Used Hairdryer, Nail polish remover to fix panel, what's next?

I just got done using my hair dryer, nail polish remover and my home vacuum on this car.

I don't want to do this again. So, any advice from any of you Prius Pontificators?

Three years ago I posted about gravel and dirt packing into a plastic panel under the passenger side of my car. Panel "starts" just behind the front passenger wheel, about where the jack notch is located and goes back to around the middle of the rear door.

Posted somewhat mediocure pix here:

Flickr: K&KinOregon's Photostream

But not much response to my post and I just tried the best I could to get the stuff out and forgot about it. Well, the right corner of the panel was hanging down ominously this past weekend and I just got done pulling out around a US GALLON of rocks and gravel from this panel (maybe 3/4 gallon?).

There are three main nuts -- a 10 mm at the front, a 10mm at rear and a 12mm in center. As well as two plastic nuts on diagonal corners. I was not able to remove the rear plastic clip so was not able to take panel completely off.

But, I cleaned as best I could, dried out the "compartment" with hairdryer, used just about all my nail polish remover to clean the edge of plastic and underside of car and then spread a film of GE clear silcone on the edge of the panel that seats against the underbody of car. I then replaced all the bolts and used two jacks and wood blocks to assure that the panel (which was still hanging down at front corner) was pressed firmly against car.

Waited two days and removed jacks and blocks and panel seems secure (drove it about 50 miles). However, there are still a few spots where debris could enter (too large to fill with silcone).

So, I am thinking, maybe....install mudflaps to help keep the dirt from flying up about the undercarriage? Easy, hard, stupid?

Any other ideas?

BTW, not the only one with this issue:

Undercarriage Cleaning | PriusChat

 

Thank you Patrick for the quick reply!

And thank you for the advice you gave a few months ago about my lost password. The gremlins at PriusChat were more than happy to help me re-activate my old account! Now I just have to get rid of the photo, it is a few years old.

Anyway, after posting this I went on a wilderness trip, since my job was on hold because of the government blather. Just returned to your post.

I am surprised, looking for flaps, the PriusChat shop seems to sell only items for 2010 and beyond? I would buy through PriusChat to support the board, but....

Oh, well, looks like EBay for my splashguards. Thanks again for the reply.

 

Never have high-centered that I remember -- of course there was one June 21, after the summer solstice and a few glasses of wine (J/K, one thing I have never done is "impaired driving)>

But, I do drive a lot of gravel and dirt roads. And in the fall, there can be large amounts of "big leaf" maple leaves in the road.

I have pulled numerous leaves out of the panel. Maybe a succession of leaves loosened it just enough that a bit of gravel, a bit more, then weight/gravity did the rest.

I know what you mean about inset/countersunk. Mine is like that also.

When I took the car into my mechanic to have an alignment done this fall, I asked him to take a look. He laughed a bit at my "hillbilly repair" but he thought overall I did a good job.