belly pans

[lemonyellow]

hi, i need to weld behind centre belly pan do i need to refit it ?whats the purpose of them is it just to protect the underneath ? it hasn't got the ones that run from the cills inwards towards the middle thanks nik

 

[Guest]

hi, i need to weld behind centre belly pan do i need to refit it ?whats the purpose of them is it just to protect the underneath ? it hasn't got the ones that run from the cills inwards towards the middle thanks nik

Protection from the elements and to protect the wires running down the centre. More often than not if the drainage holes are plugged with dirt they end up acting like a water trap and rust out your chassis. usually they are welded on but you might get lucky and it will be bolted. Either way it'll be tricky (rusty fasteners) and you may have to just cut it off.

You dont really need to refit it but you can get them for about £30-40 new from any panel store.

 

[caesar]

I'm not sure where i heard this but i'm sure someone told me they were also welded on to give strength when poptops / Sunroofs ETC where installed.
:!:

 

[Araon]

WHS^^^ also double sliders

 

[Clarkson46]

What they said ^^^^^ Certainly on the early Westies they were welded in to stiffen the shell when the sunroof was cut in in preparation for the Westie conversion.

 

[lemonyellow]

thanks for replys

 

[caesar]

If you do decide to put them back on afterwards.

I personally would avoid welding them back on.

I welded a couple of custom made brackets to my chassis rails and then bolted new belly pans on so i can remove them to check what the chassis looks like and if heaven forbid i ever decide to sell the van i can prove it's rock solid.

Just some friendly advice

 

[dp]

hi, i need to weld behind centre belly pan do i need to refit it ?whats the purpose of them is it just to protect the underneath ? it hasn't got the ones that run from the cills inwards towards the middle thanks nik

Is the picture in your avatar your bus? The later bays didn't need the extra stiffening from the side belly pans as the roof / shell was re-inforced. I think the central belly pan was to provide protection for the erberspacher - have you got one underneath?

 

[lemonyellow]

yes the picture is of my bus but its a earlybay with a late bay front panel on it ,one day il'll put it back to low indicators it on the never ending list of things to do thanks

 

[hogseye]

I welded outer ones back on my bus, and screwed a centre one back in place (so i can inspect chassis etc). Made sure i put plenty of waxoil under before i fitted them though. As for extra strength i can't see that personally, the chassis and cross members are strong enough and the belly pans are only flimsy in comparison.

 

[Araon]

Its there only for the extra strength when as mentioned above items of the structure are removed, forming another box section in effect, 4 flimsy pieces of metal in a box section offer a very strong structure indeed just take a look at stephensons Brittania bridge...scarily thin iron box section....

 

[strongy]

in my exsperence belly pans are there to hide a whole summers worth of welding

i never replaced mine but sometimes wonder weather having them would make the old girl a bit quiter :?:

 

[Clem]

Im sure they were an option simply for noise reduction, the factory welds dont seem condusive to providing rigidity, as far as I can see.

 

[Trikky2]

Oh no -- not another "VW put these things on just to waste materials, time, increase production cost - because it works without it and I know better than the whole team at Wolfsberg" reply......

 

[dp]

yes the picture is of my bus but its a earlybay with a late bay front panel on it ,one day il'll put it back to low indicators it on the never ending list of things to do thanks

Oops - sorry!

Oh no -- not another "VW put these things on just to waste materials, time, increase production cost - because it works without it and I know better than the whole team at Wolfsberg" reply......

... you mean you haven't ditched your thermostat yet??