dailysleaze Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 I need to copy this compressor cradle which is unavailable from LR. I've never seen one for sale in the UK so i'm looking at advice on reverse engineering it cost effectively. I have limited experience other than basic CAD. It's cast aluminium and has some annoying curves. Options i've identified so far: 3d scan and use a CNC service Measure it, build a 3d model and use a CNC service As above but buy a CNC machine and DIY it Find a tradesman who can whip something equivalent up in their shed What other advice/options/recommendations are out there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcock Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Does that mount to the engine or the body work? I assume a strap goes over the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zardos Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 (edited) Sand mold and cast a new one (with some machining to clean up faces) Design an alternative? (There are probably a set number of keep features and these could be incorporated in to an alternative design) Alternative mounting of the compressor? (Again there is usually more than one way to skin a cat) But without more context it is difficult to suggest alternatives Edited December 29, 2018 by zardos 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanco Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Is this for an Air Con compressor? If so, might be better to look on ebay.fr or (ebay.it/ebay.es/ebay.de) etc. ie markets which had a higher proportion of AC vehicles new. What vehicle/engine was it for? 'Cost effective' doesn't seem quite the same as scanning and CNC for a one-off, or buying a CNC machine! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 If it's for a 200tdi or 300tdi (from memory I think) all you need is a flat plate with 4 holes in it to bolt to the timing chest. Then either 4 spigots set to the correct height and drilled/tapped to suit, welded to the plate or the plate drilled and tapped to suit the compressor with spacers between the compressor body and plate. Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjan Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 You need provide more information to give a good reply. What engine What vehicle What pump One off things are usu. serious money... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Poore Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 I've got one of those brackets on my 300Tdi for mounting my on-board air compressor (AC compressor). Wouldn't be too much hassle to whip it off. I also have a friend at work who, at least before Christmas, was low on work and bored and with a 3d scanner... I could ask him to cheekily scan it. At least that way we'd have an STL file of the bracket. Up to you then how it gets machined. Don't think 3d printing in ABS would quite stand up to it unfortunately but you never know... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Poore Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Oh and I picked up one on ebay about 2 years ago for a tenner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zardos Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Is this the right mount on ebay now?https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROVER-DISCOVERY-DEFENDER-300-TDI-AIR-CONDITIONING-MOUNTING-BRACKET-ERR-4975/112542180942 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 I've never seen one on ebay or anywhere else for sale, Vulcan Bomber on here made one for me sometime ago, but I haven't fitted it yet, drop him a PM he may well still have the diemensions, it might even be in CAD format. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Poore Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 @zardos yes that is the right bracket. There are helicoils into the base where those threaded bars are mounted. The air con pump mounts onto those and the holes are for the bolts to the block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zardos Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 So the most cost effective method for dailysleaze is to just buy one of the 2 that this person is selling then, no need to replicate it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Poore Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Correct. Although I've found the helicoils strip out relatively easily. Tried whacking a tack with the TIG which seems to be holding despite being cast ali to steel threaded bar (my bracket is missing the original studding). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaghost Posted December 30, 2018 Share Posted December 30, 2018 Not seeing any helicoils in the one I have, just tapped out aluminium could be made reasonably easily however there is some angles with studding anyway this one is surplus to requirements if you would like to pm me Dailysleaze you can have it FOC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcan bomber Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 I could certainly knock something up. Best bet for a 1 off like that is fabrication 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dailysleaze Posted January 1, 2019 Author Share Posted January 1, 2019 On 12/29/2018 at 11:20 PM, zardos said: So the most cost effective method for dailysleaze is to just buy one of the 2 that this person is selling then, no need to replicate it. On 12/30/2018 at 9:00 AM, Stellaghost said: Not seeing any helicoils in the one I have, just tapped out aluminium could be made reasonably easily however there is some angles with studding anyway this one is surplus to requirements if you would like to pm me Dailysleaze you can have it FOC Thanks for the replies folks. Happy new year. It's a 300Tdi Defender bracket for the A/C compressor. Unfortunately from the research i've done there are 3 types of A/C compressor - Disco/RR, Wolf Pulse and Defender(98-06) and they are all different. The ones on ebay are the former and appear to have different offsets for the belt alignment. I already have the Defender bits so don't want to retrofit an alternate vehicle's system. On 12/29/2018 at 5:05 PM, miketomcat said: If it's for a 200tdi or 300tdi (from memory I think) all you need is a flat plate with 4 holes in it to bolt to the timing chest. Then either 4 spigots set to the correct height and drilled/tapped to suit, welded to the plate or the plate drilled and tapped to suit the compressor with spacers between the compressor body and plate. Mike Yes i'd be happy with something functional that doesn't look exactly the same. The curved cradle aspect seems as though it may be important to the design to stop the studs being shaken laterally from engine vibration. On 12/29/2018 at 4:52 PM, Blanco said: Is this for an Air Con compressor? If so, might be better to look on ebay.fr or (ebay.it/ebay.es/ebay.de) etc. ie markets which had a higher proportion of AC vehicles new. What vehicle/engine was it for? 