Bent Chassis

My chassis seems to have had a front impact that has bent the chassis as noted in attached photos. What would be the best way to fix this as am concerned that it will cause alignment problems.

I reckon that's beyond repair - new chassis needed.

The only propper way of fixing that would be to clamp it to a car-oliner alignment tool and then pull it back into shape with a body puller. Even then it still wouldn't be 100%. I'd try finding a new chassis or half chassis if I were you.

Blimmy, thats quite a whack.

If it were me, then I would make a jig either using datums from a mates landy or the other side of the chassis ( if its still straight). Then bolt to known datums on the bent side and tack weld to the part of the chassis that you know is in the righ place. Chop out the damage and either fabricate replacement sections or use a cut out section from a good chassis. I know that the latter sounds a bit stupid but in my experience, this part of the chassis rarely rusts, so you can usually cut a bit out of a scapper.

It depends if you can be arsed though of corse, galve chassis are now quite cheap.

cheers

That's bollox'd, time for a new chassis

grind off any protruding steel and plate over it

mickdj said:

grind off any protruding steel and plate over it

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if you do what mick says,have it straightened on a car o liner or other straightening jig.

it will never probly be the same, thats a whack, and by the time you have had a it straightened it might end up cheaper altho you say your in egypt so probly not. id be looking for a half or new chassis personally, you will never be able to see by eye where the shock will of crumpled the rest of the chassis. or damaged or weakened

Crikey that is quite drastic. Yeah I guess get it pulled straight and then replce any weakened metal in that area - but as suggested above I wouldn't trust it, who knows what untold damage it has done.

cut weld cut weld cut weld cut weld cut weld cut weld cut weld cut weld slip some tight fitting 3mm wall box over the area and cut weld cut weld, if its made of metal its repairable !

It looks as if the chassis has bent up, if the chassis is straight front to back, thats not a difficult repair just requires the right tools (axle stands, welder, level, tape measure, cutting equipment, clamps, etc,etc) and a workshop.

A land Rover chassis has quite large build tolerances, there is a design plan posted here for a Sers 11a somewhere which should have all the main measuements on it (there not many differences between a 11a and 3 under the the skin).

I would buy a "FRONT CHASSIS CROSSMEMBER WITH DUMB IRONS"
from here:

MPS 4x4 Store Catalogue

You may have to straighten and dress the main chassis rails before welding, if you aren't able to cut out the damaged section totally.

hth

zzr

This might help,

My concern would be whether the damage is confined to the engine bay. Do the doors still close properly? If they do then that's got to be a good sign. Use a set square to confirm that all the crossmembers are still perpendicular to the main rails. Use some ingenuity, blocks of wood, bits of metal etc to check that there is no chassis twisting behind the engine bay by making sure that the underside of the rear cross member and engine cross member are parallel. The chassis looks in otherwise good condition rust wise, but check it all properly: this might be the time to change the chassis. If the chassis looks worth repairing then I'd remove the engine to gain better access for the choping and welding. I'd chop the buckled section out completely and see if the chassis leg springs back into the correct position or can be forced back. If not then the front cross member is probably twisted. It might be possible to solve that problem by cutting and rewelding the joint between the cross member and chassis rail. Obviously box in the removed buckled metal. Good luck with it!

fenby1976 said:

Do the doors still close properly? If they do then that's got to be a good sign.

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I've yet to see a Series Land Rover with doors that close properly.....:hysterically_laughi

zzr1200 said:

I've yet to see a Series Land Rover with doors that close properly.....:hysterically_laughi

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fair point!

I'm currently having a similar problem, but not from an accident. Have had my landy 4 years or so, but the rear end seams to sag on the right hand side. If you look at the car from the back , the rear cross member is not straight. I broke a leaf spring on that side, when i first got the car. Have since replaced the springs with new ones on both sides and it is still lopsided. Was heavily loaded when i broke the previous spring, driving off a rock ledge on a trail. Is it even possible to bend the chassis in such a case, it just snapped one of the leafs, still drove home 1000km after that. Would like to get this sorted out, but dont know where to start

90truckcab said:

cut weld cut weld cut weld cut weld cut weld cut weld cut weld cut weld slip some tight fitting 3mm wall box over the area and cut weld cut weld, if its made of metal its repairable !

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I'm inclined to go along with this [i'm thinking in Egypt ....'new chassis?...caroliner???']cut out all top/side damage....then cut a strip from top section flatten it out & offer it back to top where it came from[it will be longer] then jack up near bulkhead & gradually let front of chassis drop until gap & strip are=....then plate it up....not too difficult & accurate enough

Hey Mick,

I caught on to your logic. Can you elaborate in more detail. So I cut out the stretched top and side section but not the bottom? Then stretch back these points. The thing I don't understand is if it stretches back longer won't it be incorrectly aligned when I weld back on?

just feckin weld it up.Cut the bent stuff out and leave the bottom plate so not to cut the chassis through.Bend it straight with a jack and wood then plate it and weld it.
I would not do this unless id no resort i would claim for a new one.