Advice on chassis repairs please

[mijfife]

Hi all, I'll need to do a bit of welding under the Stag in the next couple of weeks, I've poked a hole next to one of the rear suspension subframe mounts and I'll also need to repair the front chassis leg next to the anti roll bar mount.
Can anyone tell me what thickness the metal used on the Stag is at these points?
Will I need to drop the complete rear suspension to access the subframe mount area or is there an easier way? (Any tips or hints greatly appreciated!)
Where is the best place to support the car while I'm welding at the rear?
Fortunately, the rest of the underside seems sound enough, I expected I would need to weld around the subframe mount as that was where most of the water from the floor pans was leaking out when I pulled it from it's damp garage

On the plus side, I've just spent some of my Christmas money today by joining the SOC

regards, Jim

[peterrc]

Hi Jim, I cannot help with metal thickness but have a look here for advice on removing the subframe.

http://www.stag.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?15357-Remove-rear-Subfram&highlight=differential

Peter, Cupar

[73stagman]

Hi all, I'll need to do a bit of welding under the Stag in the next couple of weeks, I've poked a hole next to one of the rear suspension subframe mounts and I'll also need to repair the front chassis leg next to the anti roll bar mount.
Can anyone tell me what thickness the metal used on the Stag is at these points?
Will I need to drop the complete rear suspension to access the subframe mount area or is there an easier way? (Any tips or hints greatly appreciated!)
Where is the best place to support the car while I'm welding at the rear?
Fortunately, the rest of the underside seems sound enough, I expected I would need to weld around the subframe mount as that was where most of the water from the floor pans was leaking out when I pulled it from it's damp garage

On the plus side, I've just spent some of my Christmas money today by joining the SOC

regards, Jim

Hi Jim and welcome to this massive source of information!
It is hard to advise on chassis repairs because it depends on how close the holes are to the suspension mounts and how extensive the rot is.

There are some MOT regulations to be aware of when welding close to these structural mounts as well. There is a distance from the mount that has to be rust free and all repairs must be "fully" welded not spot welded or "stitched". That being the case you need to make sure you can get your welding torch all around the patch sufficiently well enough to make a good full weld.

I got lucky with my car and didnt have any rot in places that was particularly difficult to get at but I did have to do some repairs to the inner sill around one of the rear subframe mounts. Becasue I had the outer sill off already it was a no brainer fix. I used 1.5mm thick steel wherever I thought it would become structural and 1.2 every where else. The slightly thicker steel makes it easier to weld without blowing through. I think most repairers use 1mm and 1.2mm depending on wether it is structural or not.
You can buy the steel on ebay easily enough and the guy I used was very fast and reasonably priced. His shop name is "metal mania" if it is of any help to you.

Some pics of the repair i had to do

[IMG][/IMG]

Hope this helps and I (and we) look forward to seeing some pictures of before and after!

[mijfife]

Thanks for the link to that thread Peter, exactly the info I was looking for regarding removal & supporting issues. Did you get your pallet shims sorted out yet? Depending on what ones you need, I've a fair collection of Imp ones here.
Neil, thanks for the info on metal thickness, I'll try my local supplier first for 1.5mm and if I can't get it there, I'll give Metalmania a try. I'm a great believer in doing things once & doing them right when it comes to rust so I'll be cutting out all rot and seam welding to sound metal. Your picture of the inner sill is well timed too, I was planning to drill a hole in the ends to have a look along with my inspection camera but I'll check if the 4 holes shown on yours are accessable from the inside behind the carpet first.
I'm off out to spend the day in the garage rebuilding the brake master cylinder, refitting my rebuilt calipers and fitting new seals to the clutch cylinders too, I'll get the penetrating oil on ther subframe bolts while I'm at it

Regards, Jim

[peterrc]

Thanks for the link to that thread Peter, exactly the info I was looking for regarding removal & supporting issues. Did you get your pallet shims sorted out yet? Depending on what ones you need, I've a fair collection of Imp ones here.

