LX450 Air Conditioning Receiver/ Dryer mod
Stock Toyota receiver/ dryer with the stainless steel sheet metal "guard" I fabricated immediately after installing the Slee front bumper. This is obviously unacceptable. From my research I have determined that it is routine for Aussies to peel off this device along with a significant portion of the a/c plumbing when impacting a 'roo at speed. Rock damage here in the States is also common. This guard would stop a small stone on the highway, but had no value whatsoever as a skidplate.... Why a Toyota engineer would select this location for the r/d is beyond me.
Here is my solution.... a Toyota replacement r/d that is about an inch shorter. After pushing the unit up in its bracket, carefully reforming the hard lines by hand, and trimming the bottom of the bracket, this is the result. I can live with this, though I would be happier if the entire thing were tucked safely away somewhere else in the engine bay.
Here is the naked truth. (The license plate is tie-wrapped onto the steering cooler because I drove the truck to the a/c shop sans bumper to save some labor costs.)