Trashed my 90!

Big Mat · Nov 29, 2015

Well today whilst driving home i had an accident in the 90, changed down gears well before a corner and something went back, doing no more than 30 and couldnt keep control of it, straight into a dyke with the front left corner hitting a tree!

Turns out the rear trailing arm had snapped, letting the axle move back, rear prop had separated as the axle moved so far.

Front end of the chassis has crumpled and pushed rad back at least an inch, twist is right beside the suspension mounting. Wing is knackered, bonnet is bent, front pannel, think bulkhead has some damage.

Basically looks like a write off! Needs a new chassis at the very least. I think i'll be breaking it for parts as if i claim on the insurance, it'll cost me far more in increased premiums for the next few years and i don't think its worth the time and money to repair! Shame as it was quite a nice factory 200TDI Defender

payydg · Nov 29, 2015

Sorry to hear that mate, Hope you're ok.

Pricilla · Nov 29, 2015

sorry to hear that...hope you are ok too

Al2O3 · Nov 29, 2015

payydg said:
Sorry to hear that mate, Hope you're ok.

+1

Sounds like quite an impact, doesn't take much speed with that sort of weight.
Had the trailing arm been damaged? That's the first I've heard of one snapping.
Is the chassis ropey anyway? Someone on here might be building on to a new galv chassis and have one you could cut the front of the rail off and get it welded on.

Has the wing visibly pushed the bulkhead in?

blue beasty · Nov 29, 2015

Piccies or it dint happen....

Arm snap or bracket let go?

Glad you're ok

gazman · Nov 29, 2015

Glad your ok. Id be looking for a chassis rail too and rebuild it.
if its a nice motor and you were happy with it why not?

Al2O3 · Nov 29, 2015

blue beasty said:
Piccies or it dint happen....

Arm snap or bracket let go?

Glad you're ok

Good point, I've seen the brackets coming adrift.

+1 on the piccies.....

lynall · Nov 30, 2015

Is it the oe arm or an after market one?
Good news is 200tdi parts are worth silly money, especially engine, inlet/exhaust manifolds, pas pump and mounting bracket.
Even the most insignificant part has a value.

Big Mat · Nov 30, 2015

blue beasty said:
Piccies or it dint happen....

Arm snap or bracket let go?

Glad you're ok

Arm snapped just before where it goes into the bush on the chassis. Didn't take any photos yesterday, too depressing! I just made it driveable and tucked it up in a mates garage for now!

Turboman · Nov 30, 2015

Big Mat said:
Well today whilst driving home i had an accident in the 90, changed down gears well before a corner and something went back, doing no more than 30 and couldnt keep control of it, straight into a dyke with the front left corner hitting a tree!

Turns out the rear trailing arm had snapped, letting the axle move back, rear prop had separated as the axle moved so far.

Front end of the chassis has crumpled and pushed rad back at least an inch, twist is right beside the suspension mounting. Wing is knackered, bonnet is bent, front pannel, think bulkhead has some damage.

Basically looks like a write off! Needs a new chassis at the very least. I think i'll be breaking it for parts as if i claim on the insurance, it'll cost me far more in increased premiums for the next few years and i don't think its worth the time and money to repair! Shame as it was quite a nice factory 200TDI Defender

That is a great shame, Mat!

Give it a day or two, maybe you will feel a bit better when you have got over the shock. It might be rebuildable, sounds like the engine, trans and body are mostly ok. Galv chassis isn't that expensive, and 200Tdi Def are quite a sought after vehicle!

flat · Nov 30, 2015

Rebuild rebuild rebuild!!

Galv chassis

Beneagles · Nov 30, 2015

Rebuild - if you have a couple of grand to spare...and the facilities...and the time...and the inclination and....
Or sell the parts

'Course...maybe someone here will offer reasonable money for the remains and do a rebuild themselves?

Big Mat · Nov 30, 2015

Turboman said:
That is a great shame, Mat!
Give it a day or two, maybe you will feel a bit better when you have got over the shock. It might be rebuildable, sounds like the engine, trans and body are mostly ok. Galv chassis isn't that expensive, and 200Tdi Def are quite a sought after vehicle!

Trouble is Turboman, i've got the money to do it, but its the money i put aside for buying a house! Where the defender is currently stored, it can't stay indefinitely and i've only got a few months before work gets very busy

nobber · Nov 30, 2015

I don't get it, how do you snap a trailing arm? Was it poly bushed? I have a feeling something else happened and the trailing arm was a result and not a cause. Trailing arms don't just snap.

Turboman · Nov 30, 2015

Big Mat said:
Trouble is Turboman, i've got the money to do it, but its the money i put aside for buying a house! Where the defender is currently stored, it can't stay indefinitely and i've only got a few months before work gets very busy

You will have to spend best part of the money for a chassis getting anther motor!
And if you could get someone to help you, probably change it in a week.

nobber said:
I don't get it, how do you snap a trailing arm? Was it poly bushed? I have a feeling something else happened and the trailing arm was a result and not a cause. Trailing arms don't just snap.

The tube where the axle bush goes will have broken off the end of the arm. It happens, seen it a few times. I guess after twenty years the rust sometimes gets into the weld and weakens it.

Roaming Wombat · Nov 30, 2015

That's the 2nd trailing arm I've heard of failing now, the other one happened at 50.

IamRobbie · Nov 30, 2015

Main thing is your alright. Deffo worth a rebuild even if it's off the road a year or two and done bit by bit

nobber · Nov 30, 2015

Big Mat said:
Trouble is Turboman, i've got the money to do it, but its the money i put aside for buying a house! Where the defender is currently stored, it can't stay indefinitely and i've only got a few months before work gets very busy

Buy the house, that's more important.

Big Mat · Nov 30, 2015

Turboman said:
You will have to spend best part of the money for a chassis getting anther motor!
And if you could get someone to help you, probably change it in a week.

The tube where the axle bush goes will have broken off the end of the arm. It happens, seen it a few times. I guess after twenty years the rust sometimes gets into the weld and weakens it.

I'm still contemplating what to do with it, trouble is whilst it was a nice 90, it needs new doors as the aluminium has rotten through at the bottom, as well as lots of other bits that need doing and the money just keeps adding up. In the short time i'm going to have to buy another car as i'm stuffed without one

Turboman · Nov 30, 2015

Big Mat said:
I'm still contemplating what to do with it, trouble is whilst it was a nice 90, it needs new doors as the aluminium has rotten through at the bottom, as well as lots of other bits that need doing and the money just keeps adding up. In the short time i'm going to have to buy another car as i'm stuffed without one

I would give it a few days to consider the angles. Really wouldn't worry too much about the doors, they are always hanging on older models. You can bodge them for years with steel rods an filler inside the frames if you don't want to spend the money.
At least the parts are fairly reasonably priced compared to some of the alternatives.
I would check the old chassis carefully, maybe a new front leg would deal, and that would be a fraction the cost of a re-chassis, and only take a few days.

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