LR3 underbody protection

[A.J.M]

A mate has been given the drawings and dimensions to full under body protections and rock sliders for the LR3.

Now, with both of using our car's as Land Rover intended, and him already having suffered transfer box damage after his air suspension lowered after overheating, landing on a rock and bursting a seal we are keen to get some stuff made up and fitted.

The question is, what's better, steel or aluminium?

In Scotland, we have plenty of mud, rocks etc, so they need to cope with a large range of conditions, we both use our car's as daily drivers covering over 15k each in them.

So, what do you use and why did you pick it?

The plan is to see how much it cost's to make up 2 sets, and see if other owners want to buy it and maybe make some cash from it.

 

[PJPR01]

Tons of choices...
Rasta, Asfir, Land Rover OEM products are all options for the LR3...

 

[A.J.M]

If I wish to buy and spend a few grand on buying and shipping over the Atlantic..

I have drawings to make my own, which will be as good as those companies.

I'm asking, is steel or aluminium a better metal to use for the underbody stuff.

 

[telemike]

I'd go with steel.

 

[rokrawlr]

I'd go with either aluminum (works for most desert truck skid plates) or cutting board material (the white poly-ish kind). The cutting board material probably won't survive a direct hit onto a boulder but it slides over most rock and is lightweight.

 

[Mack73]

Thick aluminum 6061. The weight savings alone.

But I would do steel for the gas tank and sliders as you don't want any flex at all since it is soo long.

 

[JAK]

I recommend steel, heavier but stiffer than aluminum for the same thickness. The design of most protection requires that it bridge between mounting points. The extra stiffness in the steel is better for that. My rock sliders have taken a beating and have been dented bad enough to cause contact with the air suspension compressor. An aluminum skid would have resulted in a broken compressor.

If your design allows, I would add some internal, on top, stiffeners or angles to the plates to increase the rigidity. The problem with being rigid though is that you can force the impact load somewhere else, so be sure that your mounts are strong and to the frame rails or cross members.

 

[Plannerman]

Isn't aluminum actually more rigid than steel? I'd also go Al for the weight savings. These trucks get heavy fast


Sent via fat thumb

 

[Mack73]

The design of most protection requires that it bridge between mounting points.

I agree for sliders and the gas tank. But for the transfer case it straddles the cross member (and has plenty of clearance before it touches the transfer case (like 4+ inches) and the engine has a shorter distance to span between the rails and adequate clearance for a little bend.

 

[rwhitmo04]

Isn't aluminum actually more rigid than steel?

No. The Modulus of Elasticity for steel is typically around 3 times that of aluminum. Higher modulus equates to less deflection - everything else held constant.