New Richards Chassis!!

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Chalky.

Chalky.

Well-Known Member
Posts
5,126
Location
Mid Wales
Hi All!

Just ordered a nice new galvanised chassis for my Td5 90, which despite it only being 15 years old, quite literally looks like a cheese grater in all the usual places!! Whacked the tubular outrigger hard with a welding hammer and it totally detached, and this is the anchor for the belt!!

Anyhoo, any pointers or tips to help me carry this out as efficently as possible would be greatly received! Cheers All! :)
 
Carry what out? What's your plan?
Lift the body off as a whole or remove the individual panels? The difference is massive! :)
 
Don't panic when the bulkhead and gearbox X member don't fit cos the chassis is too narrow, the chassis moves a bit when being galved and the main rails need to be jacked apart a bit so the two will fit.......

I panicked and phoned Richards, the reply was " they all do it, the main rails spreading a little, even the ungalved factory chassis"

I creaks as you do it!...
 
Al2O3 said:
Carry what out? What's your plan?
Lift the body off as a whole or remove the individual panels? The difference is massive! :)
Click to expand...

Plan is to lift body as a whole on some scaffold or something, obviously have to remove wings, bonnet etc for as speedy process as possible!

Hippo said:
We'll need pic's anorl :)
Click to expand...
Goes without saying mate! :)

paulnb said:
Don't panic when the bulkhead and gearbox X member don't fit cos the chassis is too narrow, the chassis moves a bit when being galved and the main rails need to be jacked apart a bit so the two will fit....
Click to expand...

Cheers for that mate, I'm definitely a panicker so you've certainly saved me some worries! ;)
 
Fort it only needed a steering box!
And a few other 'little' jobs?
Personally, I couldn't or rather wouldn't do a whole body swop.
The opportunity to go through the bits and repair/replace /modify as you go and with fantastic access was too great for me.
Fitting new exhaust, brakepipes etc was a joy without the body in the way.
I was in no rush to be back on the road though.
Mine was a genuine chassis that I had galved along with a gearbox cross member and bulkhead, the only slight issue I had was the cross member being a pain to fit cos of the galv thickness and the A posts needed tweaking to line up with the outriggers.
Oh, and getting the loom back through was fiddly but mines a 110 not a short arsed 90.
We ain't going laneing for a bit then lol!
 
Lol! Well I knew it needed a rear x member, and steering box, so we got under it with a sharp hammer and attacked it everywhere, it (shockingly for me) just seemed to be punching through it like butter, I couldn't believe it! This was only yesterday morning so developments have been rather swift!!
Hopefully it'll go smoothly so wont take too long, we'll get at them lanes soon!!
I've had experience building a hybrid, and going a bit over the top, so I intend to keep this to a minimum as its supposed to be my regular, every dayer, but I totally get what you mean! :)
 
paulnb said:
Don't panic when the bulkhead and gearbox X member don't fit cos the chassis is too narrow, the chassis moves a bit when being galved and the main rails need to be jacked apart a bit so the two will fit.......

I panicked and phoned Richards, the reply was " they all do it, the main rails spreading a little, even the ungalved factory chassis"

I creaks as you do it!...
Click to expand...
I had to buy a bottle jack cos trolley jacks don't work on their sides. At least mine didn't. Chassis rails certainly creaked when jacking them apart. My bulkhead fitted straight on.

Gottschalk said:
Lol! Well I knew it needed a rear x member, and steering box, so we got under it with a sharp hammer and attacked it everywhere, it (shockingly for me) just seemed to be punching through it like butter, I couldn't believe it! This was only yesterday morning so developments have been rather swift!!
Hopefully it'll go smoothly so wont take too long, we'll get at them lanes soon!!
I've had experience building a hybrid, and going a bit over the top, so I intend to keep this to a minimum as its supposed to be my regular, every dayer, but I totally get what you mean! :)
Click to expand...
If you've had previous building experience I presume you know where all the bolting points are? Is the aluminium badly corroded at those points?
 
Its better than expected to be fair, Dad's going to press and shape some aluminum at work so we can repair the front of the rear tub, where it needs it!

Do you have any experience with polybush? I'm going to have to take off radius arms etc, so may as well replace at this time!
 
No, sorry. Didn't poly bush mine, I put standard bushes back in. I'd read that poly gave a slightly harder ride and I didn't want that. There's lots of people for and against, so I think it's probably down to personal preference.
 
polys on my build REBUILDING MY 90 have used them loads ,,,and now don't fit any others ,,,,,
 
Al2O3 said:
What's your opinion re difference in ride? Notice anything?
Click to expand...
I haven't noticed any harshness on mine, though it was pretty shocking before as the rear shocks were dead. I can quite happily go to Birmingham and back in it, where my Mini is slowly destroying my back!

They have been on nearly a year now and no probs, so would go poly again if I had the choice.
 
Have a look on facebook for Trevor Cuthbert Land Rovers. He has a business re-chassis-ing landies of all sorts using Richards Chassis. Does a great job too. He uses the "whole body lift" method. Interestingly, he recommended using standard bushes for normal spring heights. of course, he has a press which makes life easier.
 
Well guys, just spoke to the secretary at Richards and they have a 10 week waiting time!! Speaks loads for their product I guess, and gives me plenty of contemplation time in regards to polybush or not!!
Cheers for all the suggestions so far! :)
 
I put Superpro bushes on mine jut under two years ago. They seem to be made of slightly softer stuff than standard but I've got a harder ride,which is possibly because i put new springs on too - Britpart rather than standard.
 
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