Mean Green Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 Very soon it will be time to bite the bullet and go for a galv chassis for my 200 tdi 90. Having a look around Shielder Chassis are a good wedge cheaper than the others - which would leave some cash for other new parts. A bit of googling and forum searches finds a few comments about mis-alignment and poor quality particularly with bulkheads but also chassis, but these comments seem to be several months old. Does anyone have any recent experience? Have Shielder got their act together? I don't have an issue with clearing holes of galv swarf etc, but dont really want to have to start drilling a galv chassis or making up new mounting brackets etc. But the extra cash for a Richards/Marsland etc means more saving ££ and more price increases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted January 8, 2020 Share Posted January 8, 2020 I am in a similar spot but Richards seem to come out cheapest when i look for online. I will check again but how much cheaper are shielder for your chassis variant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mean Green Posted January 8, 2020 Author Share Posted January 8, 2020 (edited) I am after a 200tdi 90 chassis - a quick look round show Shielder £1880 inc vat (from terrain Tech). Richards at £2100 inc Vat, XD also £2100, , Marsland just over £2500 . i have not looked at delivery costs yet but assume they will be in the same ballpark. Edited January 8, 2020 by Mean Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted January 8, 2020 Share Posted January 8, 2020 I guess I keep coming back to Marsland or Richards because they are established. Marlsand uses OEM GKN components, but it does mean everything gets a TD5 back end (not period for the Tdi's or earlier) and Richards gets generally good reviews and make them from scratch. Richards use a slightly thicker steel from what I can tell - probably good in terms of longevity, maybe bad in terms of more weight to hoik around! They also put the correct rear crossmember on for the era if that bothers folks. Richards are cheaper than Marsland generally and only marginally more than Sheilder for an established chassis. I think I have decided on Richards when I pluck up the courage to part with the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcan bomber Posted January 8, 2020 Share Posted January 8, 2020 Richard, having seen a Series 3 88 inch chassis from Richard's, I wouldn't be in a hurry to give them cash.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat2495 Posted January 8, 2020 Share Posted January 8, 2020 I recently took delivery of 2 bulkheads from shielder, which are far better than the pictures I have seen online, in a different league really. Iv'e only got half way through fitting the first one, so cant say for definite regarding alignment issues, but so far so good. When I have finished I will do a little write up and a few pictures maybe, if people are interested. Of course I have no experience of their chassis', but from what I have seen they have certainly improved their quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 TerrainTech appear (from their website) to have stock of Sheilder, Richards and Marsland. They are on one of my frequent routes from west to east to west of southern England. I might pop in and chat to them at some point.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dailysleaze Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 The comments from this guy are pretty horrendous about a 2018 era chassis: https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic70634.html He seems to look on the bright side as he's halfway round the world, but a brake pipe hanger being 30mm out? If I was setting up a business building chassis I'd get a real chassis, make a negative jig and built to that. How can they get it soooo wrong from the outset? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litch Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 (edited) Looked at the Shielder chassis at one of the shows a couple of years ago, obviously I couldn't check measurements etc but I wasn't keen on the way it was built. Placed my order for a Richards chassis in December as out of the options available I preferred their product. Edited January 10, 2020 by Litch Typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mean Green Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 20 hours ago, reb78 said: TerrainTech appear (from their website) to have stock of Sheilder, Richards and Marsland. They are on one of my frequent routes from west to east to west of southern England. I might pop in and chat to them at some point.. Reb - i would be interested to hear what they have to say - would be ideal if you managed to see them all side by side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searay Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Hi, just a bit of a warning. Beware when you purchase from outside of Uk, and yes, for legal complaints, small claims etc, Northern Ireland is classed as outside jurisdiction. Following receipt of item not fit for purpose I had the fun of going through small claims as could not get refund or chassis collected. Not an easy task and unfortunately, still out of pocket. In the meantime, I got a chassis from a Uk supplier, slightly more expensive, but no pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigi_H Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 I took the polish Chassis. It was absolutely perfect, but easy to deliver for me. Therefore it might be no alternative for GB Technically it seems to be the best one, because it is constructed for galvanizing. No overlaps, no catches for acid. They used thicker material, where the forces are greater. But on the other hand: Every galv. chassis will last longer