WORKING ON THE ROLLING CHASSIS

ONCE THE new chassis is on its wheels it will be at a more convenient working height. It’s worth thinking about replacing the clutch while the engine and gearbox are out of the vehicle, as we did. The clutch in our Defender was still working fine, but with just over 100,000 miles on the clock and no record of it ever having been changed, it couldn’t have had much more life left in it.

After the engine and gearbox assembly are hoisted into the chassis it makes sense to carry out any repairs or maintenance on them while the body is still off. On our 300Tdi engine, that included a new timing belt and a water pump with a new steep P-gasket, which is a common fail point.

Ancillaries such as the fuel tank can then be fitted, and the wiring loom threaded through the right-hand chassis rail to the rear of the vehicle using a stiff piece of wire to navigate through. Our loom had been chopped short, probably when the rear cross-member was replaced some years ago, but was just long enough. The untidy electrical connections on the loom – probably contributing to the erratic operation of the rear lights – were cleaned up and remade to ensure reliability.

Once all the running gear was back in place, everything was given a liberal coating of Waxoyl to help protect against future corrosion. We used the clear variety, though some people prefer to use black as this tones down the shiny galvanized surface of the chassis. Arguably, the obvious galvanized chassis makes the vehicle a more likely target for thieves. Many other anti-corrosion potions are available. The galvanising will help the chassis to last longer, but not for ever, so it’s worth considering other anti-rust measures, such as a coat of paint.

Engine and gearbox is hoisted into the rolling chassis – it’s a convenient place for it to sit while you carry out any engine work needed.

New clutch slave cylinder is cheap to buy and easy to fit with the body off, so it’s a good investment and worth doing now.

It can be tricky to thread the wiring loom through the chassis unaided, so a piece of stiff wire came in handy to pull it through.

Rear wiring had been joined by rusty compression connectors, so each wire was properly soldered and insulated, then the whole lot taped into a new loom.

Springs and suspension components, together with the chassis itself, were liberally coated with Waxoyl to fight future corrosion.

Tanks rust externally, so check and repaint if needed before refitting. Note hoses temporarily taped over to avoid fuel spillage, or dirt getting in.