Undertray, modified

A few peeps have done this mod, removing the whole tray is an awkward task.

There are 12 bolts of various sizes on the earlier type, takes around 10-20min to remove, depending on how handy you are with a rachet spanner.

Drill out all the rivets at the front and sides, 14 by my counts.

Fabricate two 90 dgree brackets(approx 5 x 4cm) plus some straight pieces of alum strip, salvage the two pieces at the front of the tray, just re-position them.

Have the holes in the brackets drilled and tapped:

Tap M6 for all the brackets - if you are using the OE black bolts at the rear of the tray/subframe. These bolts are actually M8 with 10mm hex head, although standard M6 bolts will have 10mm heads as well.

I used M8 tap, as I have replaced the 2 black bolts with standard M8 bolts, 13mm head.

Strategically place 2 strips at the front and 2 brackets at the side. The existing brackets at the rear are good, however; mine snapped so replaced them with alum strips.

Once modified, it only takes 2min to undo 6 bolts with a single spanner (Either 10mm or 13mm depending on which size bolts you used), plus you are not wrestling with the whole tray.

Some of the Td4 boys have drilled an access hole under the oil filter/drain.

There are a couple of additional mods on this tray,

the gaping hole is an air-scoop to help keep the 1.8 engine and SS downpipe/IRD cool in summer.

There are also 2 alum strips either side of the scoop, running front to back. These were added for extra rigidity, the fibre-glass has been known to warple like a Rolf Harris whopper board, fouling on the sump whilst doing so

Just left mine off. Enabled me to locate the lower engine mount bolt just before it fell out. Wondered what the big noise was, the engine trying to rotate everytime I started it or pulled away! Should really investigate sooner , but I'm busy!

Do you not get loads of crud up round the engine bay?

more pics:

Not noticed any to speak of but It's 100% on road except for my road (unadopted) use the defender if I'm going off road. The Hippo is fast approaching the point were there's more in the shed than on the road.

Northern Irelander said:

more pics:

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Nice wun NI I modded mine td4 fer quick release and re enforced it, also cut a large hole with a plate fer oil change, best mod i have done ,see if i can find a pic. . . .

ming said:

Nice wun NI I modded mine td4 fer quick release and re enforced it, also cut a large hole with a plate fer oil change, best mod i have done ,see if i can find a pic. . . .

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Yeah get some pics up, crawl under that space rocket and take a few snaps

Found it

Reckon if you ate lots of beans you could strap that to your back and fly accross the channel, bet no ones ever thought of that

Some final mods:

I have removed some of the auxiliary brackets, there are now 6 bolts to remove the whole tray

I never did like the bright alum look of the guard, certainly doesnt suit a FL1 with steel wheels. It makes the front look high and narrow in perspective.

Its now black and tones in with the front, also making it look wider.

Nice wun NI must admit it makes a difference

ming said:

Found it

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Kinell... Ming.. That aint no under tray, , its orf a fookin
saturn wocket!!!

Northern Irelander said:

A few peeps have done this mod, removing the whole tray is an awkward task.

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Northern Irelander said:

Just last week I had a wrestling match with corrosion/loctite in removing the bolts on the undertray from a V6. Every bolt is now perfectly clean and greased to make the next removal easier. And now you tell me what should be done!!
I think it is an excellent idea for K series but only (IMHO) a marginal one for TD4's which are so easy to oil change with a small hole in the undertray and a 36mm oil filter spanner, its not even necessary to lift the car with a Freelander's ground clearance.
Make sure you let me know when you mod the undertray on a face lifted 04. The two front bolts are a devil to access.
Thanks for the pics. ( Worth a thousand words!)

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Mine is modified in view of doing easy oilchanges on Td4's.
An hole is cut underneath the oilpan outlet screw. No need to undo the whole undertray, enough to clean up a little after the job is done.

willo said:

Mine is modified in view of doing easy oilchanges on Td4's.
An hole is cut underneath the oilpan outlet screw. No need to undo the whole undertray, enough to clean up a little after the job is done.

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Looking good Willo

Someone else's handywork in alu treadplate........

Details for removing the standard undertray

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/gettin-engine-undertray-off-36879.html

After years of cursing mine every year when I remove it, I've finally got round to modifying it. The "key" is large plastic panel trim rivets from Halfords. ( Halfords | Halfords Trim Panel Rivets (HFX363) ) £2.79 for 8 rivets. These are a bit like plastic "pop" rivets. You push the plastic pin in and the rivet expands. The pin has a Philips screw head and can be screwed out for removal. The rivet then prises out easily. So basically I drilled out all the large aluminium rivets and replaced the four accesible under the car with the trim clips. The ones at the front are really unnecessary. So to remove the plastic bit I only have to use a 10mm socket or spanner to remove the bolts at the rear, and a Philips screwdriver to remove the the four plastic rivets and "Bob's you uncle" removed and replaced in seconds! This is a facelifted TD4.

Mine has a hole in it for sump plug access.