Underbody Materials

[cowmeat]

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post507791

I used mixed materials on Turtle's belly pan (which is still in place today). Had a couple of minor issues with the pallet liners (armadillo, deep water) but overall it's held up really well. The Harry's sign is awesome, it comes right off when it's time to change the oil, and the engine compartment looks super clean

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Wood rots, coroplast sags.

Plywood tends to resist better against rot than natural wood. Its resistence to higher temperatures, on the other hand, depends much of which resin it's impregnated with.

[freebeard]

It's better, but I'd soak the cut edges with resin to 1/2" deep. The edges are like a sponge.

Spend more and get Polymetal.

[Daschicken]

I just use coroplast, it does sag if nearby heat sources such as exhaust, haven't seen sagging around the radiator. Its waterproof, heat formable, light, cheap, and easy to work with! I found 4'x8' sheets at home depot for $15.



You can see some of the sagging here




Mine is attached with a sh*tton of zipties, lots and lots of screws into the "side skirts", and a few bolts by the exhaust heat shield. Just make sure you do not use zipties to secure your undertray to brake lines or fuel lines. In difficult spots, I used 3M double sided sticky tape with an L-bracket. Still holding up fine.

[freebeard]

You could slip rods or dowels into the flutes to control it, but then there goes your savings.

[Daschicken]

Originally Posted by freebeard

You could slip rods or dowels into the flutes to control it, but then there goes your savings.

That's an awesome idea! Those would be some pretty small dowels, but that would work. The area near the J-pipe on my car could use that.

[freebeard]

That's an awesome idea!

Glad you like it. I've never done it, but were I to do so I'd go with welding rod. Mainly because I have some.

If you could wind the rod around a nail or pin and hammer it flat, and that would slip into the flute, it would make an attachment point.

Else rip wood into thin strips. I'm going to do that with corrugated greenhouse glazing.

Let me know how it works.

[aerohead]

I've used existing frame holes.
Fender washers which just fit within the frame hole,are captured by larger fender washers outside the hole right against the frame rail,and drilled angle metal is bolted through the holes in the fender washers,extending down,providing a new place to drill and bolt belly cross-members.

[Shepherd777]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Wood rots, coroplast sags.



Polymetal is polypropylene plastic skinned in aluminum. Typically 3mm thick with .007" skins, but it's available one-sided and Grimco MaxMetal is avaiable with .014" skins. It comes in 5x10ft and 4x12 sheets. Stiff as 5/8" plywood at 1/10th the weight.

Yes it is expensive; but it's fit for purpose.

We use very similar stuff on my big truck. I think I may have the only Class 8 truck on the planet with a bellypan.

Strong and lightweight, Alumalite is the same weight as .040 aluminum sheet metal, yet 50 times stronger. The stuff we use is close to 1/4" thick, so it's slightly thicker than the Grimco MaxMetal. And the 1/4" thickness allows us to utilize standard 1/4" I.D. "H" channels to butt two sheets together, up to 102" wide.

Alumalite



I buy the black matte finish, product. It looks way sexy and one can actually see it when looking downward standing behind the cab, or when the hood is open.

[freebeard]

...yet 50 times stronger...

Thanks for the confirmation. Everything I said was speculation based on a few scraps. Here is a discussion on another forum (signs101.com) where they discuss the merits of similar products.

https://signs101.com/threads/alumaco...y-metal.93764/

Originally Posted by k.a.s.

Ditto on all of this. The 3mm Grimco Max-Metal is a staple in my shop. It's been my "go-to" material for almost everything that needs to be more durable than coroplast. When it's on sale it's cheaper than MDO, 6mm PVC and also 10mm corplast!!! Also, the 6mm Max-Metal is very durable where more core strength is needed to support itself.