claim them to be very tough and made of 3mm steel, however removal for servicing is required "very simple to do" I was told.
I have just telephoned Brown Davis Automotive in Melbourne. They have made two sets to order at this stage and still have the pattern. Apparently there is a front section and an optional rear piece. The price is approximately $475.00 and it neeeds to fitted professionally as "he thought they had to drill and tap some additional holes in the car". They claim them to be very tough and made of 3mm steel, however removal for servicing is required "very simple to do" I was told.
Tenatative, but sounds OK and $'s reasonable if it's a quality fab job with bolt on to exsting fastener points. It's the front plate I want....it's where the expense is if I have " a bad hair day in the bush", if you know what I mean. Specs - material, thickness etc? If we can get a few orders in it should knock down the cost. Otherwise, it's each to their own and reinventing the wheel. All I want is a solid well made plate, covering the front end under the air dam, the donk,and tranny and can be removed for service?? Simple - Yes/No? How many Yes's are there? Multiple orders?
I recall posting this link (US dude) on the forum somewhere else, but is a good guide to a finished plate. Note how it slips under the front bar dam. I like that bit:
Mine picks up standard mounting points on the front subframe, engine mount crossbar thingy and transfer case cross member. No drilling/tapping required.
Bingo!! I think this is the simple and practical solution. Remove the under sump area plastic crappy panel and use it as a template. Problem - mine is scattered in small pieces around S.E. Queensland. Anyone up here want to offer up theirs as a donor for a template??? I have a set of 4x4 front ramps and a creeper. Also a mate who's a boiler maker and does 4x4 fabrication as a side line. I'm thinking that I get a few made up from steel plate, with one as a master template. I'm not sure alum alloy is the way to go, simply because of galvanic (dissimilar metal) corrosion that will arise between the plate, the frame and the fasteners. Any beach work will eventually result in corrosion damage. I'd prefer 4mm steel plate and s/steel I would love if not too hard to fab up. ANY TAKERS FOR A DONOR????
There is now another forum link here on this topic...............I asked a question and this guy is looking at the skid plate maybe a bit more as something to work on as a project:
I was interested, but didn't act on the post that the Porsche Cayenne underbody protection fitted the Touareg. Is this different to what is being discussed here?
I was interested, but didn't act on the post that the Porsche Cayenne underbody protection fitted the Touareg. Is this different to what is being discussed here?
The way I read the Cayenne panel is that it's plastic, same as the Treg. These are useless off road as they are really brittle. What a lot of us are looking for is a metal plate that basically takes the place of the plastic panel and bolts to the sub-frame in the same location.
I don't know if it's been mentioned before, but I think there is a steel one available for the Cayenne Transsyberia, which should fit the Treg. It might be worth the effort to just ask at a Porsche dealer, but I've always assumed it'll cost about the same as the Expedition Edition plates.
I recall a mention of part on either this thread or similar topic............cost? Probably not one of these over here anyway. I've never seen a dirty pepper over here now that I think about it.
Hi Trak, did you end up getting the underbody bash plates. I have just bought 08 tdi v6 and would like to get one put on. regards keithpowell
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