'Cost effective' doesn't seem quite the same as scanning and CNC for a one-off, or buying a CNC machine! That's a good shout. Yeah CNC may be a sledgehammer for a nut so i'm exploring options in this thread 🙂 On 12/30/2018 at 9:00 AM, Stellaghost said: Not seeing any helicoils in the one I have, just tapped out aluminium could be made reasonably easily however there is some angles with studding anyway this one is surplus to requirements if you would like to pm me Dailysleaze you can have it FOC This would at least allow me to compare the differences and see if it could be adapted. You have PM. 14 hours ago, vulcan bomber said: I could certainly knock something up. Best bet for a 1 off like that is fabrication Fabrication is a good suggestion I hadn't explored. You have PM. I have a couple of months with this bracket before it needs to be returned, hence why "cost effectiveness" can be factored-in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Poore Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 I think you're getting confused about different compressor brackets. When I researched mine there is only one bracket for a 300Tdi. It's designed for the Denso 10PA compressor which was standard fitment. The 200Tdi has a selection of different compressors if I remember correctly. 300 and 200s should be the same between Disco/RR/Defender. The studs locate the compressor in the right place. There's then a tensioner that replaces the timing belt cover to take any slack out. The bracket linked to in the eBay link is correct for the 300Tdi. If it doesn't match you're compressor then you've got the wrong compressor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Poore Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 I can probably dig out part numbers if you want? But I'm using mine for on-board air so don't have any aircon part numbers if that's what you are doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dailysleaze Posted January 1, 2019 Author Share Posted January 1, 2019 10 minutes ago, Ed Poore said: I think you're getting confused about different compressor brackets. When I researched mine there is only bracket for a 300Tdi. It's designed for the Denso 10PA compressor which was standard fitment. The 200Tdi has a selection of different compressors if I remember correctly. 300 and 200s should be the same between Disco/RR/Defender. The studs locate the compressor in the right place. There's then a tensioner that replaces the timing belt cover to take any slack out. The bracket linked to in the eBay link is correct for the 300Tdi. If it doesn't match you're compressor then you've got the wrong compressor. The Defender compressor is the Sanden, BTR8505 or JPB101200, rather than Denso on the other vehicles. There may well be some potential to fit belt-alignment-wise but there are different part numbers for the brackets ERR4975 (left) or ERR4368 (right). I will be able to see if I can get the bracket from Stellaghost to check in the first instance. The stud holes look differently spaced though for the compressor mounts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dailysleaze Posted January 1, 2019 Author Share Posted January 1, 2019 6 minutes ago, Ed Poore said: I can probably dig out part numbers if you want? But I'm using mine for on-board air so don't have any aircon part numbers if that's what you are doing. Yes for A/C. I already have the compressor, which fits the pipes I already have......... etc. etc. The bracket is the last piece of the puzzle! 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Poore Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 3 minutes ago, dailysleaze said: Yes for A/C. I already have the compressor, which fits the pipes I already have......... etc. etc. The bracket is the last piece of the puzzle! 😁 Build one, it'll be faster... Fair enough if you've got all the bits, I know my bracket and Denso compressor fit very nicely onto a 300Tdi Defender! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondjeremy Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Does it have to be alloy? Could something that'll do the job be welded up from steel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dailysleaze Posted January 10, 2019 Author Share Posted January 10, 2019 Thanks to @Stellaghost i've been able to compare the two brackets, and there's differences in almost everything: position on the engine, height, position of the threaded holes, cradle angle, although the cradle curve is within a few mm of each other. I'm sending the bracket off to @vulcan bomber who's going to see what he can come up with 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaghost Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 (edited) Have got the denso air con unit to go with bracket if that's any help Edited January 10, 2019 by Stellaghost Addition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdbloke Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 Hate to revive this, but I am going to have to fabricate the 300tdi bracket shown on the right (ERR4638) in those last pics. Has anyone ever done a basic template with measurements of hole spacing and the thickness of the 3 stud locations based on the official part? I don't think this will be too hard to make, but was hoping to be as accurate as I can compared to the official part. Thanks for any help. I am new to the Landy and am on this site a lot as I learn tips and tricks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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