Simon_CSK Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 While changing a wheel on my Disco I saw something that looked wrong. It took a few seconds to work out the problem but I got there in the end. Any suggestions on how best to repair this? Rhe obvious answer is very carefully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Whatever you do, don;t cut that zip tie.... it looks structural... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 It depends on how much you love that truck....thats not a minor repair... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 I wouldn't drive it! have a poke around the rest of the chassis to see where else it is rusty as it's unlikely to be in one place only. Only than can you assess whether it is repairable - or at least worth repairing versus a different chassis. The chassis is obviously quite important from a safety point of view - so unless you are skilled at welding (and I'm guessing by the question that you are not? No offense if I'm wrong) I would get a grown-up to have a look. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon_CSK Posted November 13, 2012 Author Share Posted November 13, 2012 Whatever you do, don;t cut that zip tie.... it looks structural... Maverik I would think that you are very right when I saw that rust i nearly died. It depends on how much you love that truck....thats not a minor repair... The only option is repair I have only had the car 3 months and did not spot this. I wouldn't drive it! have a poke around the rest of the chassis to see where else it is rusty as it's unlikely to be in one place only. Only than can you assess whether it is repairable - or at least worth repairing versus a different chassis. The chassis is obviously quite important from a safety point of view - so unless you are skilled at welding (and I'm guessing by the question that you are not? No offense if I'm wrong) I would get a grown-up to have a look. Si Si there is rust elsewhere but I will have a much better idea once I have it on ramps. No offence taken I have welded before a lot without much problem but in this case I need potentially to take a section of the chassis out to repair it with new metal that was the reason for asking. The car will not be going anywhere until I have this repaired. I was supposed to drive to London last Friday when I spotted it Thursday afternoon . Lay awake worrying until two and then decided that it would be best to hire a car instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gremlin Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Scary........very scary................. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biosbill Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 If that section of the chassis is that bad, id be very carefully checking the rest, especially the back curve around/behind the rear springs. Id imagine its all pretty bad, rotten from the inside out... Bad luck I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disco_al Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 wow, that's worse than mine - one point that hasn't been mentioned - how much MOT was on it when you bought it? there is no way that's recent rust, takes a while for it to get that bad on a chassis. i'd seriously consider consulting an independant LR specialsist for a repair quote on that one - better to get the experts to do it than take a risk - i'm not even going to attempt to weld my chassis, i've got my old disco with a sound chassis and knackered body to swap my nearly repaired body onto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon_CSK Posted November 13, 2012 Author Share Posted November 13, 2012 wow, that's worse than mine - one point that hasn't been mentioned - how much MOT was on it when you bought it? there is no way that's recent rust, takes a while for it to get that bad on a chassis. i'd seriously consider consulting an independant LR specialsist for a repair quote on that one - better to get the experts to do it than take a risk - i'm not even going to attempt to weld my chassis, i've got my old disco with a sound chassis and knackered body to swap my nearly repaired body onto It has only been 5 months since the MOT I did think about contacting VOSA I have no come back on the seller but I do have on the MOT garage I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelw Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 VOSA for me, I am not saying I would want to get a garage in trouble but moody MOT's are still more common than you might think!!! I do not want to think about the consequences of an accident in that if it were to happen, and in any event, from that picture I would say they would be looking at the test station anyway as it is easy to see that that has been rotting away like that for a couple of years!!! That was MOTd in the summer and if it had been bodged with filler it would still have been poked and prodded by the tester, I know all of my weld repairs were always scrutinized by my MOT man, he did my fleet of 4 cars every year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 As regards a repair, I recon I'd give it a go... I'd use multiple jacks and props to try take any load out of that part of the chassis, you're going to have to get in with an angle grinder so got to be comfy getting under it. might need some smaller metal removal tools too... Might be worth putting some temporary stiffners/strengtheners before you do any major cutting... Just some radom thought's how I'dd approach such a problem... the tricky thing I think it will be is finding where the good steel starts... Might also be worth you checking to make sure that, that side of the chassis hasn't actualy crept and sagged, if it has that will need re-jigging... A like a challange! Mav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon_CSK Posted November 13, 2012 Author Share Posted November 13, 2012 As regards a repair, I recon I'd give it a go... I'd use multiple jacks and props to try take any load out of that part of the chassis, you're going to have to get in with an angle grinder so got to be comfy getting under it. might need some smaller metal removal tools too... Might be worth putting some temporary stiffners/strengtheners before you do any major cutting... Just