New Galvanised Bulkhead

The Bulkhead on my Defender was in a terrible mess with corrosion so I decided to replace it with a galvanised and painted one from Ashtree. I placed the order at end of March and asked for it to be ready 10th June. Well I finally got it yesterday only a wee bit late and I only had to collect it myself (465miles 7hrs there and back) as was getting fed up being fobbed off and need the bulkhead now!
When I picked it up it was all wrapped up so never really saw it got it home last night and when I unwrapped it it was as they said it would be stunning........... Stunningly awful the paint job has an orange peel affect welds are visable (I'm aware Galv shows them up more) these could have been cleaned better before galvanising and filled before painting. I know they warp but areas around gearbox tunnel heaterbox hole should have been straightened before painting,holes in wrong place,no seam sealer etc I will post pictures later on. ****ed off spend £1600 to improve me landy now I've got a bulkhead that looks like the first year apprentice made I'd send it back but I need my Landy back on the road

That's crap.. would you not of preferred to do it yourself? I brought a good used bulkhead for £400... blasting cost me £80 and I think it was about £100 to send for galvanising.
I have heard some horror stories about them before

Bloody hell! Their delivery policy winds me up, no end! I suspected that you wouldn't get it. What a nightmare having to go and get it. What on earth day they say when you turned up?
The condition sounds a lot worse than mine. I didn't get mine painted. I had to skim some filler, on the front of the bulkhead at the corners, to get it smooth and flat. Holes were in the wrong places, like yours, cos I got a 200 rather than 300. I found mine is taking in water through the drivers footwell seam I never thought about them leaking, suppose I thought they would be solid. I doubt I would have been able to see the gap anyway, but it must be pulling a reasonable amount of water through via capillary action.
I would give serious consideration to sending it back and at their expense, getting a refund and buying one from somewhere else. The faults and errors have time consuming knock on effects later. It's a tough call, I know.

What a crap situation to be in. And yet, their website proclaims, and I quote:-

"Your Landrover matters to us because it matters to you"

It would appear their spelling is about as good as their customer service.

Tough call being that far away.

d8moa said:

That's crap.. would you not of preferred to do it yourself? I brought a good used bulkhead for £400... blasting cost me £80 and I think it was about £100 to send for galvanising.
I have heard some horror stories about them before

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I would have but time is a factor work away from home 2-3months at a time only get a 3day weekend once a month and when I'm home need spend time with my daughters. Still got the old bulkhead so will probably have a go at it in December usually at home then.

Disco1BFG said:

What a crap situation to be in. And yet, their website proclaims, and I quote:-

"Your Landrover matters to us because it matters to you"

It would appear their spelling is about as good as their customer service.

Tough call being that far away.

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I'm just going to live with it for now need my landy as I'm on holiday and company van went back from Southampton and need wheels as I'm supposed to be going camping beginning July.

My 110 is in the process of a bulkhead swap.

I spoke with ashtree, and was tempted, but id heard mixed reports.

In the end, ive purchased another used unit (£200), had it blasted (£75), some bits from yrm (£25 at the moment, but might go to £75 total)

Ill weld it myself, then get it hot dipped (£150 ex vat)
Ive had a quote for £160 for a 2k paint job, with all the works required (ie fresh from galvanisers) - im not sure if this is good or not yet.

But, in total, it will set me back not much less than £700.

It will be a load more bother than just going to ashtree, but cheaper, and at least i have some control over it.

I Told them where to stick it after waiting months for them to deliver my bulkhead
totally f****** useless
would never recommend them to anyone,
get them to pick it up and refund you
if you get no joy post on their facebook page they respond within minuets

Al2O3 said:

Bloody hell! Their delivery policy winds me up, no end! I suspected that you wouldn't get it. What a nightmare having to go and get it. What on earth day they say when you turned up?
The condition sounds a lot worse than mine. I didn't get mine painted. I had to skim some filler, on the front of the bulkhead at the corners, to get it smooth and flat. Holes were in the wrong places, like yours, cos I got a 200 rather than 300. I found mine is taking in water through the drivers footwell seam I never thought about them leaking, suppose I thought they would be solid. I doubt I would have been able to see the gap anyway, but it must be pulling a reasonable amount of water through via capillary action.
I would give serious consideration to sending it back and at their expense, getting a refund and buying one from somewhere else. The faults and errors have time consuming knock on effects later. It's a tough call, I know.

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TBH think they where trying to hold off until next weekend and deliver it whilst at Scottish Land Rover show! Jill mentioned that they where going to show yesterday. I'm lining my foot wells with Silentcoat sound deadening hoping that will keep the water from getting in. I was tempted but I need my Landy back I've got no transport as works van is back at the works as I'm on my summer hols and supposed to be going up North Scotland camping 4th July. I wish I had unwrapped it in front of them fully when I picked it up I wouldn't have accepted it then but was tired and in to much hurry to get back on the road.

I considered using Ashtree when I wanted a galv bulkhead but saw some examples of their refurbished ones and was not very impressed so had my own dipped instead.

As it happens my bulkhead was in as-new condition being only a few years old and having been filled with Waxoyl since new. Prepping, galvanising & transport to East Anglian Galvanising in Sawtry was £140 inc VAT, this also included a significant number of other items that I was having dipped at the same time (battery-box, side-bars, sills, bumper, spring-seats, various brackets etc).

