Is the undertray needed?

[mp3oplecarrier]

My undertray is in the back of the car at the moment due to an unfortunate water pipe incident...
Does it actually do anything other than collect leaves, oil, water, and dropped tools, or can I leave it off?

Steve

[missfixit70]

Aerodynamics? Down force? Seriously though, I reckon it contributes to directing air across the engine from the scavenge fan & while driving, it certainly keeps the noise down, I really noticed the difference when mine was off for a couple of weeks & I guess it protects the engine too.
Saying that, there are plenty of people running with it off, so it shouldn't make any major difference, I couldn't handle all the extra noises i could hear, so I stuck it back on asap

[samuel]

Agree with Kirsty. Better on than off really!

That reminds me Kirsty I must sort out that pm you sent me a little while back.

[missfixit70]

Agree with Kirsty. Better on than off really!

That reminds me Kirsty I must sort out that pm you sent me a little while back.

If you're talking about blue & yellow sticky things, I was going to give you a shout & see if you'd got anywhere with that

[scanner]

It's long been my experience that if a car maker can save 50p on every car they make that works out to hundreds of thousands of pounds per year and if they can do it they will.

I can remember when even cheap cars like the Austin 1100 had automatic bonnet props - you just opened the bonnet and it stayed up until you released the catch and lowered it again. No groping around at night to find which side the prop thing was hidden away.
But they cost a tiny amount more than a simple length of stiff bent wire and got replaced by a simple length of stiff bent wire.

The undertray costs far more than a few pence (few thousand yen) and going by my theory based on past experience, if it wasn't needed it wouldn't be there.

I think is is needed to control and direct airflow through the radiator and engine bay as well as reducing noise.

[bigdaddycain]

It's long been my experience that if a car maker can save 50p on every car they make that works out to hundreds of thousands of pounds per year and if they can do it they will.

I can remember when even cheap cars like the Austin 1100 had automatic bonnet props - you just opened the bonnet and it stayed up until you released the catch and lowered it again. No groping around at night to find which side the prop thing was hidden away.
But they cost a tiny amount more than a simple length of stiff bent wire and got replaced by a simple length of stiff bent wire.

I have a theory about that... I reckon BL got wind that Basil Fawlty may give one of those Austin's a "damn good thrashing", so fitted a posh prop in case the bonnet was raised!

And let's face it... The bonnet's were raised so much, they NEEDED a decent bonnet stay.

[mp3oplecarrier]

OK thanks foir the replies, I guess I'll steam clean it and put it back after I've done the exhaust and the water pipe!

Steve

[kawasaki kid]

The exhaust can be replaced with the undertray in place.

[The Great Pretender]

The noise issue intrests me, logic says removing part of the (box) stops noise reverberating but if in practice the opposite is true tell me more as I have a Bb noise issue that is bugging me.

[dandywarhol]

The noise issue intrests me, logic says removing part of the (box) stops noise reverberating but if in practice the opposite is true tell me more as I have a Bb noise issue that is bugging me.

[scanner]

The noise issue intrests me, logic says removing part of the (box) stops noise reverberating but if in practice the opposite is true tell me more as I have a Bb noise issue that is bugging me.

But if that part of the "box" is lined with sound deadening material, removing it won't stop any reverberation ('cos the SDM was already stopping it) AND allow all the (previously) deadened, non-reverberating noise to escape.

[The Great Pretender]

The noise issue intrests me, logic says removing part of the (box) stops noise reverberating but if in practice the opposite is true tell me more as I have a Bb noise issue that is bugging me.

But if that part of the "box" is lined with sound deadening material, removing it won't stop any reverberation ('cos the SDM was already stopping it) AND allow all the (previously) deadened, non-reverberating noise to escape.

Sorry....it wasnt my fault..............my keyboard is configered 2 English US.
The part of the box I was refering to was the undertray. What is yours covered in?

[scanner]

The noise issue intrests me, logic says removing part of the (box) stops noise reverberating but if in practice the opposite is true tell me more as I have a Bb noise issue that is bugging me.

But if that part of the "box" is lined with sound deadening material, removing it won't stop any reverberation ('cos the SDM was already stopping it) AND allow all the (previously) deadened, non-reverberating noise to escape.

Sorry....it wasnt my fault..............my keyboard is configered 2 English US.
The part of the box I was refering to was the undertray. What is yours covered in?

So was I....................

All the undertrays I've seen have usually had a thick layer of sound-deadening rubbery felt sort of stuff on the inside - it looks like the Bongo one is no exception from what I've seen so far.

[missfixit70]

I definitely noticed it was louder in the 2 weeks it was off, agree with Scanner, all that I've seen have got sound deadening on them, I wouldn't be surprised if some have taken off the deadening as it does tend to absorb oil & whatever else gets thrown at it.