1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

BT Tech Introducts 2 new products for the Prius

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by BT Tech, Dec 6, 2007.

Page 3 of 3
  1. BT Tech

    BT Tech New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2005
    885
    2
    0
    Location:
    South Florida
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    I understand the concerns that a technician might have but once you see our skidplate up close, you will see that those concerns are not an issue.

    The access hole is large enough for a large person to get his hand in there with a glove on to remove the oil filter. There is also plenty of room to be able to reach in and remove a socket or any other tool that might be dropped in.

    The back of the skid plate is on an angle and is open meaning that airflow is not disturbed and that there is no heat being trapped in this area.

    If our skid plate has to be removed, it is only a matter of removing the exposed bolts that attaches the plate. The whole assembly can be removed and dropped down in under 5 minutes.

    A large amount of time was spent on the design criteria that met these goals. Our skid plate is not meant to be a "racing" component but was designed to protect the expensive engine components that are exposed under the car. While most vehicles have either some sort of shield or crossmember that is located in such a place to offer protection to its engine components, the Prius has none. This was the reason for designing our skid plate to address this issue.




     
    #41 BT Tech, Dec 8, 2007
  2. BT Tech

    BT Tech New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2005
    885
    2
    0
    Location:
    South Florida
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    There is no "stiffening" effect that this product offers and the way in which it mounts under the vehicle. We have an upcoming product that will address that. :)

    Installation can be accomplished by anyone that is comfortable using a standard ratchet and does not require you to drill or tap into anything.

    When our production part is ready, it will be OEM in appearance, fit and finish and quality.


     
    #42 BT Tech, Dec 8, 2007
  3. BT Tech

    BT Tech New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2005
    885
    2
    0
    Location:
    South Florida
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    SOON!! :) :)

    Actually, I am just waiting to get some good pictures of it installed and will post them..


     
    #43 BT Tech, Dec 8, 2007
  4. apriusfan

    apriusfan New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2007
    6,050
    205
    0
    Location:
    S.F. Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Brian, does your skid plate conflict with the TOM'S Front Lower Suspension Brace?
     
    #44 apriusfan, Dec 8, 2007
  5. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2007
    10,664
    567
    0
    Location:
    Adelaide South Australia
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Why does it make much difference?
    I like the plate and subject to freight cost will buy it. Most Japanese cars have plastic undertrays so it's no biggy. Dropping the socket isn't the owners fault or problem, if you had to remove the plate for servicing fair enough but dropping a socket is the techs problem. Mind you this is easy for me to say as I was paid by the hour. I used a telescopic magnet or flexible grab to retreive dropped tools.

    How can you make it from metal bars and have anything but a negative impact on airflow? There would be no nagative affect on airflow under the hood, only a positive one as it ducts the air under the car to a low pressure area at the front of the cabin floor where there would be a venturi affect.

    Now, the other product?
     
    #45 patsparks, Dec 8, 2007
  6. apriusfan

    apriusfan New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2007
    6,050
    205
    0
    Location:
    S.F. Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Don't know about the claimed venturi affect. Regarding bars and negative impact on airflow, there are two sets of bars: a.) the bars that protect the expensive drivetrain bits are aligned length-wise (front-to-back), and so would not impact airflow; b.) the cross-bars at the front and rear of the longitudinal bars could be oval in shape (similar to the shape of the TOM'S Front Lower Suspension Brace, and the air would flow over and under the bars, with minimal turbulence.

    Brian, you better get a picture posted quick; otherwise, you may be facing a riot....:)
     
    #46 apriusfan, Dec 8, 2007
  7. BT Tech

    BT Tech New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2005
    885
    2
    0
    Location:
    South Florida
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?p=528723#post528723

     
    #47 BT Tech, Dec 8, 2007
  8. BT Tech

    BT Tech New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2005
    885
    2
    0
    Location:
    South Florida
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    I honestly do not know if there will be any interference with the Tom's brace. If you can take a picture of it installed I can check and see if there will be an issue with it.




     
    #48 BT Tech, Dec 9, 2007
  9. apriusfan

    apriusfan New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2007
    6,050
    205
    0
    Location:
    S.F. Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    I can do that sometime around middle of next week. Can you provide an address for me to e-mail the picture? Do you want a picture of the area in front of the TOM'S Brace? Or???? PM me if you want.
     
    #49 apriusfan, Dec 9, 2007
  10. BT Tech

    BT Tech New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2005
    885
    2
    0
    Location:
    South Florida
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    That would be great!! If you can provide pictures showing the brace installed from both the front and back, that would be great.

    I will then be able see if there will be any clearance issues with it and our skid plate.

    Please email them to me at: [email protected]


     
    #50 BT Tech, Dec 9, 2007
  11. JimboK

    JimboK One owner, low mileage

    Joined:
    May 1, 2006
    2,817
    187
    49
    Location:
    Chesterfield, VA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    But (to reiterate the concern from my previous post), what about two hands? Maybe it's me, but I don't see how anyone can remove the filter with one hand and not spill a significant amount of oil. Then it seems almost certain that some of that oil will end up on the inside of the plate and not in whatever's catching it on the ground.

    Am I missing something, either in the plate's design or the filter removal process?
     
    #51 JimboK, Dec 9, 2007
  12. BT Tech

    BT Tech New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2005
    885
    2
    0
    Location:
    South Florida
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    If we machined an access hole large enough for two hands, this kind of defeats the purpose of our skid plate protecting the engine components.

    If the oil filter is too tight to remove using one hand with a glove, the best way is to purchase an oil filter wrench that you can get an any auto parts store. This tool will fit on to the oil filter and then you use a 3/8" ratchet with an extension to easily remove the filter. This tool normally costs under 5 dollars.

    Of course you can also simply remove the bolts that hold on our skid plate but it is MUCH easier to just use the correct tool. :)


     
    #52 BT Tech, Dec 9, 2007
  13. JimboK

    JimboK One owner, low mileage

    Joined:
    May 1, 2006
    2,817
    187
    49
    Location:
    Chesterfield, VA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    I use an oil filter wrench and a ratchet. But that's beside the point. You've answered my question, thanks. About the access hole, anyway. (I don't want to carry the thread off-topic, so I'll ask about how to remove the filter without spilling oil elsewhere.)
     
    #53 JimboK, Dec 10, 2007
  14. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2007
    10,664
    567
    0
    Location:
    Adelaide South Australia
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I would loosen the filter, wait for it to stop dripping too fast then use a rag to remove the filter with one hand catching small spills on the rag. Or no rag just a glove to prevent oil contacting your skin. If you keep the filter upright there will be minimal spillage.
     
    #54 patsparks, Dec 10, 2007
  15. apriusfan

    apriusfan New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2007
    6,050
    205
    0
    Location:
    S.F. Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    I must be missing something. What happened to loosen the filter with a filter wrench (not so loose that oil drips, but loose enough to hand turn), wrap the filter with a shop rag or length of paper towel to catch the drips, and then turn off the filter by hand?
     
    #55 apriusfan, Dec 11, 2007
  16. BT Tech

    BT Tech New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2005
    885
    2
    0
    Location:
    South Florida
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    I just received our final production BT Tech skid plate and it looks AWESOME!! First quality and OEM fit and finish...

    I added some strenghtening ribs to the plate and have sealed up the access points with press fit covers. They are easily removable and installs in just a few seconds. The skid plate is powder coated in a durable black rough texture and blends in beautifully to look "stealth" like in appearance.

    I hope to have time to install it tomorrow and take some pictures so that I can post them here. Danny should have the complete description and prices up on the Prius Chat store by this weekend.
     
    #56 BT Tech, Dec 20, 2007
  17. philmcneal

    philmcneal Taxi!

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2006
    332
    7
    0
    Location:
    Simcoe Ontario
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    II
    sounds great! so when is the upper front BT brace will be available? i want to wait so when putting all three upgrades, the effect will be definiately noticeable!
     
    #57 philmcneal, Dec 22, 2007
  18. apriusfan

    apriusfan New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2007
    6,050
    205
    0
    Location:
    S.F. Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Waiting for the pics.... And description and prices....
     
    #58 apriusfan, Dec 22, 2007
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 3 of 3