Transit inner sill replacement - must all four wheels be level?

[ignoramus]

Hiya, I'm wondering if all 4 wheels need to be level to weld the nearside inner sill on my transit. I'm guessing you don't want just one corner, or just one side (near/offside) jacked up, but could the rear wheels be higher than the front wheels?

The sill on the other side is pretty solid except one 2" hole, the two main box sections are solid from the front to the rear leaf hanger, but the back end is a bit rotten in the corners. Forgive the noobish description!

My instinct is to get the 4 wheels level and just make do with the extra five or six inches of headroom, but feels like I might be being overly-cautious when the extra space would no doubt make the learning curve much easier.

Any opinions appreciated! Cheers

 

[James1979]

You want the vehicle sort of at rest as it were. No twist or stress in the body. That will make your life a lot easier.

Can you get it on 4 stands under chassis members / subframe?

Level isn’t as critical as not stressed but I always try and level things when I weld them as it’s easier to fit up. You can work to a bubble rather than measure and triangulate everything

 

[tigdlo]

The welding will be by far the biggest part of the job, setting it up on stands with no twist in the chassis and completely unladen wouldn't take much effort in comparison and worth it IMO. Sould be able to get it at a better height to work on too.

 

[Burdekin]

You also want it well braced especially the door apertures and across the vehicle. I also support the vehicle in a lot of areas with caravan jacks. Maybe not required but keeping it all in shape when you cut out the sills makes it easier getting the new ones in.

 

[Shedendman]

You'll have to go a long way before you twist it,trust me,so your answer is NO

 

[mr haynes]

Old transits and rust, next mot much more of a worry than twisting
How much are you replacing?

 

[ignoramus]

Dear lordy you people are helpful! Thanks a lot, really appreciate it.

I only have two axle stands, a 5T one that's very rusty and pitted, and a lower rated car one in decent nick, I do think both would probably hold but I don't fancy testing it. I'm also working on grass

I've just been out to collect a selection of wooden blocks, it's mainly bits of an old bridge, nearly railway sleeper size. I'm planning on jacking the van up as high as the jack goes (not that high) and putting all the wheels on the same combination of blocks (I have lots of smaller bits and thick ply offcuts to make up the last few inches).

Like this, it's functionally pretty much the same as being sat on the ground, I haven't seen anyone jacking or taking stress off the sill when it's on the floor, in the fair few Transit welding vids Ive watched. I've actually driven it (very slowly and gently) with most of the sill taken off (less than a mile to get materials). The vast majority of the chassis is solid.

I'm replacing the entire outer sill and probably the entire inner, but some of it might be ok, I haven't ground the inner back yet.

"You also want it well braced especially the door apertures and across the vehicle ... Maybe not required" - I bloody hope not as it's far too late for that haha

I probably should have done more research before chopping off bits of sill. The bloke who's teaching me is quite rough n ready, said he didn't even bother to disconnect the batteries on his vans. I'm pretty sure his plan is just bang a sill on it and be done with it. But I'm a bit more meticulous by nature.

This post is all a bit random and disconnected but I'm blasting it out ASAP so I can get on with the van prep

Thanks again, bunch of legends ye are

 

[Myles1970]

4 decent axle stands and a good trolley jack might be a good investment, you'll want them for future mots in all likelyhood

 

[Shedendman]

what yrs the transit?

 

[chris pruteanu]

I have just weldes thia POS, Both sides were bad, it’s a LHD and passenger side was really crumbling !! Came out ok…it’s a Luton van 4 tones. Chassis rails are in good condition just inner arches and Luther cills were rotten.

 

[GRW]

I recently replaced a whole section of decidely structural chassis rail on my Convoy (between the back axle front & rear spring hangers, behind the twin wheels).
I put axle stands under either side of the chassis on the one side only (to try to keep the chassis level front-rear) and didn't cut all the way through the chassis (in one area I needed to replace the sides and base of the rail - the rest was just the outer side) but replaced one piece at a time to keep the f & r connected & in-line.
With only the one side jacked up, and knowing that bodies do flex, I was aware of the possibility it might not be 100% - but tbh it's back on the road and driving fine, with no apparent issues. (Having the leaf spring, always a bit of chassis rail, and the rest of the body must do a lot to keep things pretty straight).

I'm guessing you don't have too much to worry about with a Sill.

 

[ignoramus]

The van's a Mk6, 2005.

I thought I had a good trolley jack - but I think it must be faulty as it really doesn't go very high and it weeps a bit out of the piston under pressure (the one you operate with the rod/bar).

The van's really not that high off the ground but each wheel I had to do in two stages, raising the jack with ply and another block between the jack and van.

I've got decent clearance now with my blocks and going to leave it on there til I've ground back all the rust, welded where necessary, and waxoyled/painted/treated the sh*t out of it. Decision yet to be made on specific product. The MOT ran out weeks ago and I'm borrowing a little car for the meantime.

Nice job on that luton! And thanks for the description GRW, I'll definitely take this into account when chopping out anything more structural.

mr haynes - replacing entire n/s sill, inner and outer. Small patch on o/s inner sill, and a few holes/weak points round the back end. Though could well find more once I start digging properly

 

[ignoramus]

 

[maroon]

View attachment 400246

View attachment 400247

Each to their own. but I would not be getting under that.

Sills arnt really structural points. Jack it anywhere. Some transits you can do the sills without even jacking them up.

 

[ignoramus]

Each to their own. but I would not be getting under that.

The jack? Or the blocks?

 

[ajlelectronics]

said he didn't even bother to disconnect the batteries on his vans.

That's because there is absolutely no need.

 

[maroon]

The jack? Or the blocks?

Wheels on blocks. Too much slack in the gears.

 

[ignoramus]

Wheels on blocks. Too much slack in the gears.

In case the handbrake goes? I was going to put some wheels or something under the back axle before spending hours under there. Maybe I'll chock the wheels as well

 

[maroon]

In case the handbrake goes? I was going to put some wheels or something under the back axle before spending hours under there. Maybe I'll chock the wheels as well

For an inspection or oil change OK I guess. I wouldn't start putting any force to the body in that state. Hammering pulling ect... It's not a Ford fiesta. There's some weight to them.

 

[James1979]

You’re obviously using what you have and fair play to you.

I’d block that under the chassis at the very least not the wheels.

If that’s not an option, put something under there ideally a bit deeper than you. Spare wheel, sleeper, whatever. At least that way if the worst happens you’ll be trapped but not dead.

When I take wheels off I always slide them underneath for that reason.