Front Bash plate (who bl--dy designed it)

[michael]

Hello today I`ve spent about 4 hours getting the front bash plate of as most of the bolts had rusted solid I stripped the front bumper off then cut two off from the front then the two that are in the middle which you have to get to through holes in the plate god they were a nightmare after drilling them for about an hour I managed to get one off then I had to revert to bending the plate down and chiseling the bracket off from the underside of it which suffice to say the plate is now knack-r-d who the bl--dy hell came up with that design I even spent £15 on one of them so called removal tools supposed to remove any rusted nut or bolt what a load of rubbish they were, anyway theres a few pics on here
http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/25904507

Does anyone have a spare one they dont want

 

[Chris]

Oh dear. I take you don't own an angle grinder then Mick. Easier to just cut it all off in this case. Then remove the bolts. The ones up the holes are tricky little blighters if they are rounded. You have my sympathy.

Chris

 

[michael]

I do have an angle grinder chris thats what I cut the front bolts off with and I was going to cut it all in to pieces but I thought I could persevere and get it off so I could re-use it with a bit of re working but like all the best laid plans it didn`t work out , I wouldn`t mind I`ve 2 bumps on either side of my forehead like bloody eggs from banging it on the front of the chassis ah well its off now and a new radiator fitted just the front discs and pads to do when they arrive and find a leak somewhere on the autobox filter oh and a bit of paint when it warms up a bit and I`m going to put some of that carbon fibre wrap around the cd aircon heater surround as I dont like the fake wood effect, thats this weeks list anyway

 

[BIG clean GREEN]

Michael, how do you find the Enduro tyres ? Bit of a ball ache in the wet I found, also the life of them is very Ltd.

Nick.

 

[Ronanjordan]

Had 2 bolts shear on mine while trying to get it off.
Same ones , up thru the holes!! maybe u needed a larger power
I know that broke mine off easily enuf, one was rounded so an old socket got used for that one, hammered on!!

Would like to make a nice new one and put it on instead!!

 

[Bounder]

I just finished giving mine a coat of Black Hammerite, I didn't seem to have the same level of frustration as you, mind you I dimly remember giving the bolts a coat of copper grease once.
Its pretty solid as far as factory guards go, mine has a few war wounds though and needed a bit of battering back into shape.

 

[Ronanjordan]

i did copper grease mine once i put it back on!
Pity the last to$$er didnt

 

[michael]

Hello Nick
I`ve only had the truck since last october and the tyres haven`t` been too bad to be honest though we had a couple of bum nippers in the snow and ice turning into our cul-de-sac, I posted on why someone put them on as there quite narrow only being 235s I think and the feeling was that the truck probably came from a farmer (I got it from a dealer ) as the tyres go through the mud and find traction better than wider ones ? I`m not that experienced with tyres myself plus the wheels are different to all the other 90/95s I`ve seen so I`m going to find out wether they will take a wider tyre and probably looking towards GGs or BFs but they will have to wait as I`m trying to get everything else sorted first plus the enduro`s have a lot of life in them yet.
Hello Ronan
I tried hammering old sockets on but didn`t do anything as I said I bought a set of those so called special tools for removing any old nut or bolt but no good I drilled one off from those 2 up in the middle but the other drilled to the side as you cant see can you when your laid on your back then I couldnt get the drill bit to stay straight so I lost my wrag and just jemmy barred it down on one side I couldn`t get the grinder in so I reverted to a chisel and hammer and the result you can see on the pics. I`d like to make one but don`t have a welder so it looks like buying one.
Hello Bounder
I had painted mine while it was on the truck with smooth black hammerite and when I get another I will copper grease the bolts before they go back in but I dont think this one had ever been off.