some radom thought's how I'dd approach such a problem... the tricky thing I think it will be is finding where the good steel starts... Might also be worth you checking to make sure that, that side of the chassis hasn't actualy crept and sagged, if it has that will need re-jigging... A like a challange! Mav Mav It has not sagged as the metal is still connected at the bottom. I was going to seek out the good steel and weld 50mm box section across it both sides to strengthen it while I cut it about. That will be the first job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon_CSK Posted November 15, 2012 Author Share Posted November 15, 2012 Have now had a decent look at it and whilst it is bad I do not think it is terminal. The worst bit by far was the photo above but the other side of the chassis is at least solid so that is giving it structural strength. Not the worst bit The underside of the structural zip tie Another view of the bad bit. Overall it is bad but it is not as bad as I had initially thought. One area where I could do with advice is where the radius are bracket connects to the chassis if there is rust behind do I take the bracket off and reweld or do i plate round it. I am fearful that the rust will just continue to wreak havock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 I am genuinely shocked, like really really shocked, that is allowed on the road... Having said that i think i've had a similar thing happen on the Camel, in the few months I've owned it, the sills look "ok" when i first got it, but over the past 2 months have literally disapeared, i don;t think there is any good steel left. I don;t think MOT'ers are allowed to prod and poke? (I may be wrong)... when it was being MOT'd it could have been on its last 0.1 of a mm and if its gone from the inside out then it could have looked fine... I think if you have any worries then go for the worst case, which is remove the bracket... Owning 3 D1's, its absolutly mental how you seem to get really bad "local" corrosion, I see it on all the vehicles - very few "common" area's, I'm dreading the in-depth survey of the Camel... Something to bear in mind when you;re looking at the steel replacment is were your weld seems are going to start and finish, you don;t want to put a weld root near a point where you may develop stress raisers, its a fairly imprtant part of the chassis just there. (as I'm sure you;re fully aware). Its one of those pictures I find horrific... but strangly interesting... Its that plastic underseal i'm betting... holds water in, absolute nighmare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 "Its that plastic underseal i'm betting... holds water in, absolute nighmare." don't get me started on undersell/goop just removed about half a bloody ton of the stuff from the underside of my D1, ended up using a blow torch as various grinding tools simply wouldn't shift the bloody stuff, the horrors you find lurking underneath......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtydiesel Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 It has only been 5 months since the MOT I did think about contacting VOSA I have no come back on the seller but I do have on the MOT garage I think. You only have 3 months for corrosion, 5 months after the test the duty of care lies firmly with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honitonhobbit Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 "Its that plastic underseal i'm betting... holds water in, absolute nighmare." don't get me started on undersell/goop just removed about half a bloody ton of the stuff from the underside of my D1, ended up using a blow torch as various grinding tools simply wouldn't shift the bloody stuff, the horrors you find lurking underneath......... Jeff, does Kirsten know you have a blow torch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 Jeff, does Kirsten know you have a blow torch? Yes, but the beard , is , sadly no longer with us........ Ha will get the bloody crossmember in today if it kills me, then, only the boot floor to do, oh joy of joys.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honitonhobbit Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 Yes, but the beard , is , sadly no longer with us........ Ha will get the bloody crossmember in today if it kills me, then, only the boot floor to do, oh joy of joys.... I've heard that statement before somewhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 Na na nee na na crossmember now in! Floor half out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 How's the repair going Simon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon_CSK Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 How's the repair going Simon? I have now welded steel into three of the four radius are mounting points. The only thing holding the axles on was the side chassis mounts for the radius arms cos when I went in with the grinder the bottom mounts just about fell off. There is still some work to do but at least I know it is safe. I think I am going to source a good chassis get it galvanised and build up a rolling chassis so I can swap it over. The rest of the car is fine just the chassis that is rotten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Good to hear that she will live again It's amazing she stayed together by the sounds of it.... I bet you feel a lot happier now and can sleep at night again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon_CSK Posted November 29, 2012 Author Share Posted November 29, 2012 Good to hear that she will live again It's amazing she stayed together by the sounds of it.... I bet you feel a lot happier now and can sleep at night again! The only reason I saw it was after changing a wheel for a trip to London from Glasgow. I did literally lie awake worrying about it until I decided to hire a car for the trip..........You are right I am a lot happier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbs Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 Simon, If It helps, Richards galv'd chassis does do a galv'd disco 1 chassis so therefore you could keep the reg number etc. as in a like for like chassis swap.. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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