Mig

[rosinante]

Hi had a little practice and some guidance from dusty, what are the opinions of the more capable /experienced welders on the strength of the patches on my chassis,constructive critique welcome,will the MOT man be happy
thanks in advance,
Chris

Should add that it is all 2,mm and the weld are all butted

 

[malcolm]

The MOT Man won't be a worry. They only complain if they can pick the repairs off with a screwdriver. Your welding looks OK.

Land Rovers were over designed so you can do fairly well what you like to them. But for other vehicles I'd not cut out and patch as you have done. I'd stagger the joints and not just replace bits.

If it were a Renault chassis (a tonne lighter so much more stress bearing) the back 6 inches would have been cut away from the top of the front spring hanger repair tapering down to cover the rust in the chassis behind. A single repair section would have been bent (not welded - even though that's how the Landy chassis were originally made we're talking Renault now) and it would have covered the other two patches and then tapered out again.

For a Land Rover your stuff looks OK. But I've not had much experience of the things apart from the front spring hanger and that was done the same way you've done it.

 

[Damaged]

As Malcolm has said ^^^, the MOT man will be happy but as a long time abuser of LR products I'd be very wary of that amount of chassis repair at a spring mounting.

Your welding looks ok but I'd be worried if you were going to give it much pain off road.

Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear.

Mick.

 

[gordon stephenson]

I had the same sort of jod on my Landy a few years ago(needede more patch than chassis) cut both legs off completely just behind the front spring hangers on the back end and fabbed 2 new legs ones from 3mm plate, Much simpler job easier to weld and stronger too. but welded to the chassis and diamond plated across the joints.

 

[rosinante]

Hi thanks for replies,
the intended purpose of the repairs is twofold,1 get the vehicle roadworthy,2 learn to weld on a project,
Q what are diamond plates? are they as the description implies,where do they fit,would my repairs benefit from their addition,sorry for all of the questions but this is my first welding project,a shetch or pic would be a great help thanks for replies

Chris

 

[gordon stephenson]

Hello Chris,
The two legs I fabbed were butt welded back to really good metal on the original chassis and the welds spanned with welded on "diamond" shaped plates welded on bridging the old and new metal, Just providing extra strength,
Hope this helps. Sometimes you will see where people have welded several small patches to an out-rigger or chassis section quite near to each other when it will have been a far better and EASIER job to have made a new section and welded it in,

 

[rosinante]

Diamond patches

Hi thanks for reply ,the plates i have fitted were to full thickness metal that was corrosion free on the inside and cleaned thoroughly on the out side.i will make up some elongated diamonds and fit them on to give it a bit more strength on the bottom of the rail, as long as the MOT man is happy I will be ,lthe other side is not nearly as bad and just needs a dumbiron fitted,all of the rest of the chassis has already been fixed [new outriggers and rear crossmember by previous owner].Just got a pair of doorpillars and footwells to go on now!!

thanks again

Chris