How to fit new sill rails

Al2O3 · Aug 24, 2015

From my dismantling pictures I have this.

Which clearly shows the extent of the corrosion, but not clearly how the sill rail connected. There is a small aluminium patch I put on there several years ago. But I can't remember how the rail attached at this end - probably because the fixings were largely disintegrated!

I need some help please!

This is the new situation, with YRM strike plate repair panels fitted.

The obvious thing seems to be to drill holes through the strike plate, but is that it? Is that strong enough?
The seat box end panels need to go in there too, so do they bolt through the same holes?

gse1986 · Aug 24, 2015

I'll check when I get home, but pretty sure the outrigger you can see in your photo should be touching it too

Nope nevermind it shouldn't

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Al2O3 · Aug 24, 2015

Cheers. But if your tub isn't there, can you remember if it was bolted to the door strike plate on the tub? It looks like yours is just bolted to the side of the seat box end.

discomania · Aug 24, 2015

Al2O3 said:
Cheers. But if your tub isn't there, can you remember if it was bolted to the door strike plate on the tub? It looks like yours is just bolted to the side of the seat box end.

The sill upright bolts to the seat box side "wing" through the tub. So it's all bolted together. They used to drill the, but if that is a YRM then clearly they don't now! Having said that I remember that I had to open the holes up a little to catch my sills. We know all Defenders are not exactly the same.

As you can see on my tub, I just made a repair plate which that rivet is part off. Didn't have YRM repair sections for that bit when I did mine.

Al2O3 · Aug 24, 2015

Cheers Discomania, That's cleared that up nicely. It's amazing that the floor etc sits on that rail hanging from the aluminium strike plate. I suppose the seat box is also bolted, along it's upper edge, to the tub.
As you say, all Defenders are not exactly the same. Perhaps that's why YRM stopped pre-drilling the holes. On one hand it would be nice to have those holes, but on the other they may not be spot on for lining up with the seat box end.
Thank you gentlemen.

discomania · Aug 25, 2015

Yeah, the first time I took my seat box out and saw what held the sill up I started wondering if it was a good idea to stand on it while loading the roof rack! Possibly when it was new with lots of aluminium it was OK but now most of them are rotten through even with my repair, it is only a couple of rivets on a small plate.

This has re-highlighted this issue and I may look into a reinforcing plate or something.

Al2O3 · Aug 26, 2015

discomania said:
Yeah, the first time I took my seat box out and saw what held the sill up I started wondering if it was a good idea to stand on it while loading the roof rack! Possibly when it was new with lots of aluminium it was OK but now most of them are rotten through even with my repair, it is only a couple of rivets on a small plate.

This has re-highlighted this issue and I may look into a reinforcing plate or something.

I got the sill rails fitted yesterday, but while doing that I got to thinking about steps. I might push the boat out and get long runner ones. Does anyone know of any that bolt to the outriggers rather than the sill rail? Even with renewed panels on the end of the tub and new galv sill rails, I don't fancy constantly putting body weight through them via a step. I'm busy looking at different designs, but all the brackets appear to be different on them.

How to fit new sill rails

Al2O3

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