Hi Jim, Thanks for the offer of shims. I have done all the measurements and three tappets need adjusting, all on the same head. I have not yet done the arithmetic but hope to do that in the near future.
Regarding your hood I am sure that the guy in Bridge of Alan could find you a second hand one at a good price. If you need a phone number let me know.
A 'Guid New Year' to you, yours and the rest of the forum.
Peter, Cupar

[mijfife]

Hi Peter, who is the guy in Bridge of Allan, I've noticed someone on ebay selling lots of Stag bits in the Stirling area, is that him?

regards, Jim

[peterrc]

Hi Peter, who is the guy in Bridge of Allan, I've noticed someone on ebay selling lots of Stag bits in the Stirling area, is that him?

regards, Jim

Hi Jim, thatd him his e-bay name is ben900dog. I did have his phone number but cannot find it. He has loads of stuff and will look out for things that you require. I suggest that you contact him via e-bay, he has some stuff on there at the moment.
Did you know that you have a MK2 air filter?
Peter, Cupar

[jakesmig]

if it wasn't for the fellow from Barrow in Furness this would be an all Scots topic.

Peter, how did you knoe Jim has a Mk2 air Filter?

John.

[peterrc]

if it wasn't for the fellow from Barrow in Furness this would be an all Scots topic.

Peter, how did you knoe Jim has a Mk2 air Filter?

John.

He showed some photo's of the car in his introduction. http://www.stag.org.uk/forum/showthr...603#post165603

[jakesmig]

AAhhhh! you were using your little grey cells M'sieu..

[mijfife]

Thanks for that Peter, I'm tempted to try and stretch to a new hood if possible but I might give him a shout & see if he has anything. I take it he breaks Stags then?
I thought it was only the early MK1's that had the different air filter? Did triumph do a MK1.5 if you know what I mean or has it probably just been changed at some point? I've started a post on my restoration progress with some of the pictures from my introduction post added. I've managed to do this with the forum uploader so no annoying pop up ads now It looks like I'll have a few welding burns to show off by the time of the February area meet!!

Regards, Jim

[nib]

Thanks for that Peter, I'm tempted to try and stretch to a new hood if possible but I might give him a shout & see if he has anything. I take it he breaks Stags then?
I thought it was only the early MK1's that had the different air filter? Did triumph do a MK1.5 if you know what I mean or has it probably just been changed at some point? I've started a post on my restoration progress with some of the pictures from my introduction post added. I've managed to do this with the forum uploader so no annoying pop up ads now It looks like I'll have a few welding burns to show off by the time of the February area meet!!

Regards, Jim

Hi Jim
Your quite right about the air filter,the early type air filter with a 13lb pressure cap on the rad changed over to mine and your type with a 20lb cap on the expansion tank about Nov/Dec 71 we established in another thread.Some people refer to the Mk1.5 I guess on late 72 early 73 cars but not too sure,be interested to know if the commision numbers begin with a 1 or a 2 on people with a Mk1.5 stag.
Mark

[73stagman]

From Barrow again..... Sorry I like these threads
My car seems to be of the Mk1.5. era. first reg 1 Dec 1973. It had just the narrow chrome strip to the upper edge of the sill panels and MK1 wheels and trims. The rest had all been changed during its short stay on the road. The rear panel had been painted black and one door had mk1 control levers and the other didnt have any as they ha been robbed for another project. I now have a full set of MK1 control levers for it so hope they all fit when I get roun to doing that bit! I'll have to check out the LD number when I get home but I think it starts with a 2

[Danny]

Hi Jim
Your quite right about the air filter,the early type air filter with a 13lb pressure cap on the rad changed over to mine and your type with a 20lb cap on the expansion tank about Nov/Dec 71 we established in another thread.Some people refer to the Mk1.5 I guess on late 72 early 73 cars but not too sure,be interested to know if the commision numbers begin with a 1 or a 2 on people with a Mk1.5 stag.
Mark

Hi,

My car is a Mk1.5 first reg march 1972, it has a commission/chassis No starting with 1

Danny

[peterrc]

AAhhhh! you were using your little grey cells M'sieu..

More Grey hair than Grey cells Mon ami.