Heat plate ?????

[Valsheda]

Where the exhaust bends over the axel, there seems to be a heat plate , i have had to take a hammer to it as my exhaust kept knocking on it , thought it was better than taking the plate off i just bent it up enough to give clearence , hence no more knocking noises at low revs , it got really annoying !!!

Does anyone know why it is there , as there doesnt seem to be any wires or pipes running underneath it ??????

[100ps_drw_hicube]

no idea why its there mine has got it as well but doesnt cause any probs where as my dads has not got one the holes are there so it had one some time before our ownership but no probs with out it

[Terry]

Its probably there to prevent any heat rising a spoiling a perhaps heat sensitive cargo.
As long as the plate is not touchimg the floor,air passing between the plate and the floor will cool or prevent the heat rising.
The old desert equipped Land Rovers used to have a double roof to prevent the interior becoming too hot.