Replacing Chassis crossmembers

[roadrunner]

Just wondering if its legal to cut out and replace the crossmembers or if you need to have it engineered.

Looking at replacing the front and rear ones in the Vit with something a little more solid.

Not going to do the work myself, got a fabrication shop looking at it although they aren't sure about the legality either.

[V8Patrol]

Pending on how you go about this....... but
1/ One way is to cut the std c/member out and then "fix" it and then refit it back in the std place, this way you can "claim" its a "repair" and it isnt nessecary to be engineered ( read between the lines here )

2/ You'll need someone with a "Chassis welders ticket" for a modified or relocated c/member, then ya get an engineers report.

Othere than those 2 options there is the .....
"make ya own c/member and bolt it in" method, unfortunately you cant remove the std c/member for legal reasons.

Kingy

[Nev62]

someone with a "Chassis welders ticket" for a modified or relocated c/member

Is this just a Victorian thing

[J Top]

Just hammer a piece of black pipe through the existing cross members.
I think 1 1/4 is a straight fit.
J Top

[Whitey]

The rear cross member that has my rear upper shockie mounts has cracked, so all I did was cut out the original member, leaving the gussests under neath it, then I got a piece of 40mmx40mm box section (3mm wall) cut it to length, then I bought some 100mm high tensile bolts 16mm diameter to suit shockie eyes, drilled 2 holes in the box section and welded the bolts in place.. and then welded new cross member to chassis. Simple and much stronger then original...

[V8Patrol]

someone with a "Chassis welders ticket" for a modified or relocated c/member

Is this just a Victorian thing

yep ...... The govt body "DLI" (Department of Labor & Industry) who issued trade certificates needed another pretty certificate to issue so they looked good. Quite a few "Specialist Catorgories" now exist with in any given trade, problem is not many ppl actually get the special certificates or even know of their existance !
I only know 2 blokes that have this certificate "Chassis welders certificate"..... me and 1 other mate !!

It was a 2 day course and we knew everything before we started..... but it was a great way to slack off for 2 days and I got another pretty certificate

Kingy

[Damo]

someone with a "Chassis welders ticket" for a modified or relocated c/member

Is this just a Victorian thing

yep ...... The govt body "DLI" (Department of Labor & Industry) who issued trade certificates needed another pretty certificate to issue so they looked good. Quite a few "Specialist Catorgories" now exist with in any given trade, problem is not many ppl actually get the special certificates or even know of their existance !
I only know 2 blokes that have this certificate "Chassis welders certificate"..... me and 1 other mate !!

It was a 2 day course and we knew everything before we started..... but it was a great way to slack off for 2 days and I got another pretty certificate

Kingy

I have been told there is an equivelant (sp?) of this for Qld but have not been able to confirm or deny this yet. If anyone knows please let me know!

[-Scott-]

How about weld a (2 piece?) sleeve to the outside of the existing cross member? If you leave the original in place you could argue that nothing's changed; all you've done is strengthen what's there.

Cheers,

Scott

[Nev62]

The govt body "DLI" (Department of Labor & Industry) who issued trade certificates needed another pretty certificate to issue so they looked good.

Gees, don't let on to the NSW gov, they will just see $$$ signs and another way of extracting even more out of us poor suckers.

[roadrunner]

My idea was to use box to replace not only the crossmember but also the body mount frames that sit outside the chassis as both are pretty flimsy.

This way I can mount the fuel tank to the box section but at a height to suit the BL, I can also use the box to mount the rear bar and recovery points etc.

I suppose it would be good to do it all legal but if its done right and not to obvious then I am inclined to just do it and see if anyone notices.

[Charlie]

The govt body "DLI" (Department of Labor & Industry) who issued trade certificates needed another pretty certificate to issue so they looked good.

Gees, don't let on to the NSW gov, they will just see $$$ signs and another way of extracting even more out of us poor suckers.

This is all to do with the award system, if you have x certificate you get x amount of dollars extra. It’s gone a bit overboard in my opinion, what’s best, twenty years on the job training or a 50 hr TAFE course?I'm not talking trades here just any run of the mill job.
Regards Charlie

[Nev62]

if you have x certificate you get x amount of dollars extra. It’s gone a bit overboard in my opinion, what’s best, twenty years on the job training or a 50 hr TAFE course?

Hmmm like in my field IT. 5-8 years OJT or a 28 day course. I've seen a few wannabes with certification for this that and the other come and go almost as fast.

[J Top]

The last Vit I did ,I chopped of the rear tank mounts and drilled through the rear pipe .bolting the tank straight to the pipe.
Then shortened the front mounts to suit.
This was a 30mm lift.

[Whitey]

After welding on my new cross member I was going to make up new fuel tank mounts but decided to go for some galvanized strapping (50mmx3mm) and bent it up to make a craddle. This way I was able to lift the tank as high as I wanted and also moved it sideways about 30mm to allow more clearance for the exhaust. It was a fair bit easier then measuring and welding on additional mounts.