Disco 2 Advice needed on supporting body while replacing chassis!

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J

john snoo

Well-Known Member
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613
Location
uk
Howdy all.

Well my 'half chassis' (bit more than half) is coming next week for my D2. It's 2200 mm long to replace the rear end of my old chassis, from Dixon Fabrication (https://dixonfabrication.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=87_92_137&product_id=169)

My mechanic has replaced rear quarters and full chassis's, but never done a 2200 mm long section. We were pondering how to support the body while cutting out the old and fitting the new section, does anyone have any experience of this or ideas on how to support the vehicle body?
Thanks

 
john snoo said:
Bugger, do hope I am not the first person to try this :D
Click to expand...
Could he not go about it as if doing a full chassis, then mount the bits either the new bit first or the old bit first, after he has measured up accurately?
Might be easier then to weld the new bit onto the old bit off the vehicle.
Dunno really.:(
 
Thanks Stan. To be honest the 'how' to fit isn't so much the problem, the smaller details such as mounting and unmounting bits will be ok once we work out how to actually do the chassis. I think our best plan of attack at the moment is to do it with the car on floor rather than up on ramp (which was first idea), as we won't be able to support the body of the car as we remove the old 1/2 chassis. Maybe do it on floor, get new chassis into place (before welding), and a few loose body mounts semi tightened to hold it all in place, then jack up on ramp and do the rest up in the air which is easier. does that sound like a half decent plan?!
 
john snoo said:
Thanks Stan. To be honest the 'how' to fit isn't so much the problem, the smaller details such as mounting and unmounting bits will be ok once we work out how to actually do the chassis. I think our best plan of attack at the moment is to do it with the car on floor rather than up on ramp (which was first idea), as we won't be able to support the body of the car as we remove the old 1/2 chassis. Maybe do it on floor, get new chassis into place (before welding), and a few loose body mounts semi tightened to hold it all in place, then jack up on ramp and do the rest up in the air which is easier. does that sound like a half decent plan?!
Click to expand...
What sort of ramp is it?
It sounds like a 2 poster.
In which case use it to support the body and lift it off the chassis?
Would have to see the set up really.
 
Hi, are you still going to work with it on the floor?

if so then you may need to make some screw jacks out of 19-24mm threaded bar and some 2in scaffolding I can send you a simple drawing if you want one, as the support height are all different, I would put 4 supports under the front section to hold up the engine and get the wheels off the floor, to help balance it all out remove the fuel tank, and back axle, and fit brake pipe clamps on the front to rear brake pipe under the wing on the passenger side , to help prevent any problems later with the brake bleeding and ABS

so I would now put a supports under the inner sill with a section of 4x2, wood or 2x2 angle to spread the load over the whole sill on both sides, finally I would put the last two screw jacks at the back if you look at the back cross member were the body bolts on, just to the side the body has a support member going across


There are 10 body bolts on the chassis, by placing the screw jacks close to the original positions on the chassis you’re cutting off at the rear

Finally I would cut the old chassis off in manageable section not all in one to heavy and take loads of photos to help with you reassemble
 
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this may help with the final line up, I sized it but it us a few mm out

CHASSIS FULL.jpg
 
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Did mine with a couple of scaffolding poles on supports, jacked it up then lowered chassis leaving body on poles, had to strap front pole to bulkhead
 

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one final thought you will need to work out a way to weld the top of the new chassis to the old one, for me it's a hole cut in the floor on both side so seats out carpets out, and dont forget you cut point on the orginal chassi is 4 in ( 100mm) shorter, 2100mm to the cut point measured from the back, so you have overlap on the chassi section to fit up and weld
 
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Stanleysteamer said:
What sort of ramp is it?
It sounds like a 2 poster.
In which case use it to support the body and lift it off the chassis?
Would have to see the set up really.
Click to expand...

Yep it's a 2 poster. Body can't come off the chassis, we are cutting the chassis and welding on new rear half. Thats kinda the problem, otherwise could just lift it all off but front end will remain attached to chassis.
 
frostythor said:
one final thought you will need to work out a way to weld the top of the new chassis to the old one, for me it's a hole cut in the floor on both side so seats out carpets out, and dont forget you cut point on the orginal chassi is 4 in ( 100mm) shorter, 2100mm to the cut point measured from the back, so you have overlap on the chassi section to fit up and weld
Click to expand...
Thanks Frosty, very useful info there. I am hoping to avoid cutting holes in floor, removing seats etc. There looks like 2-3" of space to get welder in, slowly and carefully. Hope so anyway. Will print off your diagrams and have a good look before we start.
PS We haven't decided whether to do it on floor or ramp, but so far the only way we can see it being doable is pretty much as you said, cutting sections of the old one to slowly remove it and support vehicle body underneath, then slip new chassis into place, get it fairly well secured, then lift vehicle up to finish and weld etc. Must remember to get some stuff inside the chassis to protect back of the welds!
 
Hi Again, what you need to remember is, once the old chassis is removed and you slip the new on , you can use the body bolt to lift the new section up and into place, using the body mounting bolt that will align the new with the old section, it should not be a problem , when I replace the back of mine, I just slipped the new section over the old one the bolted it up tight, then used a few big ‘G’ clamps to squeezed the new end bits tight against the old chassis
 
Thanks very much, really useful this. I need to keep the time span as short as possible when fitting as it will be taking up his whole garage/ramp until its done. I may ping you with a PM if i get stuck, if thats ok!
 
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