CHASSIS maintenance

[makeitfit]

I may have been to hasty calling all you cleaning types GAY :augie
Black Pearl's regeneration took a step backwards today
What I though was a simple little chassis patch turned out to be the mother of all PITA jobs :doh
I saw a little spot (of rust) near O/S body mount under the loud peddle.
So I picked it , as you do, well firking doo plops look at this

Turns out there's an inner box section just behind the gearbox cross member and torsion bar cross member .
Right then, 3 steps forward, 2 steps back but I have a plan

Some time later I managed to get the ruddy thing out ready to start preping for weld :sly

I'm basically remaking a bit of box section into the sketch I did and fit it in here a bit like this

It'll make sense tomorrow I promise.
Now to the point of my warning on your chassis condition chaps , look at this box of crud I pulled out from inside the chassis About 8 kg so far . When I cut into the chassis it was totally solid with dried out mud. It was like an archaeological dig in there .

Have a look on the underside of your chassis rails and you'll see a series of holes about 8mm in diameter. Similar holes are all over the sides as you know for God knows what ? Anyway, have a ruddy good poke around all of them with a screw driver or coat hanger etc and get them clear boys. Then go around with your favourite tapping stick and listen out for that horrible dull sound of cheese I hope you don't find any but check and then squirt your load up it for continued strength
I'm glad I found this little horror now as that was a folding chassis waiting to happen. Once this is welded up tomorrow I will at last have a one piece well hard chassis again :clap

 

[solarman216]

one serious bit of tin worm there Pete, just as well you have a welder in the family, Rick

 

[makeitfit]

one serious bit of tin worm there Pete, just as well you have a welder in the family, Rick

Too right
I think I'll cut inspection hatches on the Trol chassis when I get to that one

 

[elty001]

Never had one with chassis rot,always the body on the ones I've owned.
Not saying it won't happen but I will be poking said orifices to see what I can find.

 

[AlexD333]

Hmm I've always cleaned what I can see, but lost as to where this is?

Front chassis legs by the bit we cut n hammer to make room for bigger shoes? :nenau

 

[shug243]

Some mess eh. At least you have the know how and it will cut costs for you. I would underseal every thing. I undersealed mine. But after looking at your pictures I'm gona have a poke about on mine....looking forward to seeing it finished

 

[Banshee]

Bloody hell Pete!!!!

Keep at it mate, it's going to be a beast when it's done

 

[firebobby]

That's why I blow old engine oil into my chassis rails, messy job but should stop that sort of thing happening

 

[makeitfit]

The outside of the chassis was mainly fine but being a curious soul I've shown that the damage occurs from within
Squirty dirty oil will be the order of the day shortly :thumbs
Alex, this is behind the body mount under the loud peddle

 

[makeitfit]

Can we fix it Bob ? "No it's fooked" :lol
DIY it is then Here's the basic repair section fabbed up before going into the chassis rail.

The rust always looks worse in the pics but this will be stronger than the original :clap

Plug welds in the holes ain't going anywhere soon :sly

Blinking lovely

Cut and trim more plate for the outer chassis side .

And back to where I started but now with a new side to the body mount.

Even remade the extra support web that lives in this body mount. The others don't have them :nenau

Now I can return to chassis cleaning and undersealing, I hope :freak3:

 

[The Patrolman]

Nice one!!

Not often we get to turn the current up for a proper weld!

Usually spot welding cheese to new meat:nenau

 

[makeitfit]

Nice one!!

Not often we get to turn the current up for a proper weld!

Usually spot welding cheese to new meat:nenau

Cheers dude :thumbs
Many many amps were used today, both here and on the roll cage :naughty

 

[Sweety]

Think the next step for you Pete after all this chassis & body welding is to build a new custom tubular chassis for the Trol:naughty:lol

 

[makeitfit]

Oh the trol is going to get it big style one the Pearl is done :naughty

 

[AlexD333]

Nice!! Looking very good. :thumb2

 

[makeitfit]

Darn it there's more :doh
Poking about, as you do, with 240volts of angry wire brush around the chassis , when, boom, bugger "New hole"
Where the old rear drop link mounts were , there is no cheese left
Hmph, might as well get it done properly then, so off with the tank and axle :augie

I should have bought shares in Tata Steel :lol

 

[Sweety]

See this is what happens when you fit LR parts to a Nissan tin worm sets in badly & the bloody axle falls off:lol:lol:lol Really feel for you mate as I thought you had at long last finished welding the chassis/body up:doh

 

[makeitfit]

Ah it's ok, I went out tonight and the boy was on a mission to get it done so he can help on the roll cage.That's much more fun

 

[makeitfit]

Sheesh. Get a bit of time and the weather turns
Ah well it's not raining UNDER the truck :lol

Cleaning up ok now

 

[rustic]

You'll have to name that truck the "Armadillo" with the overlapping patches, the resemblance is uncanny.

I think you are fantastic keeping this truck on the road, your sons welding looks great. You can only weld that well to decent metal, so it looks like the rest is sound.

Well done..:thumb2

:clap:clap