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Check Your Chassis Drain Holes

Disco Richie

Disco Richie

Accelerating Away
Hi All, just a quick one to say check all the drain holes are clear and working in your chassis, as I have just had a mot fail due to the rear 1/4 chassis being rusty at the tow bar mount.

The corrosion has been due to mud caked drain holes holding in water as they are only small.... having poked them clear sandy water has run out !

It is suprising the damage that has been done a little further along from the drain holes, I should have taken a pic really but was too keen to get it fixed for the retest. The Chassis is welded along its botom edge and corrosion occured between the two parts, forcing them apart in a bubble. A quick poke of the MOT corrosion tool made it collapse and cause a 1" X 4" hole, but he damage goes well beyond that in the metal that has corroded.

The other side is fine as the holes were clear and there is no other significant rust anywhere else, so I thought I'd share my experience in case I help others stop the rot in time.

Just come in from plating and painting the chassis, so its fresh in my mind, and my aching back, and my weld splatter burnt arms etc........

All the Best,,,,,,

Richie
 
Same problems with series vehicles with small drain holes on the bulkhead outriggers and rear axle reinforcement. I've used a 25mm holesaw on the outriggers at top and base and waxoyled inside and so far so good. I've lost a pair before due to blocked drain holes which are tiny. Have to be extra careful with double skin construction - get some oil or grease in there first.
 
Well, It's 2013 now and a while since this thread was active but I've just had my 2000 Disco 2 TD5 GS7 fail its MOT for exactly the same reason. I've been advised to scrap the car and sell for parts as the cost of repairs will be more than it's worth. It hurts me to think of scrapping her and facing the problem of finding something to replace her with that will be in any better condition for the budget I'm likely to come up with. What is the practical reality of being able to repair this myself with a welder friend. The rust is quite extensive on one side and looks like it goes right up the back over the tank. Obviously I'll need to get the tank off out the way and the exhaust I guess just so I can see the damage. The front/middle of the chassis looks fine. A replacement chassis rear section would be the answer but I don't think anybody does these? Should I just accept times up or is there a way?
 
apparently richards make galv chassis' for them now. if you are keeping this disco for a while then a new chassis is the best way to go but obviously not cheap.
 
Zollaff its 1800 quid!

Just get your welder friend to patch it up, and get it protected. Should give you a few more years?
 
add another 1500 on for someone to do it, then another 1000 for other bits you didn't know you needed and it soon adds up, but you do end up with a vehicle for life.
 
Clifford, see my post in other thread. I got the rear of my Td5 chassis replaced as it was found to be rotting from inside out. Not due to blocked drainage holes, but dodgy welding of strengthening bars inside the chassis where it goes over the rear axles. Welds allowed water and dirt in between the join, so no matter how much you flushed the dirt out, it was just a matter of time.
Anyway, garage sourced a rear section off of a front smash truck and replaced mine with it. Cost about a grand to do, and I think it was well worth it. Couldn't scrap mine due to this . . . . .
 
We've got a spare chassis.....:D:D

Bought it three years ago and had it shot blasted, Zinc sprayed and powder coated.

It's been outside since we did it, and not a mark on it.

Changing the chassis is a major job, the sort of thing to do when you're taking the ACE system off etc.

My rear chassis is OK at present, but July is the MOPT time, let's see what comes up.

When we do the job, we will fit the spare axles etc onto the chassis so we have a rolling chassis to work with.

Peter
 
CliffordGarrett said:
Well, It's 2013 now and a while since this thread was active but I've just had my 2000 Disco 2 TD5 GS7 fail its MOT for exactly the same reason. I've been advised to scrap the car and sell for parts as the cost of repairs will be more than it's worth. It hurts me to think of scrapping her and facing the problem of finding something to replace her with that will be in any better condition for the budget I'm likely to come up with. What is the practical reality of being able to repair this myself with a welder friend. The rust is quite extensive on one side and looks like it goes right up the back over the tank. Obviously I'll need to get the tank off out the way and the exhaust I guess just so I can see the damage. The front/middle of the chassis looks fine. A replacement chassis rear section would be the answer but I don't think anybody does these? Should I just accept times up or is there a way?
Click to expand...

There is a chap in norfolk who makes replacement rear chassis rails.i have a pair ready to go on.they are 3 and 4mm steel come with body mounts end caps towbar mounts and an exact match to existing rails. they are £300 the pair but i think if he got several orders the price may come down a bit.
 
I looked closely at the rear of the chassis when we bought our replacement disco back in December 2011, it just had some scabs of rust on the inside of the chassis rails right over the rear axle. Nothing more then scabs, I cleaned the rusty scale back with a wire wheel in a 4 1/2" grinder and waxoyled over it all. Our other disco was mint underneath as I waxoyled it from 3 years old, shame it went the way it did but I think I did well to find a good matching replacement.
As for the drain holes, I use these to inject clear waxoyl. I have never seen one with them blocked before to be honest. Has the disco in question been off roaded a lot??
 
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