tiddler66 Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Hi all at the Series forum, , thanks for a very informative web site, and I was hoping that you will please be able to help me with some advice...(I am newbie when it comes to Land rovers, but I have worked on many other types of car before this)......the family 109 series 3 SW has recently passed into my possesion.....and its been standing unused for 3 years having failed its MOT due to rust in the rear cross member. There is no rear crossmember left, and the first 24 inches back is very poor.(Been used for boat launching)...including the rearmost spring mounts.....as is the crossmember that is covered by the petrol tank. I have bought a replacement cross member which I intend to tack in to its place so as to keep the accuracy.....I used to be a steel fabricator welder in a previous life, so that is not a worry for me. But I have neither the time nor the spare cash to replace the chassis . (but in future that will be the way ahead, but I do need to get a few years out of it now. Also scrapping it is not an option) But I do have a lifting frame, so I am hoping to expose the rear of the chassis, whilst removing the minimum amount of bodywork.I will then plate all the rusted areas of the chassis and replace the spring mounts...Is it possible to lift off the rear tub, complete with roof, whilst leaving behind the b pillars and the second row of seats....or what is the easiest way to expose the last 600mm of the chassis.and how long will it take?...any advice would be very welcome Best wishes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony109 Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 Years ago I had the same problem.. Triyng to get to the chassis with bodywork in place is impossible.. I have a 109 SW and once the roof is off the rear tub is a large one piece affair and it didnt take that much time to do.. I then found the rot went much further and I had to re make the entire rear 1/4. I fabricated the chassis legs and rear x member.. Basically the problems were bigger than expected, but with the chassis exposed, all the rot could be cut away and repaired properly. The same rotten chassis once properly repaired lasted me a further 10 years and included a drive to Kazan in Russian and another drive to Syria in that time, before I went for a new Gal chassis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 You can buy a rear 1/4 chassis for not very much, I would think the time spent farbicating something would outweigh the cost of just buying the right thing. The 109 rear tub is a relatively easy lift with the roof unbolted, although if it's a 5-door things can get a bit floppy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 On the SWB series, you can un-rivit/spot weld the floor, and lift it out in one piece, which gives pretty good access to everything you should need -I would think it is the same on a 109, but someone will be along to confirm in a moment I did this to our lightweight, and it took about an hour to an hour and a half to get it all out -some rivits will need the end grinding off them unfortunately. Refitting was just pop riviting it back in place. Looks like this with the floor out: *CLICKY* And yes, a quarter chassis is probably the best way to go about it, assuming you can fine something to weld it to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiddler66 Posted June 30, 2009 Author Share Posted June 30, 2009 I have spoken to Designa Chassis, Marsland and Richards, and they say that there never has been a 1/4 chassis for the 109.....and yes mine is a 5 door Station Wagon......so my hope is to undo the roof- windscreen bolts, take off the rear door and the middle doors, brace the B posts with timber, undo the b posts at the roof.....there is no rear cross member left, so I then intend to tack the replacement in place onto whats left. (this will take all the brain work out of lining things up properly) undo the bolts underneath on the out rigger and lift the roof off complete with the rear tub......by leaving the b posts on the chassis, I hope to prevent any undue floppyness..........but it all depends on how and where the joints are in the floor...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony109 Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Take what ever option you like, but as with most things its probably quicker and easier to do the job properly.. Cutting the floor out is surely a harder job than unbolting the body, keeping all things on one piece. Plus all the chassis will be exposed and easy to work on.. The rear SW tub is a solid unit the size of a SWB tub.. Lift it off and everything can be got at. With the tub in place and just the floor out, you could end up working by feel and unable to weld at the angle you need.. We all know you can by off the self 1/4 and half chassis, and I didn't suggest you made it yourself, but It did because I could. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Talking of doing things properly, if it's been used to put boats in & out you may be better off biting the bullet while you're half-dismantling it and stick a new chassis under it - it can be done in a weekend with a bit of prep & some help. Could save you doing a rear 1/4 this MOT, a front 1/4 next MOT, and a lot of patching in between... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiddler66 Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share Posted July 1, 2009 Talking of doing things properly, if it's been used to put boats in & out you may be better off biting the bullet while you're half-dismantling it and stick a new chassis under it - it can be done in a weekend with a bit of prep & some help. Could save you doing a rear 1/4 this MOT, a front 1/4 next MOT, and a lot of patching in between... I know that in theory a chassis swap can be done in a weekend, but I don't have the helpers, time (young family) or the money (£1140 + VAT +delivery from Richards) to do it at the moment...but I do want to keep the landie going....The dumb irons have already been done and the middle seems good..If i only get another 2 years out of the chassis, then thats better than scrapping her.....and it gives me 2 years to plan the chassis swap...so its either take off bits of the rear body and weld it easily.....or.....get burnt a lot and weld it up ish...but well enough to pass the MOT ...ps Marsland and Designa both have stopped doing 109 chassis' as there was so little demand. Also, the alloy lip that the rear crossmember is bolted to is heavily coroded......is that piece available, or do people just rivet a new piece over it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon White Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Can you buy a LWb rear quarter chassis? I thought you could only get SWB rear 1/4 and rear 1/2's. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiddler66 Posted July 4, 2009 Author Share Posted July 4, 2009 Can you buy a LWb rear quarter chassis? I thought you could only get SWB rear 1/4 and rear 1/2's.Jon Has anyone on the forum ever seen a 109 1/4 chassis? Having asked all the people in the trade I can think of, they say no......but I have seen one advertised on ebay about a year ago.......?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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