Rust on bulkhead

kmanderson62 said:

Ah right great, seems like way too much of a challenge for me to undertake stripping it down to bits like that, especially without experience and a lot of rusty screws and stuff I would probably need to re thread, and the screw holes, hopefully the damage isnt too great and i can sort it all now, then fill it with waxoyl

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You may be better off trading it in for a bicycle.

I have a simular issue having recently purchased a defender, although my bulk head looks slightly better

As others have said get a welder and have a go yourself, that's what I will be doing

All the best with it and don't forget pics of the repair job

May be easier for you to replace the whole bulkhead for a better one?

jackmac said:

Urgh. No.

According to Mr. MOT man, bulkhead is very much structural. Don't start doing **** repairs like filling rust holes with body filler, you will just end up with some piece of crap deathtrap land rover.

You should drill the rivets out of those repair panels and see what is behind them, put some photos up here if you like. Then hopefully you can do a proper repair, get the rust cut out and new metal welded in.
If you weld over those panels it's going to look crap because of how far out your repair panels will be from the existing bulkhead, and you're still going to have a rotten bulkhead.

I'm afraid part and parcel of owning and old land rover is that it's going to need welding doing. You'll sort the bulkhead, and then find you need a patch on the chassis somewhere as well. For your sake I hope the previous owner hasn't been 'repairing' the chassis by riveting metal over holes in it

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i don't think that's quite right.

afaik vehicles with ladder chassis aren't allowed rust within 30cm of certain points. brake/clutch mounts for the drivers footwell.

the bulkhead isn't actually structural, so as long as it's more than 30cm you can rivet, bond, whatever.

anyone know for certain?

also where about outside of edin is the op ?

trax said:

i don't think that's quite right.

afaik vehicles with ladder chassis aren't allowed rust within 30cm of certain points. brake/clutch mounts for the drivers footwell.

the bulkhead isn't actually structural, so as long as it's more than 30cm you can rivet, bond, whatever.

anyone know for certain?

also where about outside of edin is the op ?

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Well I passed my MOT with no advisory's with what appears to be riveted repair panels on both bulkhead corners

I'm in Livingston mate

ah, the wrong side of edin

Haha Why?

The metal on the bulkhead is too thin to arc weld - the arc welder will blow holes in it everywhere, and create more pain. Arc is harder to master too.

Arc welders are great for chassis repairs, but not these thinner body sections - you would be wasting your money.

Mig is the way to go - once described as a "metal glue gun" by a friend.
And can cope with both bulkhead and chassis repairs. Easier to learn too.

I bought a second hand mig for £40, got a pub gas cylinder, and got cracking
Choose carefully, there are usually lots for sale. Smaller gas bottles are available, but are expensive.
That was 20 years ago, and I wore out that kit, and I'm now on a monster professional setup that can take wire over 1.2mm, and I can also do stainless ( using Argon) but I've been at it for 20 years, and am a bit nuts - Landrovers do that to you.

Looking on eBay, there are loads around the £100 mark, with little use.
The Clarke ones are ok - i've had good results with them, and they are perfectly adequate ( and easier to carry!) and you can still get spares for them.
I'd avoid the gas less ones - bit messy - stick with normal mig with gas - much cleaner and easier

Chat with your mates about it, they will probably give you a hand in finding one, and some lessons in using it.

There are some good books about welding too

Do lots of trial runs - any engineering workshop usually has a pile of scrap in a scrap bit, and will let you take some as test pieces.

Keep practicing until you can lay a nice steady bead of weld.

It's worth having a good look at your defender - check it ALL out, chassis, outriggers, floor, etc - get to know the full condition of the car before you start.

If the chassis needs repair, then think more about getting a mig - it would save you loads of cash in the long run, as garages charge a small fortune to weld.

I got caught last year, rangie was stuck in the mot garage needing welding, I was busy at work, so had to pay £300 to get it all sorted, gutted - especially as I am scrapping it off in the next month...
Doh!

When you've sorted the welding, don't fill it with 'Waxoyl', it's crap. Use this instead:

Cavity Wax | Order Dynax S50 For High Protection Rust Proofing

If you're in any doubt, ask Bilt Hamber about the University of Hertfordshire study that was undertaken last year into rust protecting waxes. It's a real eye opener.

And read the reviews on the link, above, too. One is particularly relevant.

I agree ( to a point. ) you should chat with the nice bloke at "before & after"...

Waxoyl isn't ideal - it is often too thick, and doesn't flow.
It is best thinned out with white spirit and applied warm.
Also, ANY rust preventative is only as good as the preparation you give it.
Simply spraying around some waxoyl, supertrol or this dynax stuff won't guarantee no rust. Surfaces have to be dry and clean, otherwise you can end up sealing in moisture.

I use ACF-50, as it has amazing penetrative qualities that gets right into seams etc and forces out water. They use it to prevent corrosion in aircraft wings etc. does wash off easily - but it's ideal inside things like the bulkhead, followed up by waxoyl / supertrol or something like this dynax stuff. I literally bathe my bikes in ACF...

I haven't come across this new stuff, t is reasonably priced, and has good reviews - I'll get some!

trax said:

i don't think that's quite right.

afaik vehicles with ladder chassis aren't allowed rust within 30cm of certain points. brake/clutch mounts for the drivers footwell.

the bulkhead isn't actually structural, so as long as it's more than 30cm you can rivet, bond, whatever.

anyone know for certain?

also where about outside of edin is the op ?

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Definitely within 30cm of the steering column mounts, windscreen frame, door hinge mounts, brake servo etc?

I can't say for sure as I am most definitely not an MOT tester, but common opinion does seem to be that it's a structural area.

jackmac said:

Definitely within 30cm of the steering column mounts, windscreen frame, door hinge mounts, brake servo etc?

I can't say for sure as I am most definitely not an MOT tester, but common opinion does seem to be that it's a structural area.

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I'd vote for this area being structural too. Regardless though, just because your landy has an mot certificate, doesn't mean its safe or assessed by a competent tester.

I picked up this MGB last year, it was a similar 'fresh MOT, no advisories' case haha. After I'd stripped the paint (and inches of filler in places) back I soon realised out the true condition! I've never done more metalwork!!

MGB GT Rebuild Timelapse - YouTube

Cheers,
Ollie

Yup, I had the same on one of my transits.
The front chassis leg was absolutely rotten, and had started to twist.
Lots of poor plating and filler. Silly really, cos the full repair didn't take too long.
New chassis leg was cheap and simple to fit.