than we live 😄 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toenden Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 54 minutes ago, Sigi_H said: I took the polish Chassis. It was absolutely perfect, but easy to deliver for me. Therefore it might be no alternative for GB Technically it seems to be the best one, because it is constructed for galvanizing. No overlaps, no catches for acid. They used thicker material, where the forces are greater. But on the other hand: Every galv. chassis will last longer than we live 😄 Hi Sigi, Have you got a companyname or even better a link to a website for this "polish chassis"? /Mads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigi_H Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 Example: Chassis 110 TD5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigi_H Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 (edited) Comparison Richards - Land Serwis (polish) Vergleich Richards - Land Serwis.pdf Edited April 4, 2020 by Sigi_H 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toenden Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 39 minutes ago, Sigi_H said: Comparison Richards - Land Serwis (polish) Vergleich Richards - Land Serwis.pdf 544.04 kB · 4 downloads Great! Thankyou. /Mads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 I have used Richard's in the past, fitted 4 or 5 of them now and wouldn't use anyone else. slightly steel, decent galv, no runs, no holes to clear or retread and everything lines up. by comparison the shoulder bulkhead we had for last rechassis needed 13hrs of fettling work to get it to fit. major issue being warped in the middle and bowing in. the time consuming issue being each an every square hole of screw plastic inserts had to.be filed out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paime Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Out of interest, does anyone know what are the extra brackets for on the Land Serwis chassis? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigi_H Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 They are for Pickup's I have been told Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Probably for the hi capacity pick up body as it overhangs the rear cross member. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paime Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 On 1/8/2020 at 8:11 PM, mat2495 said: I recently took delivery of 2 bulkheads from shielder, which are far better than the pictures I have seen online, in a different league really. Iv'e only got half way through fitting the first one, so cant say for definite regarding alignment issues, but so far so good. When I have finished I will do a little write up and a few pictures maybe, if people are interested. Of course I have no experience of their chassis', but from what I have seen they have certainly improved their quality. Any update on how the build is going? I'm placing an order for new chassis and bulkhead soon so going through the usual Marsland/Richards/Shielder internal debate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mean Green Posted May 19, 2020 Author Share Posted May 19, 2020 I decided to use the lockdown and time off work to my advantage and took the plunge to order a Shielder chassis via Terraintech. I could not justify the additional extra spend in a Marsland or Richards chassis. Given the economic climate who knows how the jobs market will be in a few months so it is the age old time vs money issue. You never seem to have both at the same time. So far I have not been disappointed. The quality is great. All the tapped holes are clear and run free, a couple of the other holes have needed a drill run through them to clear them, but not entirely unexpected. I am just in the early stages of putting it back together and so far so good, however, I am not far enough on to confirm allignment etc. I cant comment on bulkheads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat2495 Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 (edited) On 5/19/2020 at 1:41 PM, paime said: Any update on how the build is going? I'm placing an order for new chassis and bulkhead soon so going through the usual Marsland/Richards/Shielder internal debate. I've finished the first one. The fit of the bulkhead was generally quite good, I did have to tweak a couple of small things, for example the area behind the windscreen hinges was slightly thinner causing the bolts to bottom out in the hinge, fixed with a spacer behind the bracket inside. I also had to space the bulkhead back from the chassis outriggers by about 6mm to get the door gap right, which was far enough that I had to stretch the holes in the footwell brackets, but given that it was a new chassis, new bulkhead, and some pretty tired bodywork I really don't know where the issue stemmed from. I can put up a few pictures of the bulkhead and a more complete list of tweaks if you like? Oh and the feet didn't line up perfectly with the holes in the bulkhead outriggers, again, no idea which part wasn't quite right, but easily sorted with a ratchet strap! Edited May 22, 2020 by mat2495 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigi_H Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 1 hour ago, mat2495 said: I can put up a few pictures of the bulkhead and a more complete list of tweaks if you like? Yes please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat2495 Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 Well I didn't have as many photo's as I expected, but I still have one sat on a pallet if you want details of anything particular. Anyway, here are a couple of pics, one after t-wash, with primer going on, and one in paint showing the back side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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