HELP.....Ive just bought a Terrano and something important fell off!

[celt_xplorer]

Hi

Im new here and to Terrano ownership (2003 2.7 Sport LWB). Its pretty clean with less than 100K. After 14 hours of ownership I decided to clean up the chassis (visible @ rear arches). Took off wheels & with a (hand) wire brush started cleaning surface rust. That's when it happened....the head of one of two bolts securing rear axle bracket to the chassis fell to the floor when touched with the brush, rotten through.

Not such a big problem except it screws into a captive nut....INSIDE the chassis. Interesting design. So are the 20mm holes allowing road dirt in, building up over time, never drying out & rotting everything from the inside.
I wont describe the detail but I cut a section of chassis allowing access to the inside, chiseled off the captive nut & replaced, welding the section back in. When I was in there, I used the shop vac to suck the crud out (with a length of garden hose to get right along).

I now plan to waxoyl everything...inside & out.

Is this a common problem or was I unlucky?.....otherwise the car seems ok

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by celt_xplorer

Hi

Im new here and to Terrano ownership (2003 2.7 Sport LWB). Its pretty clean with less than 100K. After 14 hours of ownership I decided to clean up the chassis (visible @ rear arches). Took off wheels & with a (hand) wire brush started cleaning surface rust. That's when it happened....the head of one of two bolts securing rear axle bracket to the chassis fell to the floor when touched with the brush, rotten through.

Not such a big problem except it screws into a captive nut....INSIDE the chassis. Interesting design. So are the 20mm holes allowing road dirt in, building up over time, never drying out & rotting everything from the inside.
I wont describe the detail but I cut a section of chassis allowing access to the inside, chiseled off the captive nut & replaced, welding the section back in. When I was in thereknow muc, I used the shop vac to suck the crud out (with a length of garden hose to get right along).

I now plan to waxoyl everything...inside & out.

Is this a common problem or was I unlucky?.....otherwise the car seems ok

interesting, do not know much about T2's beyond 99 so unsure, but you seem to have the know how and ability to shall I say overcome, well done and welcome to the club lots on here to whet your whistle, Rick

[celt_xplorer]

Thanks Rick

Learned to deal (and live) with rust restoring 1970's MGs many years ago. From what I've read the T2 is a decent machine so I reckon if I can prevent the rot, the rest is pretty indestructible. I just wasn't reckoning on a structural repair hours after I bought it!

[melissachels]

welcome!

[rustic]

Welcome to the club.
I guess an alternative to cutting the chassis to remove the welded nut, would be to drill out the broken bolt oversize and re-tap to the next thread size, if the bolted on component allows, or even helicoil the nut to maintain the same thread as original. This would provide a fixing even stronger than the original.

I'm just giving alternative solutions for other members not wanting to start cutting holes in their chassis and welding it up again, a bit like key hole surgery.
Are you a gynaecologist by trade?


A friend of mine is a retired gynaecologist, and he papered his hall from outside through the letterbox.

Old ones are the best, in fact this reminds me of what another friend said, "Women are like dog sh*t , the older they are, the easier they are to pick up."
I hope I didn't offend any dogs or dog owners with that comment

Rustic

[RobN]

Old ones are the best, in fact this reminds me of what another friend said, "Women are like dog sh*t , the older they are, the easier they are to pick up."
I hope I didn't offend any dogs or dog owners with that comment

Rustic[/QUOTE]



Welcome to the club

Don't muck about just fix it

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by celt_xplorer

Thanks Rick

Learned to deal (and live) with rust restoring 1970's MGs many years ago. From what I've read the T2 is a decent machine so I reckon if I can prevent the rot, the rest is pretty indestructible. I just wasn't reckoning on a structural repair hours after I bought it!

unusual fault that, I cannot believe it was rust, my thoughts are that it was overtightened and almost sheared, if you still have the bolt head then that will prove it as for it to be rust the head should have disintegrated into "rust", Rick

[Barrbeast]

Welcome bud

[puddle hoppers inc.]

welcome! the front ball joint bolts on my 03 plate are/were the same, rusted thru, snapped with little effort. scary, cheap spannish metal?

[Dynamics]

Hello and welcome.