Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
LRSA approved front underbody protection
Just had Tino (082 893 1736) fit this front protector plate.
You can buy it from your local dealer or Tino (latter is cheaper) took 15 minutes to fit
I was a bit concerned that the intercooler wouldn't get enough airflow, but LR assured me that this is not the case. Will monitor the situation and report back. Anyone else got this plate?
24th May 2007 10:42 am
Deondef
Member Since: 08 May 2007
Location: Randburg
Posts: 790
I will fit one when going off-road - all the plastic in front makes me nervous !
Handy to attach seed net when travelling Kaokoland or similar - me thinks
24th May 2007 12:00 pm
Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
Hi Deon
Yes, as a matter of fact I am going to test the seednet on it right now. May need to drill some holes or attach some eye bolts, will see how it goes.
Cost just over R5k by the way
24th May 2007 12:46 pm
heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
Very nice looking . I assume the loop visible in the middle hole is the standard towing hitch . Are you going to use this as a recovery point or do you something else in mind ?
24th May 2007 2:08 pm
Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
that is the standard point and its apparently good enough and then some
24th May 2007 5:18 pm
heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
Great - one less thing to do
24th May 2007 8:31 pm
Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
I added some holes anyway. After towing last weekend I thought the intercooler wasn't getting much air at all. I removed the plate to get a closer look and confirmed that there would be no possibility of airflow to the intercooler with that solid plate on.
Whatcha think?
It's pretty similar to the mantec version except the mantec holes are square.
I looked as hard as I could in my workshop, but I don't know what I did with that square hole-saw so I just cut round holes instead.
28th Sep 2007 8:32 am
heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
When can I bring mine around
28th Sep 2007 8:37 am
Spanish Fly
Member Since: 09 Jul 2007
Location: somewhere over the rainbow
Posts: 217
I fitted this LR front guard along with full ASFIR underbody protection. Recently I have noticed the car to be struggling to pass 160km/h when usually I could hit 190+. Thinking about what you guys mention about the intercooler and it being 30C+ here, do you think the lack of airflow is causing the power loss? I thought it was due to the spare wheel I fitted to the roofrack around the same time as fitting the sumpguards.
28th Sep 2007 9:58 am
Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
If you remove the plate and have a look at the channel that directs air into the intercooler, you will see that it is pretty much sealed against the back of the protector plate and I can't figure out how any air could move thru there except maybe from the left and right sides.
I haven't had a good look at what is behind the intercooler though. Maybe your underbody protection actually closes off an exit too?
FYI Spanish Fly - I could do 160km/h uphill while towing my 1200kg trailer, with ambient temperature of +36'c even before I cut the holes in the protector plate. Maybe you need to be TorqTuned, mate
Heine: I can provide you with the measurements if you like. All you need is a 44mm HSS hole saw, and a very powerful drill press. You need to run very slowly otherwise the ally clogs the teeth of the hole saw.
It took me about 30 minutes to do the drilling, and an hour to work out the measurements and drill the pilot holes.
Glad you like it
28th Sep 2007 12:16 pm
Spanish Fly
Member Since: 09 Jul 2007
Location: somewhere over the rainbow
Posts: 217
Baben, I would love to TorqTune the D3 but I am in Southern Spain. The only person who can tune it here is an English mechanic with the Auto Logic system. Apparently this is the one to go with.
The car only has 1100km on the clock so I was thinking of waiting a while to run it in. Still doesn't feel as quick as the first week I bought it so I think I will get the hole cutter out this weekend
28th Sep 2007 5:02 pm
heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
Baben wrote:
Heine: I can provide you with the measurements if you like. All you need is a 44mm HSS hole saw, and a very powerful drill press. You need to run very slowly otherwise the ally clogs the teeth of the hole saw.
It took me about 30 minutes to do the drilling, and an hour to work out the measurements and drill the pilot holes.
Glad you like it
Yessum please
28th Sep 2007 5:46 pm
AndrewS Tarquin of the Desert
Member Since: 06 May 2005
Location: Y...... because I can
Posts: 10438
FYI
That is the winch version
Click image to enlarge
In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded.
28th Sep 2007 6:43 pm
10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
Spanish Fly wrote:
Baben, I would love to TorqTune the D3
I'm in Spain twice in October other than that, the 'self tune' kit is still work in progress - hopefully to be released soon once the software issues have been sorted and the system has proved to be stable and reliable
28th Sep 2007 7:49 pm
Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
Heine
Re the "Baben Conversion" for the front plate -
There was no great scientific measurement that went into this, apart from wanting the plate to still look OK.
I was mostly trying to make the measurements whole numbers so as to make it easier to mark and drill and hence less likely to cock it up.
I wanted to retain as much strength as possible even though it would be unlikely to hit anything solid at that height (he says ).
I wanted to retain the LR logo, plus in the centre, there is a little bit of space above the recovery point where there will be a bit of airflow, so it was unneccessary to go too far into the middle.
You could go with a bigger saw, maybe 50mm, bit I didn't have one on hand, and with the 44mm holes it lines up nicely with the "lips" of the air channel thingy that routes the air to the intercooler anyway, so I don't think you would get much more benefit from going bigger, plus your "lips" would be visible, which as you know is quite rude unless you're a girl in a specific profession
If you are using a 44mm tool, your centre line will be 22mm down from the crease at the top of the plate.
For each side, if you want to retain the LR logo you have 295mm of width available. I started at the outside edge, and the first centre was at 32mm, then in increments of 54mm, so you end up with 5 holes spaced with the following increments measured from the outside edge of the plate:
32 86 140 194 248
This gives you 10mm spacing between the holes, and a 25mm space in the centre as per the pics.
Put the plate in your vice with soft felt or cloth on the jaws (or even some soft wood) so as not to spoil the finish on the ally.
Drill the pilot holes with a smallish bit, maybe 4-5mm to ensure you get it exact otherwise you are looking for a new plate. Go very slowly with the hole saw, otherwise it just clogs and will ruin the saw and the plate. It doesn't matter if you can't set the plate up to go thru at 90degrees, just as long as you can ensure that the angle for all the holes is the same.
If you need help just shout. You need a big powerful drill capable of slow revs, a decent HSS hole saw, a big powerful vice with big jaws, and a bit of patience. Alternatively a friend with a milling machine would be best.
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so I just cut round holes instead.
other than that, the 'self tune' kit is still work in progress - hopefully to be released soon once the software issues have been sorted and the system has proved to be stable and reliable
