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Marsland Rear A Frame Mounts


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Hi All

I am after some help hear from anyone that has used a Marsland chassis and that is why I have posted here and not in the Defender section as this is probably common with RRC, Discovery's as well as Defenders.

I picked up my new 110 TD5 galvanised chassis form Marslands just under a year ago with a view to having it replaced prior to the MOT this year. I have someone doing this in Devon who has done a few before but with Richards Chassis, simply because I am rammed with work at the moment, multiple trips to South Africa and no longer having my workshop. I dropped the Land Rover off over two weeks ago on the understanding that it had to be ready for my return - guess what it is not (sat for a week outside the workshop). last night I had a frantic email to say the chassis A frame location is wrong and that the axle does not fit now due to the ball joint being too far back (like the A frame is too long) by about 20mm. Now the new ball joint is the same as the removed one, the radius arms are the same length as two spare I have here, but the chap is sure the location of the (welded on) mounts is wrong and now does not allow the ball joint to sit in the taper in the plate on top the axle (salisbury). I have equestioned whether the radius arm bushes are correctly bolted to the chassis and apparently they are, but cannot think of much more without seeing it. Now I would have thought that 20mm would still be in the working angle of the ball joint as the axle would just tilt up more. I know the diff nose points up slightly, but apparently it would now point up almost 45 degrees!! While the body is not back on, the body mounts are all reported as being in the correct position, so something appears to be right.

I have spoken to Marslands today who say that my chassis was built in a batch where there were no reported issues and that all the chassis go into the same jig so cannot be wrong. I am hoping that tomorrow Marslands are going to let me speak to a contrator who has fitted loads  of their chassis including one from the same batch as mine to see if they had any issues - which I doubt. In fairness Marslands have been very good and even offered my money back or even another chassis (14 weeks now!!) but does not help me at present.

I am driving down to see the issue tomorrow as this will be the first time I have transport and have a few things that I want to check, but has anyone seen this before, had any issues or belive that they know what is wrong if please let me know? The only person that I know who has fitted a 110 Marsland chassis is Ralph - did you have any issues with the A frame and ball joint location? Obviously if there is an issue the mounts will need cutting off which is something that is right at the bottom of my list at present!!

Toby

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The A frame arms haven't been fitted the "wrong way" round/upside down have they? Especially if they have been unbolted from the ball joint carrier i.e fitted to the chassis first and then to the carrier. It can be done....:blush:

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Thanks, that is something I will check tomorrow, requested pictures do not seem to be very forth coming!

Would someone be able to take a measurement from the centre of the outer most A frame bolt hole (not mount to chassis holes) to a suitable reference point on the chassis on a 110 before tomorrow morning so I can check that also?

Toby

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My rebuild is a 90 and your image is mirrored relative to my chassis in the garage, but I'm pretty sure the arms are the wrong way round. Take 1 off from the chassis, and then fit it to the other chassis mount ( and vice versa) and i'm pretty sure it will all line up.

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Marslands have not had another chassis purchaser (from them who has done loads of chassis changes) phone the place to give some advice but I am still waiting to hear back - failing that I will borrow the wifes car tomorrow morning and go and see.

Toby

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Arms look the right way around to me.

I guess it’s possible that the mounts are wrong but unlikely given GKNs methods. Most likely just lack of weight on the springs, what rate are the springs that are on there?

I can measure my bare rolling chassis but not until the weekend. 

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Original springs (RKB101111) so nothing lifted. I have just spoken to them again and they have got it on but now say it is crabbing and the axle is slightly twisted now. I have measured some different trailing arms and they vary in length by about 5 mm and they are straight so may be we can straighten it up. I did think about the weight and suggested that they put the body back on!

Toby 

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The A frame looks the right way. I would bolt the ball joint to the A frame, then to the axle. It has a habit of wrenching the axle into place. Looks like the anti roll bar is attached as well. It'd be easiest to remove that and the springs, and then get the ball joint in along with the trailing arms first.

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From my 90, no weight.image.thumb.jpeg.45e0f0dde44043e909d51e79e06fcd3b.jpeg

image.thumb.jpeg.cf7acb40f17376c3d24e1e63f1d497cd.jpegimage.thumb.jpeg.32a9b7374ce03001d09c6bd17f3bb3a6.jpeg

From memory it was a proper bitch to get the whole lot together, I resorted to a selection of ratchet straps to push pull and tweak things into place. All the new chassis use the later type mounts and bushes on the a frame... I assume they've been swapped?

