Body Lift Gap Guards - Make Them Yourself

[ExplorerDMB]

Today I made some Gap Guards for my 2000 XLT with a 3" body lift. The engine comparment was showing a lot more than I would like and I wanted to cover it up so water and such would not get inside. I went to Home Depot (i'm sure Lowes has it too) and bought some Pond Lining. Came in 15'x1'. I got 15'x2', just to make sure I had enough (since it seems no one else has really done this and I dind't know if I'd make mistakes.) What I did was take the old Guards off that were stock and placed them on the sheet of pond lining and traced just the top of the guard. I then measured about 4 inches down from the bottom of the guard in 4 different places and marked at 4 inches. I then moved the guard down and traced the design of the bottom of the guard to fit snuggly like the origional guards. I then just cut it out and test fitted it. I did a few little trims and then took the old gap guard and marked where the wholes were for the plastic rivets. I then just cut a small hole (you could drill it, but it doens't need to be perfect at all) and put the rivets through the wholes. Then rivet the new gap guard into place and you are done and ready for the other side which you do exactly the same. The pond lining was about 20-25 bucks. A lot cheaper than gap guards and I didnt have to pay shipping and all that nonsense. The pond lining is similar material as the gap guards, maybe a little ligther, but it does the exact same thing. Here are some pictures:

Before:

After:

Here are some other pictures:

If you plan on doing this, just remember - it doesn't have to be THAT pretty. It is hardly ever noticed. I think they turned out well for saving the money I did and time. It took me about 30 minutes to do both sides. I might trim up some of the bottoms of the guards, but I think they look fine. Hope others will use this. Good luck!


-Drew






Update: I have taken pictures of the rear gap guards (not bad at all)

-Drew

 

[IAmTodd]

I redid my stock ones with pond lining laying around the house. Worked like a charm!!

 

[Hartman]

Looks good to me. Nice mod.

 

[ExplorerDMB]

Looks good to me. Nice mod.

Thanks Hartman. I like your truck a lot.

 

[Hartman]

I like yours a whole lot better than mine right now. Mine is pretty much stock because I'm at school.

 

[Yomie]

Looks awesome, i've been looking for a cheap way to do the same thing, but never thought about pond lining. I'm probably gonna try this tomorrow PM, thanks alot. I will be making some for the rear also though!

 

[ExplorerDMB]

Looks awesome, i've been looking for a cheap way to do the same thing, but never thought about pond lining. I'm probably gonna try this tomorrow PM, thanks alot. I will be making some for the rear also though!

Yeah, I'm goin to finish my rear up sometime this week. I didn't have time nor the plastic rivets to put the rear ones on. But I'm sure those will be just as easy. The rear does look nasty...all that space. ha Oh well. Good luck with your project. It's not too hard.

-Drew

 

[Yomie]

I have a question for ya, all they had at my local HD was the 12x1 is there a difference in thickness between the 12x1 and the 15x1?

They were all out of 15x1 so i didn't buy any, if the 15 is thicker i want that one...

 

[ExplorerDMB]

I have a question for ya, all they had at my local HD was the 12x1 is there a difference in thickness between the 12x1 and the 15x1?

They were all out of 15x1 so i didn't buy any, if the 15 is thicker i want that one...

I am not sure. I don't think they have a different thickness. But again, I'm not sure. But I really would have to think that there isn't a difference. Just the size is different. If you go look at the 12x1 and it's kind of flimsy and flappy, that is probably the same stuff. The thickness was about 1/16th or 2/16ths of an inch. Hope this helps, if any!

-Drew

 

[ExplorerDMB]

Update on page one - I finished the rear ones!

 

[j602]

Wow.....a couple weeks ago I thought to myself, "I bet I could make me some gap guards out of POND LINING." Then I find this thread! Nice work.

 

[ExplorerDMB]

Well - there you go. The rear guards are harder, especially the left-rear because of the fillter-neck hose. Good luck though.

-Drew

 

[ExplorerDMB]

Note:

I had a problem the other day with my gap guards. I was going down the road and I recently changed my rear-end lube (500 miles after new gears is recommended) and I started to here a horrible noise on coast only. I started to freak cause the only time i have noise on coast is from my gears, but it use to be a high pitch from 45mph - down and well i was close to my shop so I pull into the shop. My dad was with me and so we both started looking around and I thought, I bet something is stuck in my tires or hittin my tire. And so I get under there and start looking to see nothing. I feel my diff case and it's warm, nothing extremely hot at all. So I felt ok with that except I thought like a tooth or something could of broken off. Well my dad goes "look at this" and on the passenger rear the gap guard had broken loose at a spot and was rubbing against my nobby ass tires and was making a horrible noise. You could see on the tire where it was hitting and on the gap guard. So I went into the shop, got a razor blade and a zip tie....cut it a little shorter and tied the thing up again. It cleared it right up. So all in all...it's a good mod - just make sure it's secure!

-Drew

 

[ExplorerDMB]

Has anyone had any trouble with theirs tearing? I had one of mine tear a little where it was being held at. Anyone else?

-Drew

 

[96limitedX]

i still need to do this....man, i'm lazy..

looks great tho!

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

I need this for my stock guards....my engine gets ridiculously muddy

 

['97 V8]

Nice im headin to home depot tomorrow to do that. Thanks for the info man.

 

[churd69]

I have a question for ya, all they had at my local HD was the 12x1 is there a difference in thickness between the 12x1 and the 15x1?

They were all out of 15x1 so i didn't buy any, if the 15 is thicker i want that one...

If your thinking about doing this get the 15x1, it is rubber whereas the 12x1 is PVC and I am told the PVC will start to melt at a lower temperature then the Rubber and it is also slightly thinner.

-Rich