Undertray

GT wrote:
> "Catman" <catman.DeleteThis@rustcuore-sportivo.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:OZSKi.16603$nt2.14995@fe02.news.easynews.com...
>> Zathras wrote:
>>> On Thu, 27 Sep 2007 12:18:11 GMT, Catman
>>> <catman.DeleteThis@rustcuore-sportivo.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>> It's a muck stopper, that's all.
>>> Nope..it's also a sump sledge, particularly for heavier engined
>>> variants.
>>>
>> Doesn't really provide much protection though, does it?
>
> And the lowest part is the front pipe of the exhaust - which has a cutout in
> the tray!
>
>


--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 156 TS 145 2.0 Cloverleaf 156 V6 2.5 S2
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk
 >> Stay informed about: Undertray 

"Zathras" <webnewsgroup.DeleteThis@nospamthanks.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:u4rnf31r3f8fognka0as38ll2of1viakrg@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 27 Sep 2007 11:32:10 +0100, "GT"
> <ContactGT_remove_.DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>If the trays are this susceptible to dropping off then they can't be very
>>strong/tough,
>
> There are two standard variants - a fibre one which breaks up when
> damaged and is far too brittle. There's also a polypropylene (feels
> like it anyway) one which appears to be indestructible - it just
> gouges but doesn't break up.

Mine is not broken up, just scraped and has dropped down and is held on by a
few threads somewhere!
I have about 8-10cm road clearance. At speed, it might even blow up as it
has dropped at the back and is up at the front!
 >> Stay informed about: Undertray 

My 05 156 Veloce needed a new tray at the last service - last week.
60K miles / 2.5 yrs old.
I think it was £150... but I didn't pay - it's a lease car.

--


www.srsteel.co.uk
http://www.srsteel.co.uk/Panorama
http://www.srsteel.co.uk/landscape
http://www.srsteel.co.uk/Peru
"David A Stocks" <dastocks.DeleteThis@channel4.com> wrote in message
news:fdgajb$vd3$1@news.albasani.net...
>
> "Chris S" <chris.DeleteThis@chris.com> wrote in message
> news:46fb8496$0$8175$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosting.com...
>>
>> "GT" <ContactGT_remove_.DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:0052c718$0$16157$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
>>> Is a loose plastic undertray common on the 156? Mine has been hanging
>>> down for a few thousand miles. I have to approach speed humps slowly
>>> then accelerate over them to lift the front of the car!
>>>
>>> Is it an expensive fix at an Alfa dealer?
>> normal problem, mines missing totally!
>>
>> think it's £85 for a plastic one, or £120 for an alu one, which
>> apparently are much much better, will be ordering one myself soon!
>>
> The rear fixings tend to break. I still have the original tray on my car
> (2000 2.4JTD), but held on with cable ties at the back. This is easy
> enough to do if you don't mind crawling underneath the car (suitably
> supported) and/or taking off the front wheels.
>
> D A Stocks
>
 >> Stay informed about: Undertray 

On Thu, 27 Sep 2007 18:52:31 GMT, Catman
<catman DeleteThis @rustcuore-sportivo.co.uk> wrote:

>Zathras wrote:
>> On Thu, 27 Sep 2007 12:18:11 GMT, Catman
>> <catman DeleteThis @rustcuore-sportivo.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> It's a muck stopper, that's all.
>>
>> Nope..it's also a sump sledge, particularly for heavier engined
>> variants.
>>
>
>Doesn't really provide much protection though, does it?

It does actually. If you hit the road (or a rock) in such a way that
the impact is not severe enough to destroy everything in sight - i.e.
your usual 156 glancing blow. In the UK this will typically be on a
rough (stones proud of tarmac) bump then the undertray saves the sump
from being ripped open by the tearing action, if it happens in that
area. It only offers a small amount of protection when denting the
sump and this depends on how well fitted it is.

My last garage said it had had a number of memorable cases of this
because the ruptured sump always resulted in an killed engine due to
running with no oil. The customer, when faced with the bill, created a
huge stink relating to car too low, suspension no good, sump not
properly protected - Alfa's fault! However, the garage said that they
had no cases of holed sumps in cars with undertrays. For the cynical,
I was discussing this with them long before I needed a new tray
myself.

In any case, I'm not sure what the big deal is. Just get a new
polypropylene tray and it's job done. I'd do this even if I had a
fibre undertray in fairly good nick. There's nothing wrong with a
clean engine and more peace of mind.

BTW, having a veloce 2.4JTD and spending a bit of time in deepest Fife
and the Highlands, I'm an expert on how to sharpen the nose of a 156
and smooth all the rough bits off the bottom.

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject are auto-deleted..sorry!)
 >> Stay informed about: Undertray 

On Thu, 27 Sep 2007 21:22:51 +0100, "GT"
<ContactGT_remove_.DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Mine is not broken up,
> just scraped and has dropped down and is held on by a
>few threads somewhere!
>I have about 8-10cm road clearance. At speed, it might even blow up as it
>has dropped at the back and is up at the front!

Either bolts have been beheaded (unusual) or the mounting holes on the
fibre tray have been ripped off (common) or a garage didn't bother
putting all the bolts back in (also common!). This is just phase one
of a fibre tray's destruction - the early warning! Almost always
temporarily *cured* by a dealer with a useless lattice-work of tie
wraps which only delay the inevitable as the tray never stays high
enough to avoid getting subsequently trashed.

The next phase is bits will come off it and it'll crack and break up.

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject are auto-deleted..sorry!)
 >> Stay informed about: Undertray 

"Zathras" <webnewsgroup RemoveThis @nospamthanks.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4v9pf3pheah023hlauahba03p78qleoedj@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 27 Sep 2007 18:52:31 GMT, Catman
> <catman RemoveThis @rustcuore-sportivo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>Zathras wrote:
>>> On Thu, 27 Sep 2007 12:18:11 GMT, Catman
>>> <catman RemoveThis @rustcuore-sportivo.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>> It's a muck stopper, that's all.
>>>
>>> Nope..it's also a sump sledge, particularly for heavier engined
>>> variants.
>>>
>>
>>Doesn't really provide much protection though, does it?
>
> It does actually. If you hit the road (or a rock) in such a way that
> the impact is not severe enough to destroy everything in sight - i.e.
> your usual 156 glancing blow. In the UK this will typically be on a
> rough (stones proud of tarmac) bump then the undertray saves the sump
> from being ripped open by the tearing action, if it happens in that
> area. It only offers a small amount of protection when denting the
> sump and this depends on how well fitted it is.
>
> My last garage said it had had a number of memorable cases of this
> because the ruptured sump always resulted in an killed engine due to
> running with no oil. The customer, when faced with the bill, created a
> huge stink relating to car too low, suspension no good, sump not
> properly protected - Alfa's fault! However, the garage said that they
> had no cases of holed sumps in cars with undertrays. For the cynical,
> I was discussing this with them long before I needed a new tray
> myself.
>
> In any case, I'm not sure what the big deal is. Just get a new
> polypropylene tray and it's job done. I'd do this even if I had a
> fibre undertray in fairly good nick. There's nothing wrong with a
> clean engine and more peace of mind.
>
> BTW, having a veloce 2.4JTD and spending a bit of time in deepest Fife
> and the Highlands, I'm an expert on how to sharpen the nose of a 156
> and smooth all the rough bits off the bottom.

Yes, some of our roads over here are a little, 'bumpy'.
 >> Stay informed about: Undertray