Nightfly

Went out for a nice ride, or so I thought. I hit a raised part of the road; it took the alternator out with it. And the alternator almost ripped out the wiring harness as it went. Now, the electricals are all screwed up; I don't have any place to put the car on jack stands, so I can't do the work on this. Now, the car's in the shop, for I don't know how long; mechanic says there's power to the box, but nothing going to the ignition. No telling how much this is going to cost me, but it's sure to be big $$$$$. All you guys running without a front and back belly pan, get one now.

RyanPerrella

i dont see how a belly pan would have prevented this. It would have only made your issue worse, it would have taken out your alternator and destroyed the front plastic pan and damaged the rear probably

be glad you didnt have one, its not a skid plate, its there for Aero reasons.

Marine Blue

Have you considered contacting your insurance company?

Technically this is an accident and the damage may get costly enough that you will be well past a typical deductable.

Mako 928

85' 86' Should have a semi belly pan which covers from under the radiator to the back of the alternator. As Ryan mentioned it is there to redirect air flow but has saved me from scraping the alternator but wont do much to prevent a heavy hit. The skid plates under the front part of the lower control arm has protected me several times from hits but the biggest culprit is that the car is to low. Proper ride height is the best way to protect from bottoming out.

Jim bailey - 928 International

If it was a defect in the road sometimes you can get the city to pay as well. Like a protruding manhole cover on a street being resurfaced....it has happened. Often the mounting point of the alternator bracket on the ENGINE BLOCK is broken and no longer will hold the bolt....that is a big deal.

AO

Same can happen on the opposite side with the AC. Just ask Tony.

SharkSkin

The belly pan can be viewed as a sacrificial device that can prevent the alternator/AC from "catching" and breaking the mounts at the block. IMHO, there is a continuum between "light scrape" and "ruined the block", and a full belly pan can help your block survive a hit that would have otherwise ruined it. So, it moves the point of catastrophe along the continuum, as it were. Having said that, if you take a hard enough hit with a belly pan, your block is still toast. But overall your chances are better with than without.

LeRox

do you think that motorsports "protection plate" could have saved the day??

http://www.928motorsports.com/parts/chinplate.php

Nightfly

I was thinking something more along the lines of this. found a thread on pelican. Looks interesting.

Nightfly

Yes, insurance will cover above the deductible. But still.....it really screwed up the car. I didn't have electrical gremlins, or at least didn't know about any before. Now, though, I'm sure to find stuff going on. When I looked under the car, the alternator was over two feet from the mount point. Wires still attached to what remained of it (hmmm, and maybe a quick disconnect to install? a little late, though). I disconnected the ground strap as fast as I could, but don't know what may have happened until then.

chrly924s

Two of us were coming back from SITM w/the other car leading. Passing thru Roane Mountain he swerves suddenly w/o warning and I hit the biggest, swelled up 'possum you ever saw(those are armadillos w/o the shell for all you in Texas; thank God it wasn't an armadillo). Broke the center mounting point on the spoiler. I was under there yesterday cleaning up the tranny getting ready to pull it
and the TT to do some maintenance and found about half of the opossum's hair under there.

Dean_Fuller

ooookay...whos up for ice cream?

Fogey1

BTDT. I was able to prepare my block mounting point with a helicoil.

I vote for Carl's bolt-on plates.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, what's your ride height? Too low is dangerous to your car and wallet.

Mike Frye

Don,

That sucks! I'm really sorry to hear it. I've hit the spoiler countless times and the skid plates a couple of times, but I've been lucky about missing anything bigger.

I think Carl's protection plates and/or crossbar might have helped, but if you hit something hard enough to do that much damage, something was going to get beat up bad.

I hope your guy can hook you up and get it running right again.

blitz928

A friend here, hit a pothole with his GTS and bent one of his custom 3 pc. forged wheels. He was so pissed he contacted the city, and griped about the crappy roads. They sent him a check for $1279.00 a week later to replace the wheel and tire. I couldn't believe it until I saw the check!

The point I am getting at is , if the road was F@*ked up, you may try that.