 

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Marsland supply sleeves to use the older bushes with the new metric bolts.

Thinking about it further, the way the mounts are welded on means it would be quite difficult to locate it wrong in the fore/aft directions. Part of the bracket wraps up to the front face of the a-frame crossmember and so this effectively ‘sets’ the position of the mounts.

Tried to capture this in the pic below of mine:

6E943336-A0AA-422E-8425-A2977FFA0835.thumb.png.9a146677f177c5d37383bf971aee8b75.png

 

You'll also note the diff nose is pointing up slightly, this is with the older (soft) station wagon springs and with the fuel tank in so with your stiffer springs and no body etc. I would expect an even more pronounced diff angle.

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I have the same brackets on mine and to be honest not sure I believe they are out. Apparently my crossmember is out and measures a different distance on each side from a datum point (not sure where yet). The chassis did come with the new bolts and sleeves. I have not seen a picture of the diff angle yet but will take some in the morning. I am happy it is bolted up but really concerned that it has twisted the position of the axle by a reported 7mm. Not sure how that has been measured yet but apparently you can see its out.

Your axle looks much shinier than mine!!

Toby

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Quote

The only person that I know who has fitted a 110 Marsland chassis is Ralph - did you have any issues with the A frame and ball joint location?

 

my galv chassis is a Marsland with the welded on A frame brackets, I didn't have any problems fitting the arms/ball joint to the chassis/rear axle. 

 

I'd suggest they have put the arms on the wrong sides, so they won't sit right.

 

 

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Thanks Ralph, I am going to see progress today and have a look what is going on. I have heard from more than a few people now that they can be a right sod to get on. I will put some pictures up when I get back as I am slightly concerned at having a crabbing back axle!!

Toby

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I think it’s very unlikely that your chassis is wrong. As Marsland once told me, “our chassis are made by the factory who make them for Landrover so are as near to original build as we can get.” 

I’d take that to be positive!

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Peaklander - I could not agree more! There is however another Marsland chassis in our village not yet fitted and some of his critcal dimensions differ to mine which was a slight shock.

I have been to see it and to be honest there looks like nothing is wrong - all is fitting well and the ball joint is nearly in the centre of its travel. There does seem to be a difference in dimensions on the chassis from side to side which hopefully is within limits. The axle on measuring from reference points on the chassis is out by around 10mm side to side but that is to chassis and not actual tracking on the road which I hope will be OK. careful shimming of the trainling arm bush will sort that out if really needed.

They didnt think the old chassis looked too bad apart from being welded (poorly) in about 10 places by a previous owner, but a gentle kick with my boots on and I went straight through the side members next to the trailing arm mounts and by the fuel tank - whoops!!

Anyway body hopefully going back on tonight.

Toby

Aframe2.jpg

Edited by Landrovernuts
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If you have rubber mounts in the trailing arms, and they ahven't loosened the bolts in them on the axle, they will try to twist the diff forwards. That misalignment doesn't look bad at all I think its just the assembler not taking everything into account, and not having ALL bolts Loose, you really need to because it sits so tall without any weight on, even on genuine springs

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51 minutes ago, Landrovernuts said:

Oh no - now I am being told the body mount holes in the new chassis do not line up and they are out by miles!!

 

Highly unlikely, mine were spot on, maybe the need to move the body a bit & leave the bracket mounting bolts loose until all the bolts are started in place.

wondering how many of these chassis changes the garage has done before yours 

 

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They say they have done a few but they have all been Richards chassis! We have checked the chassis dimensions with the specified dimensions from the manual and they are miles out and are even out compared to another Marsland Chassis here in our village. I know they source from GKN but may be they source from else where also?

The chassis definetly came from Marlands as I went to pick it up from there!!

body 1.jpg

body 2.jpg

body3.jpg

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Body came off in one and hope it is verticle - it was before! It does look like the top bracket appears to be bent as it is not level compared to the other side. I have not seen it since the A frame issue but feel I should be going to see it every day!!

I need it back on the road now after nearly 4 weeks

Edited by Landrovernuts
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