Redesign Syncro skid bars to protect Smallcar Cast oilpan

[Sodo]

Here's my Subaru EJ25 oilpan. It might be an Outback or Outfront Motorsports pan (?).
Its at appx the same level as the skid bars.
As you can see it needs some protection, but it's steel, and unlikley to bust open,,,,,but,,,,,.

I want a 5 quart oilpan ----> the Smallcar cast Aluminum oilpan.
This thread appeared on TheSamba.
Small Car oil pan puncture ~ Solved / Follow-up
A Samba member, mrshrimp, busted his oilpan on a rock, and had to replace it.
I wondered if the Smallcar pan was weldable, and so I asked mrshrimp for his broken pan.
He was so disgusted with his debacle, and perhaps equally puzzled by my interest in it,
that he just sent it to me. FWIW, it welded nicely, so now ya'll know!
Now I need to protect it, so I'm redesigning the Syncro skid bars.
In time for Van season.
Which is right around the corner.👍🏽😎

Here's the rear section removed. The plan is to build a similar section, but build it better, with a 1/4" thick aluminum plate cover over the cast oilpan.
I will have to unbolt the cover to change the oil.

First things first.
I cut this infuriating connection off.
I hate this design of overlapping bolts, especially the one way up high behind the shift rod.

This vertical post will remain bolted to the van.
The forward bars and the rear section will bolt to it INDEPENDENTLY.
Tomorrow there will be tabs welded here, and bolts.
Beautiful, accessible bolts.
Where any one section can be unbolted without disturbing the others.
To unbolt the driveshaft, the driver's side front bar will come off easily.

Here's the rear structure that rims the Smallcar cast oilpan.
It will have a sheet of 1/4" aluminum covering the oilpan.
Which won't protect it from a nuclear blast, but 95% is pretty good.
I don't want to lose much ground clearance - as you can see in the TOP pic, the evidence that I use up whatever ground clearance I'm given.
(and thus far....not a whole lot more)

Wondering if those two bars could be bolted on, thus removeable independently.
....will decide that tomorrow.

There will be 1/2 inch of airspace between the aluminum cover plate and the Cast oilpan.

OK this is where I'm at. See y'all tomorrow.!
_________________


'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[dustibus]

Nice looks good, and I would think 1/4 aluminum would hold up fine under there and be a lot lighter then anything else!!

[alaskadan]

Cool. I've been planning a skid bar redesign too. Partly for the reasons you are doing it , and partly because I want it to be symmetrical so I can make a pair or side covers to keep the underside cleaner. Though concerns of air flow around trans need to be considered. Why use sticky aluminum? Wouldn't 1/8" steel give comparable performance ? Granted the 1/8" steel at 5.4 lbs per square ft vs 1/4" aluminum at 3.5 lbs is heavier but not that much for such a small pc.

[Sodo]

[MarkWard]

Is there room to get the oil filter out? Looks tight in the one picture. Doing that laying on your back. Wow. Good for you.
_________________
☮️

[swissarmychainsaw]

My humble suggestion would be to put 90 degree bends on the side of the sheet metal, and drill/tap hose in your square tube.

For a couple of reasons:
1. If you use this as intended, a nice flat bottom will slide over everything (christ!)
2. Not having you bolts all jammed up with mud and crud will make oil changes that much easier.
i have HATED bash plates on bikes that were bolted on from the bottom.

Please to be enjoy this non-technical, technical drawing:

[vwhammer]

[Sodo]

There's one inch that the oil filter can drop down off its post.
But I will unscrew it for sure.
Thanks for the reminder Mark!

[MarkWard]

[alaskadan]

X2 on the vertical returns for attatchement points. For me with our salty roads and mud in my design I'd use U clip nuts somehow or at the very least nuts and bolts. So a year later when the bolt snaps upon removal I'm not fighting a rusty broken bolt stuck in the hole. I like captive nuts for certain applications just nut this one.

[big swifty]

Restaurant supply stores have larger cutting boards...don't know if you've checked them out.
_________________
Evan
1987 Vanagon Syncro // Westfalia pop-top graft // Factory new ALH. 11mm IP. AFN 110 RC 2,3,4 // S7 turbo// Titan P502's
2013 Golf 4d TDI. No mods. Yet.
[1991 Jetta coupe TD. Giles Superpump. Custom tall 5 speed. SOLD

[FrankenSubySyncro]

Take a look at mine here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2EhAeIhY_h/

Those tabs on your mustache bar need to be thicker. Mine mounts under the MB.

Also suggest the bracing up to the frame rails in the middle of the skid bars.

I used 3/16 aluminium and unbolt it for oil changes.
_________________
Syncronize it!
1987 Franken Syncro (converted 2WD auto)
2004 2.5 SOHC Subaru
F & R lockers, decoupler, SS, 6.17 R&P
Trans Cooler
EMPI race prepped 930 CVs and axles
Bilstein coilover front, rear ProComp MX-6066R shocks, 14" hypercoil springs
30x9.5 15" BFG Muds
Custom skid plates
Nose job (custom front bumper) http://www.flickr.com/photos/subyvanagon/sets/72157624970330925/

[rmcd]

Someone on the samba used a swingarm like a bushing so the whole rear frame would swing down to access the motor. I was thought if I redid mine that’s what I would do.
_________________
VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[Sodo]

[FrankenSubySyncro]

I meant the rear at the middle of the transaxle since that is what you are working on. Since you mentioned it, I also have a brace on the drive line bars too. I do have to remove the aluminium plate to change the oil with the SC oil pan.
_________________
Syncronize it!
1987 Franken Syncro (converted 2WD auto)
2004 2.5 SOHC Subaru
F & R lockers, decoupler, SS, 6.17 R&P
Trans Cooler
EMPI race prepped 930 CVs and axles
Bilstein coilover front, rear ProComp MX-6066R shocks, 14" hypercoil springs
30x9.5 15" BFG Muds
Custom skid plates
Nose job (custom front bumper) http://www.flickr.com/photos/subyvanagon/sets/72157624970330925/

[rmcd]

Hurt my memory banks a little but here it is. Syncru build.

[Sodo]

OK I've seen that Syncaru skid bar.
That's too wicked.

Got the rear section structure done.
I decided to make it similar to the OEM.
But it will be so much easier to either swing down, or remove entirely
OEM bars weighs 22.5 lbs
(Incomplete) new bars weighs 23.5 lbs.
There will be more stuff welded on.
But the structure is much stronger, & thicker steel.
_________________


'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[Alaskaberrys]

[tencentlife]

Here's how I dealt with the rear attachment:

The nuts on top of the angle are welded on so I just blast out the four M10 bolts.

Still have to work up some other mod for the front, both for fast removal of the prop-shaft bars to ease prop-shaft removal, and independent removal of the engine grid for other work. I want to add some extra bracing across the prop-shaft bars and up to the frame rails, too.
_________________
Shop for unique Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/

Please don't PM here, I will not reply.

Experience is kryptonite to doctrine.

[Sodo]

Envious of the ground clearance of the WBX!
I think easy removal of the engine bars is a #1 goal and paramount to any mods.

Appreciate all ideas!
Hoping the good ideas come before I'm too far along on this project to incorporate them...

-----edit----

Thinking about the driveline protection bars, the deflection can be limited at the 1/3 point by a block that bears out on the body/frame crossmember.
Center would be better, but 1/3 is pretty good.

I taped a 2x2 (1.5x1.5) block of wood there and it looked like a simple mod.
So I made a steel limiter that bears on the crossmember if the bars flex 5mm.

_________________


'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb