phil200tdi Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Hi Guys My 200tdi disco rear crossmember is looking a little tired and just scraped through the MOT with an advisory. Having just replaced the sills with RDH engineering 3mm rocksliders I fancy a similar upgrade to the rear crossmember rather than just putting the replacement 1.2mm in... Also thought that I could get rid of the Bumper and have a better departure angle, saving (a) £140 on he crossmember and (B) £200ish on a H/D rear bumper.. I saw a really nice crossmember on a bobbed disco at billing, think it was at the disco parts stand and incorporated a rear winch... Someone mentionned that the owner was a fabricator and had made it himself. Anyone know any companies who do this sort of thing.. Anyone done anything similar or have ideas/photos of a good setup.. cheers in advance... Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clbarclay Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 I take it this is the chassis cross member you on about rather than the body cross member. I'm sure you are aware of legal can of worms modifying the chassis can open, if not then do a search on this forum, its been well discussed. Is fabrication some thing you can do your self or is this something you will have to get someone else to make and fit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil200tdi Posted September 8, 2008 Author Share Posted September 8, 2008 I take it this is the chassis cross member you on about rather than the body cross member. I'm sure you are aware of legal can of worms modifying the chassis can open, if not then do a search on this forum, its been well discussed.Is fabrication some thing you can do your self or is this something you will have to get someone else to make and fit? Its the rear body crossmember, therefore should be the same situation as upgrading the sills..(correct me if I'm wrong). I was thinking of welding it to the chassis tho like alot of the bobtailed guys... I don't have any machines or fab skills so would be something I had made by an engineering co... cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clbarclay Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 I doubt the body is up to the job of having a winch mounted to it without some form of bracing to the chassis. There are some winch setups I've seen with the winch mounted inside the boot and a fairlead poking through the rear door (not just on disciveries), but the winchs were actuall mounted to the chassis on baraket which raised the winch through the floor rather than being fixed to the floor. Also have the rear bumper off and have a look where the chassis comes in relation to the body. Unless you do some thing to the chassis which sticks out beond the body, then there is limted scope to actually improve the depature angle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil200tdi Posted September 8, 2008 Author Share Posted September 8, 2008 I doubt the body is up to the job of having a winch mounted to it without some form of bracing to the chassis. There are some winch setups I've seen with the winch mounted inside the boot and a fairlead poking through the rear door (not just on disciveries), but the winchs were actuall mounted to the chassis on baraket which raised the winch through the floor rather than being fixed to the floor.Also have the rear bumper off and have a look where the chassis comes in relation to the body. Unless you do some thing to the chassis which sticks out beond the body, then there is limted scope to actually improve the depature angle. Not thinking of mounting a winch (YET). just cutting out the rotten rear body crossmember and thought i could replace with some boxsection then i thought, I dont like the rear bumper either so might just do away with it... something like this.. welded to the chassis. http://www.adrianstomcat.co.uk/Images/Disc...ledDisco-03.jpg Anyone done anything like this on a non bobtailed disco... P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous doug Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 i think im right in saying your allowed to cut 15% of the chassis with out too much trouble....but dont hold me to that i dont remember where i heard it. D44 have there winch cages, i bought one and made this. i know i have a bobtail but if you recessed it into the cross member and door(seen alot of 90s doing this) it will work. and its only a half a day with a grinder and welder. mines not done, some dodgy welds and a bad paint job but its not looking too bad so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 i think im right in saying your allowed to cut 15% of the chassis with out too much trouble....but dont hold me to that i dont remember where i heard it. Absolutely categorically wrong on that one I am affraid . Shortening a chassis by any amount means instant SVA. Believe me I know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I'm not sure about adding a box on behind the rearmost chassis crossmember as Phantom has done though - to my mind all the steel that LandRover put together is still there, so it can only be stronger. Of course, the sense of the argument doesn't come into the law... Ironically you could certainly bolt the same thing on with 200 M12s and be legal even though you've weakened the crossmember with all the bolt holes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clbarclay Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 I'm not sure about adding a box on behind the rearmost chassis crossmember as Phantom has done though - to my mind all the steel that LandRover put together is still there, so it can only be stronger. Of course, the sense of the argument doesn't come into the law... Ironically you could certainly bolt the same thing on with 200 M12s and be legal even though you've weakened the crossmember with all the bolt holes If you look closely you can see that actually part of the rear cross member has been cut away to recess the winch. If you do drill extra holes in the chassis for mounting then always use some form of crush tube fixed to the chassis as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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