Appreciate any tips with tub tops

raywin · Sep 7, 2018

I need to do something with my tub tops, they are rusty in a few places and water is leaking in on the back corners where the seal won't work on the rust.
I think I will have to take them off clean or shot blast then fill them with fine filler where the rust was then try to paint them with something strong.
I have not had them off before would appreciate any tips from those who know how, do I need to lift off the back section (van type) or can you get away with just lifting the back up and propping it up?
I can see the bolts in the back corners which are well rusted,
Any input would be well appreciated bodywork is not my field and I don't want to mess it up.

dag019 · Sep 7, 2018

Are you referring to the tub cappings? If so to remove you will have to remove the sides to be able to drill out the rivets holding them in place. This can be done without removing the roof, as there is enough flex in the roof and windscreen to open up enough of a gap to slide them out backwards.
If they have rusted through they will need replacing get some galvanised ones if this is the case. If it is only surface rust I would remove them and get them blasted and galvanised. The reason they do not rot away in series vehicles is they were galvanised from the factory whereas the later models were only painted.

As an aside if you have a 110 the galvanised body capping from a series 109 will fit, I fitted a set to mine when they needed replacement rather than buying new items.

raywin · Sep 7, 2018

dag019 said:
Are you referring to the tub cappings? If so to remove you will have to remove the sides to be able to drill out the rivets holding them in place. This can be done without removing the roof, as there is enough flex in the roof and windscreen to open up enough of a gap to slide them out backwards.
If they have rusted through they will need replacing get some galvanised ones if this is the case. If it is only surface rust I would remove them and get them blasted and galvanised. The reason they do not rot away in series vehicles is they were galvanised from the factory whereas the later models were only painted.

As an aside if you have a 110 the galvanised body capping from a series 109 will fit, I fitted a set to mine when they needed replacement rather than buying new items.

Thanks for that I did hope that I might just take the caps out without taking the body apart completely.
Its a defender 90 and I don't know just how bad the rust is, I wondered about galvanizing but if the rust has eaten into the surface it may not seal up again, so I may strip them, then treat them and fill them to get them smooth.
It may be that new ones are the only way, but i read somewhere that the rivet holes are done as one offs so new ones are hard to match.
I also need to get new sealing strips.

discomania · Sep 7, 2018

raywin said:
I need to do something with my tub tops, they are rusty in a few places and water is leaking in on the back corners where the seal won't work on the rust.
I think I will have to take them off clean or shot blast then fill them with fine filler where the rust was then try to paint them with something strong.
I have not had them off before would appreciate any tips from those who know how, do I need to lift off the back section (van type) or can you get away with just lifting the back up and propping it up?
I can see the bolts in the back corners which are well rusted,
Any input would be well appreciated bodywork is not my field and I don't want to mess it up.

See if you can get a pair from eBay - get them blasted and galvanised, then etch and paint. I got a pair for £45.00 which were in 4 parts (from a Land Rover 90 not a Defender) and were already galvanised, I welded them together, ground the welds flat and had them re-galvanised with the rest of my stuff. Etched and painted them and fitted to my tub. Bang for your buck it was a good job and lifted the whole vehicles look and ensured no more rotting caps.

Fill nothing, do it properly - if need be find a blacksmith/metal fabricator if you cannot weld who can repair them and get the dipped for you.

tottot · Sep 7, 2018

109 cappings will also fit a 90,you have to cut to size and then if you want weld on the rear corner. However they were never joined on a series and that is the way they went on mine and there has been no problem.
When you fit replacements some rivet holes will line up,those that do not you drill through the original holes in the tub making new ones in the cap. There will be no holes in the tub to fill.

dag019 · Sep 8, 2018

tottot said:
When you fit replacements some rivet holes will line up,those that do not you drill through the original holes in the tub making new ones in the cap. There will be no holes in the tub to fill.

Then I did mine I did it the other way around and drilled through the original holes in the camping to make new ones in the tub.
I also left the corners separate as they are in a series but they were separate on my 110 as well. So must be later defenders where they are joined.

raywin · Sep 8, 2018

I have been looking for possible replacements and saw these : CAPS
I will repair my own if possible but maybe galanized replacements would be a good investment.
Island 4X4 seem to sell the seals

Appreciate any tips with tub tops

raywin

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dag019

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raywin

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discomania

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tottot

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dag019

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raywin

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