SeriesEwan Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 HI all, Just a bit of a query really, The cross braces under the rear tub ( 330265 ) on my S3 SWB have rusted away Now i am wondering 2 things about this, firstly how straightforward is replacement? Will i need to take the tub off or can i jemmy them in underneath it, I have noticed that these cross braces do not actually make contact with the chassis they sit slightly above it. Also i am struggling to find the actual part would the part AFC710010 fit for this purpose? Many thanks in advance Ewan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 HI all, Just a bit of a query really, The cross braces under the rear tub ( 330265 ) on my S3 SWB have rusted away Now i am wondering 2 things about this, firstly how straightforward is replacement? Will i need to take the tub off or can i jemmy them in underneath it, I have noticed that these cross braces do not actually make contact with the chassis they sit slightly above it. Also i am struggling to find the actual part would the part AFC710010 fit for this purpose? Many thanks in advance Ewan I've fitted them to a LWB, was a sod of a job, but I reckon the SWB would be easier. Also look at Ashtree for supply of galv items (I bought mine from Dunsfold). Oh, and AFC710010 is fine for the job. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeriesEwan Posted May 9, 2011 Author Share Posted May 9, 2011 I've fitted them to a LWB, was a sod of a job, but I reckon the SWB would be easier. Also look at Ashtree for supply of galv items (I bought mine from Dunsfold). Oh, and AFC710010 is fine for the job. G. yes it does not look plesant! did you need to lift off the tub? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 yes it does not look plesant! did you need to lift off the tub? No, but I did have to get brutal. In hindsight it would have been easier to undo the bolts holding the tub in place, and the windscreen top bolts, jack the tub up an inch and just slot them in place. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeriesEwan Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 ahhh brutal i can cope with, the idea of detatching my tub does not appeal as i fear it may not go back / crumble away in bits thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 ahhh brutal i can cope with, the idea of detatching my tub does not appeal as i fear it may not go back / crumble away in bits thanks Likewise. I had to replace the rear crossmember, and also the alu where the tub mounts at the front. Thankfully I found some alu angle profile that I riveted and glued in place of the original material of the tub. 3mm thick, lots of big rivets, and the job was done. I had to jack the tub up to get the alignment right, which had the advantage of straightening the roof out. Previously it had a slight banana aspect to it, due to the absence of support at the front of the tub. This on a 1981 LWB. I reckon it was used to spread salt when it was working in the Council, as even the galv bumper had rotted out. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swifty oh no Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Just remove the floor to do it, less brutal and easier than messing with the tub jacking it up etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeriesEwan Posted May 12, 2011 Author Share Posted May 12, 2011 I thought the floor was part of the tub? isn't it all one pressing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 Just remove the floor to do it, less brutal and easier than messing with the tub jacking it up etc. The floor isn't the problem, it's the sides. Mind you, having the floor out of the way would help a bit, as you could put the struts in sideways and twist them into place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_P Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I'd remove the tub to do the floor bracing. They're supposed to sit on rubber pads on the chassis, so that when you load up the tub the load is applied directly to the chassis rather than on the ends of the tub where it bolts up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bean Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I have just done mine on my SWB. I removed the floor and then refurbed the brackets. I'll find some pics to show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bean Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Or you can just buy new, but i didn't want to own Triggers brush! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeriesEwan Posted May 16, 2011 Author Share Posted May 16, 2011 Ahh ok, i was wondering what the cross braces were for as they were not contacting the chassis, how much grief did you get taking the floor out? it looks like bolts round the edge ( apologies for all these questions i have a rear carpet glued in that i will need to sacrifice to look & see ) sadly refurbing is not an option for me as they are all made of swiss chease & 2 of them are in several pieces, looks like a nice neat job you have done there though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bean Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 There are a few bolts but mainly lots of rivets that need either grinding or drilling out. There are also half a million spot welds scattered around that need drilling out. I will bolt it all together when i am done to aid removal in the future. You will need to drill the rivets out for the tub brackets from underneath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeriesEwan Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 would rusted / holed braces be an mot failure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy V8 Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 would rusted / holed braces be an mot failure? should'nt be.i doubt the mot man would look at that part anyway.I've got two tub braces which i've just taken off a 110 tub i've cut down for trialing.they're both solid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeriesEwan Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 huzzarr it didnt fail on the braces at least Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I have noticed that these cross braces do not actually make contact with the chassis they sit slightly above it. There should be a rubber pad on the cross brace that then rests on the chassis. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 The floor is attached by a series of spot welds and, where the floor covers the lateral braces, huck bolts. This are corrugated rivets with matched receiving collars, a bit like rivnuts but without the helical thread and just a corrugated interior. The huck bolts press together but won't come undone, so will need drilling out. If the lateral braces are rotten, then the sections of floor directly over their ends are normally badly corroded too, as will be the longitudinal braces spot welded to the floor, where they rivet to the top of the lateral braces. I had to replace my floor and longitudinal braces as well as the lateral braces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeriesEwan Posted June 3, 2011 Author Share Posted June 3, 2011 ouch that sounds like it turned into a biggy then, i have a feeling the floor ribs might have gone over the braces too, I think most of my huck bolts have long disapeared / corroded. Are there any further implications in removing the floor? obviously its spot welded to the sides of the tub would riveting it back be good enough or does it need rewelding? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 ouch that sounds like it turned into a biggy then, i have a feeling the floor ribs might have gone over the braces too, I think most of my huck bolts have long disapeared / corroded. Are there any further implications in removing the floor? obviously its spot welded to the sides of the tub would riveting it back be good enough or does it need rewelding? I used Tiger Seal PU adhesive to bond the sides of the new floor panel to the lips of the wheel arches, bulkhead and cross member, using standard M6 hex 8.8 high tensile bolts where the huck bolts had been fitted through the ends of the braces. The longitudinal braces are top-hat sections of the same 1.3mm Birmabright as the floor, but such section is not commercially available. I used 3mm marine grade hardened alloy sheet for the floor and 2mm wall thickness 20x20 stainless steel box tubing for the longitudinals. I couldn't spot weld the longitudinals to the floor like the originals, and you wouldn't do that if you could because of the rapid bi-metallic corrosion that would occur; I keyed the surfaces of the metals and then bonded them with more Tiger seal (if it's strong enough to hold combat aircraft together, it's strong enough for this). The laterals then fit as standard, though there was a slight gap at each end as the original longitudinals are 19mm deep, not 20. The one problem I had was in trying to drill the rivet holes for the rivets jointing the laterals to the longitudinals - I burnt out three drill bits without even completing the second hole into the stainless box tubing (out of 36!), so I gave up on that and instead drilled through the floor sheet and laterals, bolting the laterals to the floor between each longitudinal (clamping it in place) with countersunk 12.8 M6 bolts. I reckon the floor is about as indestructible as is possible in a non-armoured Land Rover! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 I did the short version of what Snagger said - coat the support face with Sikaflex and rivet it where there's still a bit of floor rib. It's only holding the floor up, not holding the vehicle together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeriesEwan Posted July 28, 2011 Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 sorry to reopen an old thread, i pulled off my old braces yesterday in the anticipation of fitting new ones this weekend, anyway as you would probably expect the ribs across the bottom of the floor have turned to white powder & departed from the underside of the vehicle, now the only way i can think of solving this one is getting some strips made up & pop riveting them over the existing units? any other suggestions or sources of appropriate rib substitute welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Unless the whole tub is so shot it's floppy, just stick the new supports on with Sikaflex and call it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeriesEwan Posted July 28, 2011 Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 never heard of Sikaflex but a quick google makes me think that I wish I had discovered it earlier! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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