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Chassis Rot


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So poking around under the Defender earlier, as you do, I found two problem areas. First the offside front outrigger...

post-10578-1227540803_thumb.jpg

And then the nearside dumb iron attatchment...

post-10578-1227540789_thumb.jpg

What I would like to know is, are these going to constitute an MOT failure when it comes around next April, and are they going to be repairable. I would think so, but then I have no experience of welding chassis repairs, hence asking you guys.

Cheers

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So poking around under the Defender earlier, as you do, I found two problem areas. First the offside front outrigger...

What I would like to know is, are these going to constitute an MOT failure when it comes around next April, and are they going to be repairable. I would think so, but then I have no experience of welding chassis repairs, hence asking you guys.

Cheers

'Fraid so an MOT fail highly likely - repairable though.

You need to get under and have a really good poke around AND check the whole chassis espes. the rear cross member, given the corrosion in your pics above a dodgy rear CM a distinct possibility too (again repairable but a lot more work.

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Rear cross-member was done shortly before I bought the car. That said, I will check it anyway. I'm thinking a big old nail and a hammer? With just the hammer it's kinda hard to get into some places.

Thanks for the replies, just the info I needed. Will pop to Craddock's tomorrow and ask them how much a repair would be so I know what I'm in for next year.

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on my 90 ive found a small hole (about a 10p size) on the outer offside chassis rail, behind the trailing arm mount. Will this also constitute to a MOT fail?

The "book" says...

A vehicle can fail with respect to corrosion for:

excessive corrosion in a 'prescribed area' — within 30 cms of certain safety related components, e.g. brakes, steering, suspension, seat belt mountings etc.

excessive corrosion not in a 'prescribed area', but which is likely to adversely affect the vehicle's braking or steering. 'Excessive corrosion' can mean a hole or a significantly weakened structure.

If your rust hole is close to the trailing arm mount, then yes, I'd say it would be a fail.

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i dont claim to be an expert, but my mates LT35 (VW) went in for its mot on friday with quite a few bits of rust-to the point where we thought that today was going to be spent cutting and welding. however it passed on an advisory that its observed-or something similar.

im geussing that its down to location then if that isnt an issue its permeabilty-although we thought it would fail badly

anyone got a link to the guidelines. i dont mind looking but i thought someone might have it in favourites.

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im geussing that its down to location then if that isnt an issue its permeabilty-although we thought it would fail badly

anyone got a link to the guidelines. i dont mind looking but i thought someone might have it in favourites.

:unsure:

A vehicle can fail with respect to corrosion for:

excessive corrosion in a 'prescribed area' — within 30 cms of certain safety related components, e.g. brakes, steering, suspension, seat belt mountings etc.

excessive corrosion not in a 'prescribed area', but which is likely to adversely affect the vehicle's braking or steering. 'Excessive corrosion' can mean a hole or a significantly weakened structure.

From Tech archive - MOT link

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Well I'm planning a re-build of the truck on a shiny galvanised chassis in 2010, so if I can get it to hold out 'till then I'm good :D

i had the same plan on a genuine second hand chassis that will be galvanised, but it would seem in modern britain one must scrap his vehicle once its a little shabby and buy a new one, which gordon brown tell us we can all afrod now hes removing 2% from vat.

sorry for the rant, see my chassis thread in the international forum, youll see why im on a bender!

IM NOT BRITISH! IM A YORKSHIREMAN, YES THERE IS A DIFFERENCE!

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Dunno if I'm reading what you've written wrongly, but there's nothing legally stopping me buying a new galvy chassis and fitting that...the VIN will just migrate across and I will scrap the old one.

If you weren't trying to make a point to the contrary, I apologise :)

your quite right as its a direct new replacment chassis, although mine is a used ex mod chassis and hance a problem according to some. ill have to ring the dvla, oh the joy!

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  • 2 months later...

Sorry to drag this one up from the depths guys, but I need to ask a quick question and it saves creating a new thread.

As I'm going to have to have the rot pictured above repaired, if anyone has had similar work done can they give me an idea of what it would cost to have the outrigger repaired/replaced by a garage? I understand it's a fair amount of work if it needs replacing in it's entirety.

Many thanks

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Sorry to drag this one up from the depths guys, but I need to ask a quick question and it saves creating a new thread.

As I'm going to have to have the rot pictured above repaired, if anyone has had similar work done can they give me an idea of what it would cost to have the outrigger repaired/replaced by a garage? I understand it's a fair amount of work if it needs replacing in it's entirety.

Many thanks

It's really difficult to be precise when estimating welding repairs. As others have already said, what looks like an insignificant amount of rust/hole can quickly develop into something much bigger.

Looking at the pictures, but don't take this as gospel, it looks like both areas will be repairable without having to replace the outrigger. Replacing the outrigger is a huge job to do it properly as it is difficult to weld certain areas on the top inside of the chassis without major dismantling.

If it's as small as it looks, you're talking a couple of hours work, if that. Shouldn't cost too much to repair.

Mark.

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From your pic replacement outrigger would be extreme/overkill

easily repaired to last you till 2010 with a patch.

I think the outrigger can be repaired. I would replace the face of it with min 2.2mm steel plate. The hole in the chassis is repairable in much the same way - with a suitable sized plate.

Any hole in the chassis/outriggers should fail the MOT.

Les.

Thank you both, I expect it to fail and will report back on the results for information's sake when the time comes.

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