Sigi_H Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 I completely agree with Snagger, since I am alone quite often. A winch offers some kind of safety. I used MT tyres for many years, they worked good as well, but I was many years on loud tyres and I really needed them only twice. I now use silent AT tyres and have a winch, which offers the same safety in my eyes, when I am alone. One restriction, however, is that there must be a way of attaching the cable, regardless of whether it is at the front or rear. I now have a ground anchor to attach it in every case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted April 12 Author Share Posted April 12 So, a little update - the new galvanised bulkhead just arrived. First impression...a bit of a mixed feeling, tbh I have never seen what an aftermarket bulkhead looks like but comparing this to the original, the orginal just looks sharper. Maybe it's got to do with the galv process which makes evertything looks more rounded? There is some warping of the panels, mainly the footwells. The material looks a bit thicker than the original, again maybe because if the galv. Overall it looks fine to me, all holes mosty clean off extra zinc etc. There are some differences to my original bulkhead in mine was a pre tdi and this is a 300tdi, so there are some extra brackets etc. but should be fine. So far the only defect I noted is missing metal surround at the two oval holes below the vents. Some photos will follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted April 12 Author Share Posted April 12 Packaging, cardbiard box, quite thick but still git punctured at the bottom corner. Still made it tho! Some warping is visible especially on the top of the footwells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted April 12 Author Share Posted April 12 Missing metal sorround, can take off my old bulkhead. Footwells are single skin ribbed type. Overall I think it's fine, much similar to the original one in the details. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 That looks okay - hopefully it all lines up. It will be worthwhile getting plenty of seam sealer into the open joints, and then once painted loads of wax into the cavities. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stinkfloyd Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 (edited) 3 hours ago, muzaz said: Missing metal sorround, can take off my old bulkhead. Footwells are single skin ribbed type. Overall I think it's fine, much similar to the original one in the details. I was looking at these very bulkheads and will likely buy one. It will be good to see how you get on overall with fitment. Would it be possible to see a closer view of some of the welds please? Edited April 12 by Stinkfloyd 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted April 12 Author Share Posted April 12 5 hours ago, Retroanaconda said: That looks okay - hopefully it all lines up. It will be worthwhile getting plenty of seam sealer into the open joints, and then once painted loads of wax into the cavities. Yes that's the plan will go round all the seams and edges, but first I think better treat the galv to etch it or age it slightly. Will have to see what's available locally. Hope all lines up!! I can't really tell if it's waped or not, it looks pretty straight but some panels are sure have some warping. 2 hours ago, Stinkfloyd said: Would it be possible to see a closer view of some of the welds please? Here you go, any particular area in mind? Most of the welds are small short welds and spotwelds. Some are ground but most are not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigi_H Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 What a wonderful documentation! But unfortunately I missed the brand of the bulkhead. Which brand is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted April 12 Author Share Posted April 12 I got it from SP4X4 but don't know what brand it is, no marking on it or the box. I assume they build them themselves. The documents say made in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigi_H Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 Thanks a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stinkfloyd Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 7 hours ago, muzaz said: Yes that's the plan will go round all the seams and edges, but first I think better treat the galv to etch it or age it slightly. Will have to see what's available locally. Hope all lines up!! I can't really tell if it's waped or not, it looks pretty straight but some panels are sure have some warping. Here you go, any particular area in mind? Most of the welds are small short welds and spotwelds. Some are ground but most are not. Thats brilliant, quality seems decent enough. It's always nice to see one that's actually been purchased by a normal customer. Quality seems good enough to live with looking at the photos and it's a good bit cheaper than some of the other offerings out there. Let us know how it fits up please of you don't mind 😁 Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigi_H Posted April 13 Share Posted April 13 As I didn´t paint my galv chassis, I think about leaving a new bulkhead unpainted as well. It looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted April 13 Share Posted April 13 Odd that they didn’t finish the wiring loom apertures, as you said. The ovals are welded in on SIII bulkheads, but I have no idea how they are fitted on Defenders. I’m sure you can bond them in if you can cut them out of the old bulkhead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigi_H Posted April 13 Share Posted April 13 (edited) I saw it too and my first idea was 3D Print. Should be easy to print inside plates and outside boxes, which are fitting in exactly. To seal them is easy too. They can have any feedthrough you like. For those who are not into that so much, they can take aluminium plates in- and outside. Aluminium is ok, because aluminium and zinc harmonise very well. With a good seal between, they don´t have contakt anyway. Edited April 13 by Sigi_H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted April 13 Author Share Posted April 13 2 hours ago, Snagger said: Odd that they didn’t finish the wiring loom apertures, as you said. The ovals are welded in on SIII bulkheads, but I have no idea how they are fitted on Defenders. I’m sure you can bond them in if you can cut them out of the old bulkhead. I contacted them, they said they get them direct from LR and will ship me a pair next week. Fair enough. Yea they are normally welded in but I'll just seal them in. Actually I'll throw some cavity wax inside before I do. 6 hours ago, Sigi_H said: As I didn´t paint my galv chassis, I think about leaving a new bulkhead unpainted as well. It looks good. Well, not entirely sold on that. I would leave the chassis, bumpers and cappings, but the bulkhead I don't think I would. To be honest it would still blend in with the color I have in mind, which is light grey (BAC 707) but I don't know. For me it's part of the bodywork so I'd want to paint it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 Summer holidays here so on to the project again! Been pondering for a while how to treat the chassis and my initial thoughts were to clean and paint the front half from the seat box onwards and leave the rear for another day (read never!)... My plan was to use a needle scaler and wire brush grinder to take off the surface rust and then treat it and paint over. However it's not easy to reach every nook and cranny. I started removing some things...steering box, front axle and arms, seat box, fuel tank to the point only the rear tub and roof remain. Needle scaling is a bit of a pain as I still was not able to reach all areas, apart from the noise and vibration! So after some deliberation I convinced myself it would be a better idea to blast the chassis...only the roof and tub remain. The roof is already slacked off from when I took the windscreen off, so it should be easy. The sides look straightforward enough. The tub...are there any precautions I should take? Are there shims etc I should be careful of during removal? The remaining attachments seem to be at the rear crossmember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 Look out for the seatbelt mounts on top of the A-frame crossmember too. There may be shims between the front chassis mounts (the ones on tubular outriggers) and the tub, keep a note of those. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzaz Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 Thanks will look out for them. The seatbox fastners were a pita to remove, most sheared off and the two at the seatbelt bracket spun the captive nut 🤬. Hope the tub won't be as bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 You’ll have the five pairs of bolts along the rear cross member. They use paired captive nuts welded to a steel plate that is reverted to the tub cross member. It’s worth using some isolating tape when you refit them to try to reduce electrolytic corrosion. The undersides of the shelf behind the front seats, attached to the tub bulkhead, are bolted to the outriggers. Good chance of shims being used there, so recover them if you can. They are unlikely to be needed in the same thickness on a new chassis, but since you are refurbishing the old chassis, they will be a good start. I’d recommend grinding the heads off the bolts securing mud flaps or races between chassis and tub side panels as they will be heavily corroded and trying to undo them could damage the panels, which are likely to be porous and weak from electrolytic corrosion around those bolt holes. Don’t forget to u do the bolts on the braces from chassis to seat belt stalk anchor plates on that tub “front shelf”. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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