Belly Pan

Awca12a

Wondering if anyone has upgraded the corrugated plastic belly pan with something a bit more resilient.  

While working on installing tank heaters this weekend and looking at the belly pan, it seems to make more sense for it to be a piece of aluminum than the easily punctured plastic currently in place.   Every test to find a jack that can safely lift the TAB while anywhere but a shop environment for a tire change would cut into the plastic anyway.  

Has anyone replaced the Belly Pan?
or thought about doing it and discarded the thought?

DougH

gregp describes his mod of the basement in:

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/106674

Pertinant discussion starts about half way down that thread. 

Sharon_is_SAM

I can’t think of anyone who has changed out the corrugated plastic for something else.  Most of us were happy when nuCamp started to cover the underside.  Mostly helps to keep the underside clean and protect from road debris.  

falcon1970

The belly pan is made of a product called Coroplast and is very tough.  It is waterproof and can be fairly easily patched if punctured.  While it can be cut or punctured, that is not easy to do in normal circumstances.  It is also lighter than anything else suitable for a belly pan.  One other note: removing the belly pan--at least on a 400--would require removing the stabilizers.

ScottG

I'm curious how much underside damage or wear has occurred in earlier T@Bs (like my 2015) that didn't have this feature. Of all the obscure problems I've seen discussed here, I don't ever recall anything related to road damage of the underbelly components.

Personally, I like being able to visually inspect and access my "utilities" down there, and have wondered if this was mostly a solution looking for problem.

Anyone here ever experience an issue that would have been prevented by a belly pan?

WilliamA

ScottG,
I suspect strictly from an engineering standpoint, bellypans are about airflow and mpg's.  It probably would make a significant difference, particularly with the plumbing and protrusions under a T@B.  A little stone protection from pvc bits is nice too.  Rodent shield?

I've considered putting one under my T@G to smooth out the air and reduce the damage to my belly parts, but I tend to take "the road less traveled".  Rocks and thrown debris are a real concern for me and require a good bit of preventive maintenance.

WilliamA 

Dalehelman

I installed the belly pan on our 2015 before the factory began because I wanted to add some foam insulation to the tank area. As far as tire and brake servicing. I use the factory approved rear stabilizer and tongue jack method. An extra jack to carry along is one less thing I have to store. Unless I planned to do some serious off-roading. Then an  aluminum skid plate might be a good idea.

Awca12a

To close this topic out, after looking at the replies here, on other forums about the same topic and working with the material, I've concluded there is no reason to do anything differently.  Moreover, a metal covering would bring heavier weights and be less forgiving overall.  As it is, the Coroplast is just stiff enough by itself not to droop without a mid-RV support which doesn't exist here.   Of note, the tanks are within 1" of the top of the Coroplast.  

As to the jacking comment and replies above.  The 320 is a lighter unit and there is a factory video for how to do it.  The 400 is heavier, the factory says not to jack it like recommended for the 320 but they have no suggestion for how to jack except to use the L bracket.  When I asked for a jack, anywhere, at any price that could safely jack the 400, I was told they will look into it.   Now that the belly pan was dropped, I understand that the problem comes from Dexter and not nuCAMP but it's still a nuCAMP solution that will be required.  Probably an adapter for an existing jack is how this can be addressed safely.

N7SHG_Ham

For the jacking, would a small floor jack work with a rubber pad on top? I noticed at HD over the weekend that they have fairly small floor jacks that easily meet the lifting weight requiments . Of course has to be stored some place.

What do tire shops do? Are they going to be as careful as an owner or jack any old place and punch holes in the belly pan? My guess is yes!

Awca12a

@N7SHG_Ham -See the post at TAB400 Jacking Points where @falcon1970 provided an elegant solution.  The short version is that if you use the jack from an F-250, it has a 17" rise which worked for falcon1970.   Part#'s and future follow-up are on that post.  Glad this question could be closed-out.

jgpell14

Does anyone have a problem with the belly pan making noise while driving? I'm going crazy trying to figure out the noise that I'm getting while going over 50mph (It's not a solid thunking, more like a hollow sound). The belly pan is my newest suspect.