Chassis Makers

[smo]

I'm after a chassis for my 90 TD5 and have been looking around and found the following:

Richards Chassis @ £1060+ VAT - They seem very very knowledgable and helpful

Paddocks @ £890+ VAT - Not nearly so knowledgable or helpful but loads cheaper!

So are there any more chassis builders out there for "standard" galv chassis, if not who supplies the paddocks ones so cheap?

[Lewis]

Is this for your project?

If so why not buy a secondhand chassis (~£100ish) patch the rust, bobtail/trayback/winch rear crossmember/rockslider/reinforce it to your requiremnets, add your roll cage mounts then get it galved afterwards (£200ish)

Still a bargain, you know whats what, and at the very least you dont get the tissue paper TD5 rear crossmember

Just a thought

Lewis

[smo]

Because if i put an old chassis on it i'll end up on a Q plate, and turining an 04 into a Q is a financially bad move!

As i have to have a new chassis when i get one fabricated itll be to my "spec" with winch rear crossmember etc.

[Bull Bar Cowboy]

I have used Designa chassis ………. excellent service and quality…….

Ian

[LandyManLuke]

spoken to Designa Chassis?

Edit: bugger, sorry Ian, you beat me to it whilst i was finding the web site address!

[FridgeFreezer]

Because if i put an old chassis on it i'll end up on a Q plate, and turining an 04 into a Q is a financially bad move!

There's a difference between "old" and "second hand", if you can find a defender chassis of about the right age then it's a direct replacement - and TBH who's going to know anyway?

I have used Designa (admittedly only for bits not a whole chassis) and they get the thumbs up. Richards have a good rep for quality / accuracy too.

[Les Henson]

I recently had to get a quote for a one-off chassis from the regular companies - Richards chassis were the quickest and easiest to deal with and get a reply from. Designa chassis were the most expensive (by over £100 more), My request for a price also took a couple e-mails, whereas everyone else seemed to understand what I wanted straight off.

There's something very pleasant about asking for something and getting a reply that says 'Yes, we can supply that, and it'll cost you £X'

Les.

[smo]

There's a difference between "old" and "second hand", if you can find a defender chassis of about the right age then it's a direct replacement - and TBH who's going to know anyway?

I have used Designa (admittedly only for bits not a whole chassis) and they get the thumbs up. Richards have a good rep for quality / accuracy too.

Finding a good 04 plate chassis isnt going to be very easy as most removed are bent ones, and i got one of them already! I just want ease of swap, i want to know itll fit without problems and mroe importantly i dont want the DVLA/VOSA being awkward about it afterwards.

Richards Chassis also has the advantage of having the jigs for the rollcage mounts for North offroad so i can have it all buit to spec and then galv'd up in one go

[tiddler]

I know you will all scoff at this suggestion, but here goes.

Get a quote from a couple of main dealer parts departments for supply of a genuine 04 spec replacement chassis. There are usually hefty discounts available and total cost should be about the same as your Richards quote.

Downsides are you have to give your old chassis back in exchange, and you still need to get it galvanised although at £60 a tonne that isn't the end of the world.

Upsides are it should fit, guaranteed no hassle from plod if you're stopped re:SVA etc, and it looks like a 90 chassis and not a converted series one should you ever want to sell it.

Right, I'll sit back and wait for the pasting

[smo]

I know you will all scoff at this suggestion, but here goes.

Get a quote from a couple of main dealer parts departments for supply of a genuine 04 spec replacement chassis. There are usually hefty discounts available and total cost should be about the same as your Richards quote.

Downsides are you have to give your old chassis back in exchange, and you still need to get it galvanised although at £60 a tonne that isn't the end of the world.

Upsides are it should fit, guaranteed no hassle from plod if you're stopped re:SVA etc, and it looks like a 90 chassis and not a converted series one should you ever want to sell it.

Right, I'll sit back and wait for the pasting

Sounds reasonable - however is a 90 TD5 chassis from Richards or similar going to be "a converted series one"????

[SteveG]

Does anyone have any feedback on the protection and performance tubular 90 chassis. As I understand it you can have it built with front and rear winch mounts incorporated and roll cage mounts. Also spring mounts can be set for any height too. They are making the truck cab cages for Devon 4x4 now, I seem to have read somewhere.

Cheers

Steve

[smo]

Does anyone have any feedback on the protection and performance tubular 90 chassis. As I understand it you can have it built with front and rear winch mounts incorporated and roll cage mounts. Also spring mounts can be set for any height too. They are making the truck cab cages for Devon 4x4 now, I seem to have read somewhere.

