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Replacement rear crossmember


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Hi, it looks like I may need to replace the rear crossmember on my 90 (full of filler and cardboard :( )

Any suggestions on where to buy or indeed where not to buy.

The rest of the chassis seems good but is it better/easier when fitting to get one with extensions.

Thanks

Chris

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Hi, it looks like I may need to replace the rear crossmember on my 90 (full of filler and cardboard :( )

Any suggestions on where to buy or indeed where not to buy.

The rest of the chassis seems good but is it better/easier when fitting to get one with extensions.

Thanks

Chris

Les has written an excellent thread on replacing the cross member in the tech archive with reference to some of the problems encountered.

http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=27015

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Bearmach is about the best of those available at present, although I did fit a crossmember to a 90 recently and it was the best item I have ever come across - everything lined-up perfectly. Customer supplied it, so I don't know the make unfortunately - just a company up north. I fitted a crossmember to a 110CSW more recently, which was a Bearmach item and it was pretty good - a bit of a step where old and new are welded together, but ok otherwise.

Les.

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Bearmach is about the best of those available at present, although I did fit a crossmember to a 90 recently and it was the best item I have ever come across - everything lined-up perfectly. Customer supplied it, so I don't know the make unfortunately - just a company up north. I fitted a crossmember to a 110CSW more recently, which was a Bearmach item and it was pretty good - a bit of a step where old and new are welded together, but ok otherwise.

Les.

These looked quite good when this came up on LRO some time ago..

http://www.lro.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27874

Don;t know the guy at all and haven;t seen his work in the flesh, but perhaps he takes more of a pride in what he produces than some companies hence you get a product that fits. They also look well sealed so may rot slower than the original...

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Anyone tried these? Is it worth paying £200 ish to have to do less fettling than with a £120 Bearpart one?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/110-DEFENDER-REAR-CR...%3A1%7C294%3A50

(from MPS Trading, allegedly from SPI tooling) £175 + £23 p & p

also direct from MPS at http://dca.dominohosting.biz/dca/mpsdb01.n...ls!OpenForm at 149.50 + dely

or http://www.island-4x4.co.uk/rear-crossmemb...511-p-1688.html

from Island 4x4 £199.99 post free also allegedly from SPI tooling, presumably the same thing as from MPS

or there was a glasgow firm advertising them, mpfabrications, on ebay for £142.95 , free p&p claiming 'SPI quality'. This item has expired

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=250419368712

Regards

Nigel

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Hi, thanks for the comments. I have just been reading Les' write up the the archive section. I did see the cross members made by the guy on LRO, they look great but do not seem to have provision for a towbar.

Thanks Nigel for all the links the one from MPS for £150 + delivery is not too much more expensive than Craddocks at £120 +VAT if the quality and fit are that much better. Would be interested to hear what you think of yours when you get it James.

Regards

Chris

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Hi, thanks for the comments. I have just been reading Les' write up the the archive section. I did see the cross members made by the guy on LRO, they look great but do not seem to have provision for a towbar.

I reckon if you contact him, he would manufacture it so you could fit a towbar - i just think they look better made than all the other stuff people have commented on on here in the past.

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Picking up a rear cross member from MPS today Nigel so can inform you of the quality when I get it.

Regards James

James,

Thanks will be mighty interested to hear how it is. I have some crispy patches to deal with, and though I might get away with patching (for now) I think a new crossmember will be a better job, provided I don't have to treat a new one as just a source of raw materials to make my own.

Nigel

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[spam]

I quite often go down to Cambridge if you can't do the job yourself, Alan.

[/spam]

Les :)

Thats very useful to know Les - thanks. I will probably use a mate in St Ives who I do quite a lot of classic car stuff with - he uses the Land Rover to tow so owes me anyway, but will bear you point in mind for future reference. What is your Cambridge connection?

Alan

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James,

Thanks will be mighty interested to hear how it is. I have some crispy patches to deal with, and though I might get away with patching (for now) I think a new crossmember will be a better job, provided I don't have to treat a new one as just a source of raw materials to make my own.

Nigel

Sorry for not replying sooner.

The crossmember seems really good quality for the money, good thickness of steel used for construction and quite good welding. I finished welding some of the seams up today as they were only welded in 2"-3" burst, and the steel seamed good quality when welding it. I can't comment on how well it fits as i won't be fitting it for a couple of weeks yet, but I can supply photos or measurements for anyone interested.

I would reccommend MPS as a great company to deal with.

James ;)

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Hi, it looks like I may need to replace the rear crossmember on my 90 (full of filler and cardboard :( )

Any suggestions on where to buy or indeed where not to buy.

The rest of the chassis seems good but is it better/easier when fitting to get one with extensions.

Thanks

Chris

Bearmach are good I have just put one on my 90, the type with extension legs, fits fine. The legs sleeve over the cut end of the chassis that means you can cut the rust prone bits off the end off the old chassis if they is rotten and the new legs cover the joint Best advice someone gave me was give it a real good blast with cold galv spray before you fit it as you can turn it over and get to nooks and crannies you find difficult when its fitted and that will help with rust prevention and you can weld through the galv paint and when fitted give it a good going over with the remaining galv paint at the joined sections.

Bearmach have a Swindon branch and other agents all over the uk.

All the best

james

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Sorry for not replying sooner.

The crossmember seems really good quality for the money, good thickness of steel used for construction and quite good welding. I finished welding some of the seams up today as they were only welded in 2"-3" burst, and the steel seamed good quality when welding it. I can't comment on how well it fits as i won't be fitting it for a couple of weeks yet, but I can supply photos or measurements for anyone interested.

I would reccommend MPS as a great company to deal with.

James ;)

Thanks for the feedback. I'd assumed that wherever it came from it would need a certain amount of fettling and additional welding anyway, and certainly the skanky paint they normally put on I would expect to have to change, as it is a b*****r to get off till you've fitted it then it falls off. But if the steel is actually more or less the right dimensions that would be nice. Sound like the one to go for. Could you tell me how long the chassis rail stubs they give you are? I just want to see if I've actually got anything solid left to attach it to (otherwise more serious fabrication will be needed)

Nigel

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Hi, quick update on this thread for anyone else wanting to replace the cross member.

I opted for the MPS crossmember, with extensions. I fitted it with the help of a friend yesterday, I had done all the prep work, removing echaust towbar etc. and we had it fitted and all welded up in about 3 or 4 hours.

The new one went on a treat, fitted perfectly, it just needed very minor trimming, and I mean 1/2 inch here ot there, on the chassis legs where they splay out to go over the original chassis legs just to clear the rear tub floor supports.

Good company to deal with, ordered it one morning and was here in deepest West Wales by lunch time the next day.

HTH

Chris

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  • 3 weeks later...
Hi, quick update on this thread for anyone else wanting to replace the cross member.

I opted for the MPS crossmember, with extensions. I fitted it with the help of a friend yesterday, I had done all the prep work, removing echaust towbar etc. and we had it fitted and all welded up in about 3 or 4 hours.

The new one went on a treat, fitted perfectly, it just needed very minor trimming, and I mean 1/2 inch here ot there, on the chassis legs where they splay out to go over the original chassis legs just to clear the rear tub floor supports.

Good company to deal with, ordered it one morning and was here in deepest West Wales by lunch time the next day.

HTH

Chris

Hello Chris,

My crossmember hasn't got any fixings for the mud flaps, did yours or how did you get around it?

Thanks,

James :)

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