A frame Crossmember renewal

deano75 · Feb 27, 2017

Hi guys , I am in the process of renewing my Defender 300tdi 90s 23 year old A frame.
I have over hauled a 2nd hand one with nice buff down and a couple of coats of the old Hammerite , new ball joint and new poly bushes.
Deano

deano75 · Mar 4, 2017

Flossie · Mar 4, 2017

Is that cross member available as a replacement part?

Grem · Mar 4, 2017

I know about one of these crossmembers rotting right through at one end being followed closely by the other end, driver noticed quite a clunk when pulling away and braking and bumps etc. I could grab the end of it and waggle it about, this was on a 300TDI 1998 110

Flossie · Mar 5, 2017

Looks fiddly to do with the tub in place but here's a pic of a new shiny galv chassis showing the bit in question and to bump your post.

zeaphod · Mar 5, 2017

Take the tub off and be prepared to find a lot of rot. It might be time to start saving for a new chassis.

Ian Maycock · Mar 5, 2017

Had both the ends go on mine, and was told its not a replacement part you would have to fab a new one up and I would say its a body off job personally. Is it just the ends that have gone or is the middle gone as well ?
This is what it looked like originally, the ends had gone chassis rail underneath

and after it got some treatment

K14 · Mar 5, 2017

Ive just recently repaired the end sections of my A frame x member (body off). Also found the top of the chassis rails had rotted through underneath ! After I completed the repairs I capped the rear strengthening web the the same as Ian's pics. Another defender design flaw.
Also as it was impractical to take the chassis back to bare metal and paint, I gave it a thorough scrape and wire brush and brushed on waxoyl underseal. You can also buy this in aerosol for the difficult to reach areas.
I know you can buy this crossmember but I forget who makes it, I remember it being expensive so I repaired mine.

K14 · Mar 5, 2017

Trilly909 · Mar 5, 2017

Mine rusted through on the passenger side, causing the mount to break away from the crossmember. I took the body off and found a lot more rust than expected. I did make a new crossmember out of large steel box section, but I didn't think it would last so I am now getting a new galv chassis

Roaming Wombat · Mar 5, 2017

You can get a cross member as a part to do a straight replacement, I didn't think mine was that rotten until the old came off and could have a proper look (the steel had de-laminated across most of it)

If you're planning to tow/recover etc then its worth replacing, also if you have a tow bar fitted and the x-member is rotten you'll likely fail an MOT.

you can get one with "legs" to make it easier to change, like this one (think I got mine from Bearmach for a bit less)
http://www.paddockspares.com/lr511-...iH0dzhdyjpNkDIwHeAMGdW8lIRAA78L3V0xoCeGrw_wcB

deano75 · Apr 11, 2017

Thanks for the response

deano75 · Apr 11, 2017

Roaming Wombat said:
You can get a cross member as a part to do a straight replacement, I didn't think mine was that rotten until the old came off and could have a proper look (the steel had de-laminated across most of it)

Retroanaconda · Apr 11, 2017

A chassis change will cost several thousand at least, especially if you're paying someone to do it, though it is undoubtably the best option in the long run.

Take the rear tub off and fix it up nicely, it'll then last you a decent amount of time allowing you to save for full replacement.

Did mine in 2011:

Have since done a number of other repairs to the chassis rails around the general area of the n/s end of the crossmember. Very much limping it on until such a time as I can replace it properly.

Ian Maycock · Apr 11, 2017

Take the tub off it will be a lot easier to do a proper job that cross member takes some stick and the welds will need to be good, its best to cut the rust out don't patch over the top as it will still rust away underneath. The pictures of mine are above but when I actually cleaned all the rust off the top it was well bad probably worse than Retroanacondas the top and side of the chassis rail had gone just in front or the cross member because some one had previously patched over the top. I also sprayed inside and out with some of that rust converter stuff and spayed the inside of the chassis with waxyoil, like said above hopefully I will get a few years so I can save for a galved one.
cheers Ian

pete1987RRC · Apr 11, 2017

Could you find an old RRC chassis and mod it, it can't be too different

A frame Crossmember renewal

deano75

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deano75

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Flossie

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Grem

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Flossie

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zeaphod

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Ian Maycock

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K14

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K14

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Trilly909

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Roaming Wombat

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deano75

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Retroanaconda

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Ian Maycock

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pete1987RRC

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