shroud below engine, where to buy material?!?

[mikeny59]

Searched, no luck and too many replies w/all search terms I've used.

What material and where I can it that I can make another below motor shroud?

Haven't checked dealer yet for price, I'm guessing there's gotta be some kind of store (crafts/marine/etc...) that sells the stuff by the square foot.

Thanks,

[lawsoncl]

Hardware store? Maybe something like rubber carpet runner would work.

[Timber]

EricsXJ made one out of sheetmetal. http://www.ericsxj.com/

[montanaman]

Hardware store? Maybe something like rubber carpet runner would work.

That's a pretty good idea. Mine is getting all torn up, and home depot has that stuff pretty cheap. Coupla bucks and you've got a replacement. I think a key thing to making it last would be to use large plastic washers at the attachment points to spread the load over a larger surface.

Sheet metal is good, but I like the idea of having something flexible in there for when you need to reach up into the front of the engine compartment from below. You can just push the rubber stuff out of the way instead of having to unbolt it.

[Timber]

True. I don't have anything anymore. I used to have the front skid, but I'm in the process of using it for other purposes.

[Blaine B.]

Is it necessary to really have one? I tore mine off months ago when it started hanging. The only rubber I left was between the wheel wells and the bumper in the very front.

[Timber]

It helps to have something if you do water crossings or mud often. I don't even have wheelwell liners anymore. I just hose everything off/out real well after I get home from a trip.

[Blaine B.]

If you did a water crossing wouldn't the water just flow right around it?

I could see the usefulness for mudding, though.

[mikeny59]

just had a brainstorm from a couple of your replies.

a few years ago i bought at homeless depot this 36" wide rubberish fatigue mat/runner padding by the foot, thick, durable as heck, has eaten brake cleaner, acetone, etc... at spit it back out...

quick calculation tells me it'll be cheaper then oem. it's about .5 inch thick, half the time i'm in socks in my garage at the workbench, soft as heck. also used it to double line my xj w/dynomite mat for sound deadening. :music:

insist on keeping something up there, ripped the old stuff off to help with serpent-time belt install, the bottom of the engine compartnent is cleaner than my bedroom floor, and i vacuum once a month, needed or not :scared:

thanks.