Rear jacking point repair.

[colinthefox]

I was doing a pre-MOT inspection and I found this lurking in the NSR jacking point.



The rest of the chassis leg and JP is absolutely fine with no rust at all.



So clearly there was going to be some work required, and I opted to do it from the top. Now I'll admit that chassis welding is not my strong suit, and this was going to involve some cutting away to get to, as it can't sensibly be done from underneath, and anyway my overhead welding normallly just produces chicken 5h1t.

Then I found the batteries in my auto helmet were flat and non-replaceable, so I grafted on the battery pack from my bike headlight.



I cut away a perfectly rust free panel to get inside, and was mighty surprised at what I found.



Now the van has been in the garage all winter, and last got wet before Christmas, so I can't figure out how the void filled up with clean water, how it didn't leak out, or why there was absolutely no rust inside. Even the bottom of the C post has it's original paint.



So I cut a hole through another rust free panel to get to the inside of the jacking point. Very annoying.



Cutting the rot out of the jacking point was a case of chipping away every bit of rust, grinding with rotary files of various shapes, and then using a chisel and hacksaw blade to make a roughly rectangular hole.



The edges of the hole are not full thickness metal, so a 3mm patch was welded into the hole..........



................and then beads of weld were added to make the whole lot up to full thickness, and join to the strong factory welds around the edges of the JP.



A coat of paint inside, then the outer hole was patched with a piece of 2mm.



More paint, now it's ready for a new section of panel.



The next question is what to do about fitting the new lower rear wing section when I get it. I'm reluctant to disturb the seams, both front and rear are rust free. I'm tempted to cut a Schofields short repair panel and joggle the edges to fit the hole, then just patch it into the hole. Whatever I do I'm going to have a join at the top edge, so a smear of filler will be required anyway. I can puddle the bottom edge no problem. This way I can waxoil the patch from the access in the wheel arch. Any thoughts anyone?

[Plasticman]

well as youve cut the lower outer skin away on the left more than you had to you can either fabricate a part as i have done on ians or get a schofie part to cut down.
i have modified a joddler to fit between the skin and c post but failing that i would joddle the van on the upper and rearmost edges and do the repair part on the front edge, this way you can slide front under original and top and rear will sit in the reccess youve made, puddle through on bottom seam, oh and you only need tacks on the joddled stuff.(if you had cut less away then a simple fold and it would be done)
otherwise you done a good repair there, that said the inner sill over the jp/mount is incidental really, as its welded all round its periphery and the bit of sill thats missing is surplus to your needs, though the hole in the bracket underneath does need repairing as you have done.

mm

[colinthefox]

Thanks for your time and thoughts mm. I did study your work on Ians van, but didn't quite get the bottom of the C post into my head when I cut the hole.

well as youve cut the lower outer skin away on the left more than you had to

That's the benefit of experience I suppose!

you can either fabricate a part as i have done on ians or get a schofie part to cut down.

I have done that kind of fabrication before, but it would take me more than 30quids worth of time. I'll think about that one. If I just fabricate a patch it would be quicker.

i would joddle the van on the upper and rearmost edges and do the repair part on the front edge.

Seems like a good plan. I like it.

that said the inner sill over the jp/mount is incidental really,

Agreed. I wasn't trying to replace the missing inner sill, just make sure the JP bracket was full thickness everywhere (plus a bit).

Thanks again.

[colinthefox]

In the end I just welded the two pieces I took out back into the hole, after adding a new bit at the bottom edge. After all, it was exactly the right shape and size, and in the bin


A bit of filler....................


Masked off..................


Primed and raked out and tigersealed the seam

and top coated with L90D...............


You can see why I'm not that fussy about trying to get the body looking pristine. Just about every panel on this van has a minor bump or stretch on it. At least this one looks a bit better than it did.

[Plasticman]

nicely sorted

mm

[Ian Hulley]

Good effort !

Ian

[colinthefox]

Good effort !

Ian

And cheap!

[waltraud]

Good job, doing the same just now. It's satisfying to get the JP and inner areas strong.

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[colinthefox]

It's satisfying to get the JP and inner areas strong.

That reminds me, I must do the offside soon. It has a temporary "MOT" patch on the outside but I know from looking inside with a borosope that it needs doing.

[waltraud]

I know, that's the good thing about doing one side, it makes you realise the other is probs just as bad or worse. I'm trying to decide whether to fo what you've done or whole quarter.

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