No warping as I fitted a 50mmx50mm box section across the bottom mounts, there was slight rippling on some of the flat panels but none of this shows when built-up & fitted to the vehicle. Didn't have it painted as I like the galv finish (matches the capping, bumper, carrier, light-guards etc) but I did fill it full of Waxoyl again before fitting just because I love the stuff and I could!

Here is pics of the Bulkhead. Door Pillar dented! Paint chipped off when I was straightening sharp dent in corner where heater assembly goes. Got a pic off dent on phone I'll post later. The warping here should have been sorted before they painted it. Actually took me and my Auld man 2hrs just to fit Floors and Transmission tunnel holes in footwells where that far out need tons fettling,pulling and few new holes drilling! The square hole on right is nowhere near where it should be. also there is a lot more holes in footwell than what was on the old one hopefully once sheeted with Silent coat they wont let water in.

TorsionBhudda said:

TBH think they where trying to hold off until next weekend and deliver it whilst at Scottish Land Rover show! Jill mentioned that they where going to show yesterday. I'm lining my foot wells with Silentcoat sound deadening hoping that will keep the water from getting in. I was tempted but I need my Landy back I've got no transport as works van is back at the works as I'm on my summer hols and supposed to be going up North Scotland camping 4th July. I wish I had unwrapped it in front of them fully when I picked it up I wouldn't have accepted it then but was tired and in to much hurry to get back on the road.

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Time is often a problem!
What's Silentcoat? I'll have to google it.

Litch said:

I considered using Ashtree when I wanted a galv bulkhead but saw some examples of their refurbished ones and was not very impressed so had my own dipped instead.

As it happens my bulkhead was in as-new condition being only a few years old and having been filled with Waxoyl since new. Prepping, galvanising & transport to East Anglian Galvanising in Sawtry was £140 inc VAT, this also included a significant number of other items that I was having dipped at the same time (battery-box, side-bars, sills, bumper, spring-seats, various brackets etc).

No warping as I fitted a 50mmx50mm box section across the bottom mounts, there was slight rippling on some of the flat panels but none of this shows when built-up & fitted to the vehicle. Didn't have it painted as I like the galv finish (matches the capping, bumper, carrier, light-guards etc) but I did fill it full of Waxoyl again before fitting just because I love the stuff and I could!

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Got a picture of it finished? I'd like to see what it looks like with the galv bits showing.

Litch said:

I considered using Ashtree when I wanted a galv bulkhead but saw some examples of their refurbished ones and was not very impressed so had my own dipped instead.

As it happens my bulkhead was in as-new condition being only a few years old and having been filled with Waxoyl since new. Prepping, galvanising & transport to East Anglian Galvanising in Sawtry was £140 inc VAT, this also included a significant number of other items that I was having dipped at the same time (battery-box, side-bars, sills, bumper, spring-seats, various brackets etc).

No warping as I fitted a 50mmx50mm box section across the bottom mounts, there was slight rippling on some of the flat panels but none of this shows when built-up & fitted to the vehicle. Didn't have it painted as I like the galv finish (matches the capping, bumper, carrier, light-guards etc) but I did fill it full of Waxoyl again before fitting just because I love the stuff and I could!

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That looks mint mate............ Not jealous at all

Somebody really ought to point out this website to them and highlight the fact that they're getting so much bad publicity. And if people on here are saying these things then they will be on lesser landy sites too. It doesn't look good and if i were in the market for a bulkhead I wouldn't trust these guys.

Yep, there are some ugly bits to that bulkhead.
It's much worse than mine and I thought mine was bad enough!

Al2O3 said:

Time is often a problem!
What's Silentcoat? I'll have to google it.

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Its a bitumen type sheet with a foil top layer it helps cut down noise. I've used it on seatbox and going use it on footwells and round transmission tunnel.
This is the stuff http://www.silentcoat.co.uk/collections/silent-coat
Amazon does it as well.

Discokids said:

Somebody really ought to point out this website to them and highlight the fact that they're getting so much bad publicity. And if people on here are saying these things then they will be on lesser landy sites too. It doesn't look good and if i were in the market for a bulkhead I wouldn't trust these guys.

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You're dead right. But, surely they know how bad the stuff is that they are turning out!

Fookin hell! That looks absolutely ****e! I mean absolutely awful, some of those welds look like they haven't even been introduced to a flappy-wheel. Where the top hinges go - how the hell are you expected to seal the hinges to that? And that weld across the very top of the drivers bulkhead - I would like to stick a torch one side and look through light coming through it.

I am by no means a fabricator/welder and am merely still practising. Looking at this just increased my confidence 5-fold.

I feel for you, after spending all that cash, but no matter what, there will always come a day when you will look back and laugh about it.

Al2O3 said:

You're dead right. But, surely they know how bad the stuff is that they are turning out!

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I honestly could not charge money for that. I really couldn't.

Al2O3 said:

Yep, there are some ugly bits to that bulkhead.
It's much worse than mine and I thought mine was bad enough!

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Cheer me up why don't you lol
More things I fit more gets hidden and better it looks I'm going to get Landy painted next year hopefully what can be seen can be filled by painters.