This is a new truck to me so, I'm not familiar with the splash guard application. My '01 did not come with one installed. The PO probably left it in the mud pit.

Trying to pull oil pan last night - How the F do you remove this thing? It appears the axle needs to be dropped.

I was able to shimmy it around and use a socket set to remove the pan but...

It took me longer to "try" to remove the "splash guard" than it did to rip down the top end and remove the heads (which by the way all 20 bolts were finger right. Yup, finger tight).

 

Hammers. Saws. Bigger hammers. Then store the pieces safely in the bin/trash.

 

Seriously. I had the Sawzall in my hand...

 

Me too. Was perfect for it.

 

I recollect it was a pain the the butt to remove. Lots of twisting around.

I am thinking of putting it back on. My offroading excursions takes place in either very dusty or very muddy terrain. I get alot of dust, sand and mud kicked up into the engine bay and hood liner.

 

Yep, just broke mine out too. I do get some mud and dirt up in the bay, but not enough to be any real trouble.

 

I am starting a small collection of them in my Rover parts pile from D2s I've worked on in years past. The first gen plastic ones are easy, but the later metal ones require some contorting to get out in one piece, and I have never reinstalled one.

 

What years had metal? My '03 and the '04 parts truck I have both had some kind of plastic with fibers in them similar to fiberglass but not really.

 

no need for it
as for removing the oil pan you either have to remove the frame brace, the bolts usually strip or jack out the truck to take the load of the suspension and you can drop the pan and turn it sideways to get it out

 

Yup, I finally figured that part out.

Note: be sure to lift the chassis - don't compress the suspension. The lift I'm working on is a drive on lift. Figures...