Welding ?

Jsdefenderman · Mar 9, 2020

Hi all my friend is looking at a defender and seems a fair price . It failed on the MOT and then passed. Plates have been welded on 2 yrs ago

* Near side front vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced

* Near side rear vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced

Is this a big issue to fix ?

Thor 1950 · Mar 9, 2020

yes IMO

owas · Mar 9, 2020

Welding is never a small job

Marmaduke · Mar 9, 2020

Jsdefenderman said:
Hi all my friend is looking at a defender and seems a fair price . It failed on the MOT and then passed. Plates have been welded on 2 yrs ago

* Near side front vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced

* Near side rear vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced

Is this a big issue to fix ?

Seems very vague, cant really tell. If it's been properly done then i wouldn't worry but I'd be surprised if many tratters hadn't been welded at some point once they got to a certain age

Disco1BFG · Mar 9, 2020

Jsdefenderman said:
Is this a big issue to fix ?

We'd need pictures to comment - even more so given the vague nature of the "MOT" comments..

Also, if the front of the vehicle is corroded to the point of said description - what is the rear like

Henry_b · Mar 9, 2020

Disco1BFG said:
We'd need pictures to comment - even more so given the vague nature of the "MOT" comments..

Also, if the front of the vehicle is corroded to the point of said description - what is the rear like

I've seen plates TACK welded over massive holes, you have to be wary of some repairs!! LOL

Especially when it has 1/2 inch of underseal over it!

Disco1BFG · Mar 10, 2020

Henry_b said:
I've seen plates TACK welded over massive holes, you have to be wary of some repairs!! LOL

Especially when it has 1/2 inch of underseal over it!

Indeedy, and very VERY scarily true

....

When we bought SWMBO's D1 - the sills had been "professionally" repaired with four layers of biscuit tin, and so much fecking underseal it caused a world shortage

..... it took longer to cut this sh*t off, and cost more in plasma consumables, than the new sills and bodymounts .... I was not impressed ....

"Undersealing" is a death sentence for any vehicle, and should, IMHO, be a capital offence

Henry_b · Mar 10, 2020

Disco1BFG said:
Indeedy, and very VERY scarily true ....

When we bought SWMBO's D1 - the sills had been "professionally" repaired with four layers of biscuit tin, and so much fecking underseal it caused a world shortage ..... it took longer to cut this sh*t off, and cost more in plasma consumables, than the new sills and bodymounts .... I was not impressed ....

"Undersealing" is a death sentence for any vehicle, and should, IMHO, be a capital offence

My Manual RRC had the floor repaired with an old Duckhams oil can

Apparently it was done in 1997, according to the reciept for welding in the service history!!

Amazing..

Thor 1950 · Mar 10, 2020

Marmaduke said:
Seems very vague, cant really tell. If it's been properly done then i wouldn't worry but I'd be surprised if many tratters hadn't been welded at some point once they got to a certain age

I can weld a soda can together. If its rusted as the impression is given, then there not much left, as in very thin metal. consider a chassis replacement

rob1miles · Mar 10, 2020

I don't like the term "rigidity of the assmebly signficantly reduced". This could mean that its mess of poor repairs. You can't restore "rigidity" without cutting back to good metal and rebuilding the structure. This could mean new front and rear 1/4 chassis so I would say this could be a big job. OK if the price is right, but not likely to be a quick fix.

meego · Mar 10, 2020

I think that is a standard term most MOT stations will use when failing a vehicle. If there is significant corrosion, and testers have different opinions on what is “significant”, near to a structural point they will fail it and use those words to justify a fail. Doesn’t mean it’s not fixable. Some will be easier fixed than others and depends entirely on what tools and skills you have.
Edit...and financial resources !!!

Marmaduke · Mar 10, 2020

Thor 1950 said:
I can weld a soda can together. If its rusted as the impression is given, then there not much left, as in very thin metal. consider a chassis replacement

Put a picture up of the soda cans you've welded together and I'll believe you.....

It says an area of welding near side front and rear so it can't be that bad otherwise it would have stated more than two areas

freelance · Mar 10, 2020

Factor in a chassis change and then work out if it’s a good deal !

Jsdefenderman · Mar 10, 2020

Here’s a few photos of underneath . Any issues to see ?

Marmaduke · Mar 10, 2020

Jsdefenderman said:
Here’s a few photos of underneath . Any issues to see ?

Yeah, that's a bodge job. That 3rd picture has just got chequer plate welded over the top so it's still rotten inside. And the weld looks like bird ****. Certainly not a proper job of it. When I did mine i cut the rot out not plated over the top of it.

Marmaduke · Mar 10, 2020

This is what I've just done to my old series

rob1miles · Mar 10, 2020

The welding in pic 3 is so bad I would be budgeting to cut all the repairs off and start again. The problem is when work is that bad you cannot trust anything you can't see so you have hack it all off and find out where the metal really is. Take that weld under the outrigger, that's the weld with the best access and its terrible, so there's every probability that the top where acess is harder isn't even welded, that's dangerous. I can understand why the MOT guy opted to fail, why gamble on it?

potus · Mar 11, 2020

Run a mile......

gymmaniac · Mar 11, 2020

or buy a new chassis.

Hicap phill · Mar 11, 2020

Full rebuild. I’m amazed the front brake pipes passed.
Bet there is a hole behind that front O/S bumpstop

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