Full Belly Pan Mod

[toobs1234]

Anyone here done a full belly pan mod or know of someone who has? I am toying with the idea. Of course heat management is an issue, but seems both doable and worthwhile.

Any thoughts?

[tochatihu]

This has been discussed previously but perhaps not yet done to a Prius. Construction materials could be aluminum sheet, coroplast, or polyethylene sheeting as used below:

http://www.metricmind.com/ac_honda/main2.htm

If you make paper templates, I am sure someone else would appreciate using them later.

[200Volts]

Yeah, I thought of it. Carbon fiber sheets would be really trick, but not very durable.

Aluminum sheets, riveted with washers and plenty of hole clearance would probably be best. A chassis stiffening plate would help keep the thing from stretching.

I would guess that extending the floor closer to the rear suspension would help the air from flowing up and creating turbulence in that area.

[RandyF]

I'd like to make one for my Classic Prius, but I haven't had it up on the lift yet....i'm thinking louvered at the rear, to draw some air through, for cooling..... any ideas/photos?

[tochatihu]

Hey Jake what are you trying to cool back there, exactly? Prius rear drum brakes have a really easy life...

PS: your mpg is better than mine, in a 2001.

[RandyF]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tochatihu @ Jun 1 2007, 11:39 AM) [snapback]453334[/snapback]</div>

Hey Jake what are you trying to cool back there, exactly? Prius rear drum brakes have a really easy life...

PS: your mpg is better than mine, in a 2001.
[/b]

I was just thinking i would need to dissipate the engine/transmission/exhaust heat, if I fit the pan from the front to the back, minus whatever parts i have 2 cut around, due to clearance issues....

I've gotten 52mpg on every other tank, with VERY conservative driving. Otherwise, it's usually 44-46mpg, if i drive it like the traffic around me. Plus, living at 5,600ft might be helping a bit.

[tochatihu]

I would think that staying a couple of inches away from the exhaust would be the major requirement. That transverse pipe is going to be sticking out anyway, unless you build down really low and give up some more ground clearance.

[Cheap!]

I have thought of doing this too and I decided on Coroplast but I realized I would need to leave an air flow channel down along the exhaust. I wanted to use some light weight ceramic insulation that they use for making kilns. You could make a tube around the exhaust like a straw. You really need to be careful as the exhaust heat has caused parts to melt on the Prius in the past.

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