Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I am sniffing around at a 110 at the moment which has substantial rust in the doorframes. Both front doors look recoverable and still structurally sound, but the driver side rear is a bloody mess along the bottom and the angled section which meets the wheel arches. I have not had a chance to pop the door skins off at this stage or look closely at the hinge side of the doors, but I'd be interested to know who has had a go at rebuilding door frames before since there is NO chance of finding replacement frames.

How hard is it to remove the door skin to allow welding or brazing of the frames? Does it end up looking at all decent if the same door skin is reapplied?

The doors are but one of many little foibles with this prospective truck. The other is significant lash in the driveline, which the vendor has promised (but hey, he is selling it) is just the rear diff. If the doors are not a big issue, then I could probably live with repairing them, if not, then the price has to come down to account for it, especially considering there is definitely work waiting to happen with the driveline.

MacMan wrote:since there is NO chance of finding replacement frames.

Why cant you find replacement frames or doors?

Who have you tried?

There are quite a few people around Vic that should be able to help source these or even import at reasonable $$$.

Dave.

the door skins are easy to remove by bending the folded lip until the frame will clear,using a screwdriver and drilling the rivets out.for reassembly just hammer the lip over the frame,i've done several doors and they come up great after galvanizing the frames.the backlash in the drivetrain on 110s usually comes from worn splines on the drive flanges and axle halfshafts.maxidrive do replacement axles and drive flanges for around $750 to do the rear,which will never give you problems again.

Good to know about doorskins. I have to take my Girlie along to see if she can drive the thing before going any further with investigating the truck - holidays won't be much fun if she hates the thing! But if she is happy in it, then I will see if I can take the lining out of the worst of the doors for a sticky beak. If it is really bad, the price will have to come down.

Likewise for the backlash. I have been told by a number of people who know Landies that the lash could well be a combination of a diff that needs shimming and worn half shaft splines. I guess I should expect the worst and hope for the best, with any left over funds going towards the tyres it needs, and the alarm I need so it stays where I park it (unlike numerous cars and motorcycles I have known).

There is also some rust on the strips on either side of the seatbox. Are they just a bit of flashing or part of the fastening system for the seatbox? A bit of the steel sandwiched between the sills and the floorpan also shows some signs of cancer, but I have been reading up a bit about that fix - a good excuse to put some steel sill bars on anyhow.

I hope she likes driving it!

BTW, I had a thought... would it be relatively easy to isolate the source of the backlash without taking the half shafts out? I thought that I might be able to check by inserting a dowel in the diff oil filler hole to limit the movement of the crownwheel on the pinion. With that freeplay removed from the equation, that would mean the rest is either wear in the spider gears (presumably present to some degree) or worn splines.

Any ideas?

Have just replaced the A arm balljoint on mine (2000 TD5 done 140,000kms). Was knocking, hence the replacement. This also removed a fair amount of back lash in the drive train

Hey Sausage

Replaced as in replaced yourself or had it done? I have been reading some stuff online about how much fun people have had doing it and just how stuck they can get...

Any other experiences from people welcome!

Cheers...

Ummm, I should of done it myself, but I work with LR's so got the boys in the workshop to do it
Ball joint splitter to seperate from the axle housing bracket, use a press to remove balljoint from A arm bracket. Re assemble. Can see how it would be a PITA without a press.

the bloke who previously owmed my county re-made all 5 door frame bottom halfs with stainless sheet. he must have been a sheet metal worker, as the job is A1.

As for the back lash check the bottom trailing arm joints by laying under the car and grtting someone to rock the back wheel back and foward.

Stainless would be perfect, since there isn't a seal on a Rover that keeps fluids in OR out. I am yet to see what the frames look like and how hard they would be to work on or remake.

Anyone got pics?

Sorry to be a pest!

Doors,

The door skins can be removed, but on counties and 110's (unlike series) the skins are glued to the frames quite well, so they can be a bugger to get off without damaging the skin. You should be able to buy repair sections or even complete new frames from spare parts places.

On 110's the B and C pillars and the steel sill is one piece. So if that has a lot of rust it can be a big problem. You can buy replacements, but they are $$$ I think I was once quoted $400, but not sure if that was for one or a pair. Usually the worst place they rust is the section where the c-pillar and sill meet (check on both sides).

Backlash,

It is extremely unlikely that it is the diff, and if it is a county (pre '89) it is also unlikely it is the axles.

The usual sources of backlash (or a "clonk" when you go on and off the accelerator) are:
Worn gearbox mainshaft (LT85 5 speed (1986-1989), LT77S (1992-1993), and early R380 (1993-1994) all had an oiling problem which resulted in premature spline wear to the back of the mainshaft).
Worn Centre Diff Lock (they usually have a fair bit of backlash - but you can see if this is the problem by locking the centre diff and driving around - only in straight lines).
Worn A-arm ball joint (rear suspension) - this will not give backlash, but a clonk when you go on and off the accelerator.
Only the defenders have the problem with the axles/drive flanges wearing.

Spoke to Fred Smith yesterday. Door frames are not available so it is an owner fix job only. Like anything on a Rover, it can be fabricated pretty simply, but it is not viable for anyone to be doing it commercially because the vehicle values have depreciated. Does anyone know if the glue is a heat - set job? Things are complicated by the fact that only front door skins are available new now.

The pillars seemed ok rust wise, but I will definitely have a closer look this week. I've had rusty vehicles before in my student days and will never buy one with structural rust again.

Regarding the lash - again Fred tells me (as do others) that while it can be the diff, generally it will be half shafts, drive flanges or the transfer case. This particular truck has the LT95 4 speed so it won't be the 5 speed oiling issue. I will have a look at the receipts for the recent work done to see what was done to the box.

The clunk/thump caused from the rear end (as opposed to the backlash) caused by any visible bumps in the road occurs irrespective of whether the driveline is pushing or pulling, and only disappeared at speeds over 80kph. The funny thing is that the owner barely seemed bothered by it. I know people get used to their trucks, but this was like someone banging a house brick on the floor above the axle! Needs some more investigation.