Sand trapped in cross member above bash plate.

[dazzer47 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close dazzer47]

I have done quite a few trips to Fraser Island, some of a few days and others of up to 8 weeks. When I return home I give my vehicle a good cleanout underneath. However to do this properly you must remove the bash plates as sand becomes packed in the cross member above the bash plate and can't be seen. This has also happened to two other Prado owners I know. Definitely a potential rust spot if ever I've seen one.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: Sand trapped in cross member above bash plate.

Mine got full of locusts last year, quick spray with air compressor and they're gone.

[MDSimpson Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDSimpson]

Re: Sand trapped in cross member above bash plate.

On my very first venture to Stockton beach, (my Prado had just 300km;s on the clock, so proud) I was advised to get a soaker hose, lay it down drive the car over it and gently loosen the sand with the hose. If you get under there with a jet blast of water, you will compact the sand and make it harder to get it out..
To my surprise, it worked an absolute treat..

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Re: Sand trapped in cross member above bash plate.

Took the bashplate off to get access to the front diff and found all the mud there even though the car had been detailed previously with instructions to thoroughly clean the underside. Now that I know how easy it is to take the bashplates off, I will be doing it everytime the underside of the Prado needs a clean. You'll save a lot of time and water, especially when using a high pressure cleaner.

[foxclan Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close foxclan]

Re: Sand trapped in cross member above bash plate.

Hi Guys
On our return leg of our Trip To The Tip 2010, We encountered the automatic under body wash at Lakeland. This is run by the Qld. Government to remove any weed seeds and plant material and therefore prevent transfer to other Agricultural or Horticultural regions. This thing was amazing, simply drive on and slowly move forward. We did about three passes and it sure cleaned the vehicle and camper of all the accumulated crud from underneath.
Back in S.A., There is a car wash in Pt Lincoln that has an under vehicle jet system. We used this a couple of years back after two weeks of beach driving around Lincoln and Coffin Bay, it also did a good job.
A similar setup could be made using poly tube connected to the garden tap.
Cheers Troy

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Re: Sand trapped in cross member above bash plate.

There are lots more places then just above the bash plates that crud gets stuck, i recently made a pressure cleaner of sorts out of a piece of copper tubing with the end bent at 90 degrees and then flattened to give a fanned pressure spay. Placing this through the holes in the chassis rail saw endless amounts of mud pouring out of the drain holes, on top of the fuel tanks is another good spot for crud to hide.

Cheers Andrew

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Re: Sand trapped in cross member above bash plate.

There are lots more places then just above the bash plates that crud gets stuck, i recently made a pressure cleaner of sorts out of a piece of copper tubing with the end bent at 90 degrees and then flattened to give a fanned pressure spay. Placing this through the holes in the chassis rail saw endless amounts of mud pouring out of the drain holes, on top of the fuel tanks is another good spot for crud to hide.

Cheers Andrew

Sounds similar to the Staun power sprayer thing

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Re: Sand trapped in cross member above bash plate.

There are lots more places then just above the bash plates that crud gets stuck, i recently made a pressure cleaner of sorts out of a piece of copper tubing with the end bent at 90 degrees and then flattened to give a fanned pressure spay. Placing this through the holes in the chassis rail saw endless amounts of mud pouring out of the drain holes, on top of the fuel tanks is another good spot for crud to hide.

Cheers Andrew

Sounds similar to the Staun power sprayer thing

I think that is where i stole............eer i mean got the inspiration for my cleaner. a couple of pics below, its pretty rough, but I made it out of bits and pieces lying around so cost was about zero quite effective for those harder to reach places.



Cheers Andrew