Plastic under tray behind passenger front wheel

[stupot]

Hi folks I’ve had a search but not sure I’ve found the right info.
I was cleaning my side bars and noticed a plastic under tray hanging down at the end behind the passenger front wheel, poking down below the sill near the side bar bracket. Any ideas if this is a big piece? Easy to replace? I can’t easily get under to look as the van is pretty low so just seeing if it’s an obvious one!

 

[RobertO2023]

You will definitely have to jack up high to replace or get the van on a garage lift. Over the years I've to had replace this part several times. It can become damaged if you hit standing water

 

[stupot]

Thanks Robert. Is the dirty piece on the floor the remains of the old plastic tray?

 

[RobertO2023]

Thanks Robert. Is the dirty piece on the floor the remains of the old plastic tray?

Yes that’s it! I hit the standing water a night with quite a bang and the underside trim was ripped off.

 

[Perfectos]

The trim can be secured better to help prevent the total collapse of the trim from impacting standing water

Where the wheel arch liner meets the underbody trim in your photo , there is a corresponding hole in both, VW appear to have not made use of all the fixings holes they designed into the wheel arch / underbody’s protection !

By using a “panel nut” (google it) and a screw , same as used in wheel arch liner, the two can be secured together to prevent the underbody panel collapse when hitting standing water (the wheel arch liner supports the underbody panel.

 

[stupot]

The trim can be secured better to help prevent the total collapse of the trim from impacting standing water

Where the wheel arch liner meets the underbody trim in your photo , there is a corresponding hole in both, VW appear to have not made use of all the fixings holes they designed into the wheel arch / underbody’s protection !

By using a “panel nut” (google it) and a screw , same as used in wheel arch liner, the two can be secured together to prevent the underbody panel collapse when hitting standing water (the wheel arch liner supports the underbody panel.

Good tip. Got a pic of the panel nut? Googled and there’s lots of types

 

[roadtripper]

And ideally a picture of it in place?

If it's practical to do on the drive it's a bit of preventative maintenance I'd be interested in have seen a few threads on the after effects of water.

 

[Perfectos]

Good tip. Got a pic of the panel nut? Googled and there’s lots

 

[Perfectos]

And ideally a picture of it in place?

There is only one place where the under tray & wheel arch liner pre made holes match up without a screw being fitted from factory !

Ideally you’ll have to go look at yours !

 

[Perfectos]

Here’s another

 

[Perfectos]

Finally replaced my broken under tray.
The old one was split after hitting standing water.
I used the method above to fix the split under tray to the wheel arch liner, the repair had lasted several years & the under tray albeit split is still intact.
I only decided to replace the under tray as the dealer suggested the Aux engine heater could become damaged from water ingress if the cover was not replaced. (Highly unlikely IMO).

The new panel part number: 7E0825205G
Cost £110 from main dealer
I decided to fit the Nut clip and screw to avoid the issue with the under tray splitting in future
Requires a small pilot hole to be drilled to allow the screw to go through the undertray (nut clip hole for screw)
I replaced the washer type fixings as the original were rusty. (TEMU )
Last photo is from floor looking up into the rear of the wheel arch where you can see the additional screw supporting the under tray right where water impact breaks the panel

Edit: all done from underneath whilst van was sitting on Milenco triple ramps near side front / rear raised to allow better access.



See photos

 

[Perfectos]

And ideally a picture of it in place?

If it's practical to do on the drive it's a bit of preventative maintenance I'd be interested in have seen a few threads on the after effects of water.

@roadtripper See above, hope that helps

 

[roadtripper]

Much appreciated, especially remembering the question after quite some time