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Panic Panic


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Panic has now set in…….

Please can anyone make tell me that this chassis isn’t that bad as this was what I found when I cut the old floor and outrigger off to replace them….Also I asked last night if anyone knew if the tubular outrigger was prone to rot around the alloy but not on the bracket that’s still sound does this look like an MOT failure issue.

I know the chassis and outrigger and footwells are mot issues but I have got those underway and will be able to weld repairs but I don’t have a clue how to go about a repair to the alloy surround of the tubular outrigger.

Someone replied last night and told me that the tubular outrigger had to be 100% but I don’t know if that was the anchorage to the seatbelt or all of it alloy panel as well. Has anyone had this go wrong with theirs and if so what did you do .and dont say scrap it please!

Please help if you can.

A very concerned James of Oxford

:( :( :(

PS found some great reciprocating saw blades as used fire fire and rescue they cut anything and quick just the job for cutting outriggers and old footwells out. see images

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The corrosion on the body mount doesn't worry me an awful lot, relatively straight forwards to repair. What does bother me are those big gaping holes in the chassis rail, under where the driver's floor panel should be. That is some serious rot!

I'd seriously want to check the rest of the chassis.

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You can repair the alloy (I've done it). Cut the rot out, then rivet a new piece of alloy in it's place - overlapping the edges by an inch or so. Drill through where the mounting bolts are and then put the bolts in. If the utrigger is heavily corroded, then it might fail. Any rusty holes and it almost certainly will do. The chassis will obviously fail and looks seriously weakened anyway.

Les.

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You can repair the alloy (I've done it). Cut the rot out, then rivet a new piece of alloy in it's place - overlapping the edges by an inch or so. Drill through where the mounting bolts are and then put the bolts in. If the utrigger is heavily corroded, then it might fail. Any rusty holes and it almost certainly will do. The chassis will obviously fail and looks seriously weakened anyway.

Les.

Thanks for the reply I have checked the rest of the chassis and its not too bad but If I weld some good thick plates in with lots of overlap it should be ok shouldnt it?

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I don't see how welding really thick repair plates to a ~1.5mm thick chassis helps matters, you can find filing cabinets made of thicker stuff to donate repair sections :lol: To repair the aluminium you either need to cut it back to good clean metal and TIG weld in a new bit, or cut a repair section out and rivet it over the top. The steel mount takes the load.

Oh and Landies are never scrap, it's just the cost to repair may vastly outweigh the value of the vehicle.

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Thanks for the replies I take the point that thick plate would be overkill on a chassis that is much thinner material and thinking about it if I used thick stuff about 5mm I would probably end up blowing holes in the thinner chassis walls whilst trying to fuse the heavier plate patches.

It’s easy to panic when you come across holes like that but always reassuring to hear that sort of corrosion is standard :blush: :blush: :blush: .

Just one more thing would it be better to remove the wiring that runs inside the chassis and re fit it later or just try to shield it from the heat build up from the weld area?

Thanks

James

:)

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provided you cut out the bad material

I can never quite see the point in that - the new plate will not catch an infection from the rusty bits that are left and there'll be plenty of corrosion elsewhere that has yet to reveal itself. Unfortunately - cutting the rotten bit out isn't quite as easy as it seems - there are many reinforcing brackets inside the chassis at important stress/structure points, so you can't just slice a bit out and plate it over, but spend ages drilling out spot welds/grinding the rot out. If you just slice through around the hole, then it's possible to weaken the chassis becuase you might remove the reinforing bracket inside - even using a thicker plate to affect a repair.

If you are going to really remove the 'bad material', then you should replace the whole chassis :)

Once you start to weld the chassis to do repairs as in your picture - it becomes a losing battle.

Les.

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Thanks for the replies I take the point that thick plate would be overkill on a chassis that is much thinner material and thinking about it if I used thick stuff about 5mm I would probably end up blowing holes in the thinner chassis walls whilst trying to fuse the heavier plate patches.

It’s easy to panic when you come across holes like that but always reassuring to hear that sort of corrosion is standard :blush: :blush: :blush: .

Just one more thing would it be better to remove the wiring that runs inside the chassis and re fit it later or just try to shield it from the heat build up from the weld area?

Thanks

James

:)

Hi.

Welcome to the world of automotive archaeology.

Be very respectful with that wiring loom. I very carefully disconected what I could inside the back cab, and then cut the wires going to the rear cross member.

I found an old boat trailer winch cable (3/16") and taped it to the back end of the loom.

I then pulled the whole loom out at the front leaving the 'heat proof' winch cable inside the chassis, for the welding.

I was glad I did this because the loom was suffering from 'chaff' in quite a few places and I have to retape it for most of it's length. I also intend to shield it in Spiral-wrap (maplin) when I put it back through...

I suspect that 'Loom-chaff' may cause some auto electrical suicides...

Hope that helps.

Howard.

2x300TdiDef.

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or withdraw the loom from the rear of the chassis, & when the repairs are complete, reroute it in spiralwrap or convoluted tubing along the top inner edge of the main chassis rail suitablly secured with tywraps at the body mounts., it'll be well out of the way & can't be chaffed as it rattles around inside the chassis.

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or withdraw the loom from the rear of the chassis, & when the repairs are complete, reroute it in spiralwrap or convoluted tubing along the top inner edge of the main chassis rail suitablly secured with tywraps at the body mounts., it'll be well out of the way 7 can't be chaffed as it rattles around inside the chassis.

Yes Ralph.

Thought of that, and may well be the best way.I'll see what it looks like on the day! If the cable comes adrift; well that will make my mind up...

Many thanks, and all the best.

Howard.

Ps. When you say 'rear' I think you might mean front.... Well it would be in my case.. All the best.

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Yes Ralph.

Thought of that, and may well be the best way.I'll see what it looks like on the day! If the cable comes adrift; well that will make my mind up...

Many thanks, and all the best.

Howard.

Ps. When you say 'rear' I think you might mean front.... Well it would be in my case.. All the best.

Nope, from the vehicles rear, disconnect the multiplugs in the engine bay by the brake servo & pull the loom from the rear, multiplugs are easier to reconnect than lots of bullet connectors.

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Nope, from the vehicles rear, disconnect the multiplugs in the engine bay by the brake servo & pull the loom from the rear, multiplugs are easier to reconnect than lots of bullet connectors.

O well, now you tell me, too late now. Started at the back you see, just doing the rear cross member, presently welding the front cross member!!

If I am foolish enough to do this job again; I will follow your advice.

Many thanks,

Howard.

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