Cheers

Steve

Basic setup, no fancy bits like cage mounts or winch mounts is £1800+vat

[GBMUD]

What is the damage on your existing chassis? Just thinking that if it were merely a shunt to the rear that you could probably change the rear 1/4 chassis for an earlier part with the stronger crossmember.

Chris

[smo]

What is the damage on your existing chassis? Just thinking that if it were merely a shunt to the rear that you could probably change the rear 1/4 chassis for an earlier part with the stronger crossmember.

Chris

40mph smash at the front has shunted the o/s rail backwards twisting the whole thing.

[SteveG]

Basic setup, no fancy bits like cage mounts or winch mounts is £1800+vat

ah ok, Richards Chassis it is then! ;)

Cheers

Steve

[smo]

ah ok, Richards Chassis it is then! ;)

Cheers

Steve

Well he seemed to know his stuff and can change anything i like, add/remove/move bits, its an extra £300 for a winch rear crossmember, extra £80 for roll cage mounts all jigged up to fit a north offroad cage and if i like he will raise/lower mounts etc for suspension.

[SteveG]

North Off Road have a very good reputation too, so if you can have all the mounts put in and galvanised for 80 pounds that's a big advantage.

Was it a Richard's Chassis that Jerry Thurston used on his?

Cheers

Steve

[tiddler]

Sounds reasonable - however is a 90 TD5 chassis from Richards or similar going to be "a converted series one"????

Sorry, the way I wrote that was misleading.

Richards may have changed the method of construction recently, but when I was looking he made his chassis by cutting 4 strips of steel and welding along the four edges where they meet as per all but the last series vehicles (not just series 1's).

Richards 90 chassis are also shaped differently around the rear swan-neck.

Now, none of these points make them a bad choice at all,and 99% of buyers would never notice, but as your vehicle is so new it is worth maximising its value by using parts that at least LOOK genuine on close inspection.

It's your money at the end of the day

[LR90]

I'm interested to hear Richard's entertain variations on their chassis as I always got the impression it was more of a well built and accurately jigged but no variation production line. Makes them sound even more attractive.

Dealer chassis is worth checking out but you will have shotblasting costs on top of the galv and if you want to add cage mounts,... but still worth pricing.

[Les Henson]

88" s3 chassis from main dealer (via Bearmach) is £2400 inc Vat

88" s3 chassis with no rear x-member from Richards chassis (primed only) £646 inc VAT

88" s3 chassis with no rear x-member from Designa chassis (etch primed only) £780 inc VAT.

Have to contact the Land Rover Orphanage this week for a price for the same

Les.

[D9OSV]

We use quite a few chassis's....

And it's Richards for us

And they will help you if you want to try something different......

And that is worth a great deal.

Just my humble opinion.

Jim

[Henry Webster]

Have you looked at getting a quote for getting your chassis straightened (1/4 chassis perhaps) and professionally rejigged, if your not confident to do it yourself. If it is possible it would probably run out much cheaper, be 100% legit and its all new metal anyway being an 04 plate! And you already have all your components bolted to it. Which ever way you look at it a chassis swap is quite a big job and always expensive once you factor in all the nuts, bolts and parts that you end up having to replace.

You'd be amazed at what can be done.

H

[smo]

Have you looked at getting a quote for getting your chassis straightened (1/4 chassis perhaps) and professionally rejigged, if your not confident to do it yourself. If it is possible it would probably run out much cheaper, be 100% legit and its all new metal anyway being an 04 plate! And you already have all your components bolted to it. Which ever way you look at it a chassis swap is quite a big job and always expensive once you factor in all the nuts, bolts and parts that you end up having to replace.

You'd be amazed at what can be done.

H

Who would i speak to about that Henry?

[Henry Webster]

Who would i speak to about that Henry?

I don't have any specific companies to recommend, but a serious local bodyshop might be worth approaching, though given insurance companies penchant for writing things off, I guess not all will do this.

Alternatively speak to a commercial vehicle repairer who may be better placed to help.

A quick google came up with this http://www.westendgaragebruton.com/index.p...al⊂=jigs in Bruton, Somerset. Any good for you?

You may well get someone to do it on the cheap if the car is already partially stripped and they don't need to bother with any of the bodywork or mechanicals!

Anyone else have any recommendations?

H

[smo]

I'll look into it, thanks Henry