Shane512

Member
Hello all, I’m currently doing a rebuild on my defender 90 following a chassis replacement. I got the replacement chassis from Richards and it came with a gearbox cross member which was separate to the chassis. When I offer the cross member up to the chassis it looks as though it’s about 1cm too wide to fit into the gap between the chassis rails, is this correct? Do I need to spread the chassis rails open to fit it?
 
Hello all, I’m currently doing a rebuild on my defender 90 following a chassis replacement. I got the replacement chassis from Richards and it came with a gearbox cross member which was separate to the chassis. When I offer the cross member up to the chassis it looks as though it’s about 1cm too wide to fit into the gap between the chassis rails, is this correct? Do I need to spread the chassis rails open to fit it?
spread the rail to fit, the easiest ones still need knocking in place with a large soft hammer
 
spread the rail to fit, the easiest ones still need knocking in place with a large soft hammer
Anyone have any ideas about how to spread the rails? I’ve tried a bottle jack between bits of wood but can’t get enough purchase before it all explodes!
 
I had to buy a cheap bottle jack as my trolley jack wouldn't pump on it's side. The trolley jack was handy to help hold the cross member in place as well as give it a push. I'm trying to upload an image, but I'm camped by the Haut Loire, in the middle of nowhere and the phone signal is poor.
 
IMG_5131_zpsff285c7f.jpg

Eventually! :mad:
There was a lot of creaking from the chassis rails as I jacked them apart.
 
That’s kind of what I was trying. I need to find a bigger block of wood!

Thanks all!
I have done it the same way as @Al2O3 in the past when I have removed/refited the crossmember to drop the gearbox.
Just go and rummage around all the local skips for timber. If you are struggling for packing a last resort would be to go and buy a fence post, probably the cheapest way to buy a hefty lump of wood if you cannot find any for nothing.
 
A high lift jack works nicely if the body is off. If you don't have one, a mate will usually have one collecting dust in the garage that you can borrow.
HTH
Mo
 

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