Defender Project: Part 7

Trevor Cuthbert reports on how he approaches fitting the body onto a new rolling chassis for a Defender 90 Td5

Trevor Cuthbert reports on how he’s fitting the body onto a new rolling chassis

WHEN it comes to lowering a Defender body down on to a freshly built up rolling chassis, a play on the expression, ‘when less is more’, comes to mind – when slow is more. The object is to re-fit the body shell to the rolling chassis without causing damage, without trapping something in the wrong place – perhaps a hose or a wiring harness – and landing the body in the right position. By position, I mean front-to-back alignment and left-to-right alignment.

Seeing your Defender body come down on the rolling chassis is an exciting phase of the rebuild and it can be tempting to make it happen too quickly – it is much better to make it a very slow and painstaking process. The key is to lower the body by very small amounts and to look and check everywhere between the two major components after each lowering movement.

As the body is lowered in increments, we’re watching how it comes together with the rolling chassis, and we’ll mostly likely need to move items a little from time to time: perhaps that air intake hose that is going to snag on the engine, or maybe an engine wiring harness plug that is about to get trapped at the bulkhead. Constant observation at each step will ensure a smooth landing of the body on the chassis, with no costly damage – or need to lift again to free up some trapped component. While it is possible to make corrections to alignment after the body is down (and before it is bolted up) it is much easier to get it right first time, and it is ultimately faster.

While access is good

There are a few tasks to carry out after the engine and transmission are fitted in place on the rolling chassis – and before it is rolled under the body. These jobs mainly involve the engine and gearboxes and are easier to complete now, while access is at its best. In this example, the EGR valve needed some attention, and there was an upgrade to the gear shifter to be fitted.

EGR mess

1 It was noted that the EGR valve assembly was very gummed up with a build-up of oily black sludge that needed to be cleaned from the manifold.

From the parts cleaner

2 The EGR valve was removed from the engine to carry out a proper clean out of the excessive oily deposits, using a solvent solution and lots of brushing.

Refitted to the manifold

3 The EGR valve is bolted back in place on the engine, with a new gasket and the original flange bolts, and tightened with an 8 mm socket wrench.

Gear change mod

4 Striving for a better gearshift action, the owner supplied this slick shift kit, to be installed before the body was refitted, while the gearbox was fully accessible.

Bolted in place

5 The new shifter mechanism was fitted with its extended housing, having followed the helpful online instructions provided by the manufacturer.

Fuel feed and return

6 The fuel lines that were already in place on the chassis are now connected to the engine by clicking them onto their fittings.

Front section

7 The bracket that supports the exhaust downpipe attaches to the top left (rear) gearbox cross member bolt, with some packing washers and a new nylon locking nut.

Major electrical connection

8 The earth strap is bolted to the chassis and to the transfer box after giving the terminals a good cleaning so that we achieve best possible electrical contact.

Existing holes

9 All loose cables or hoses must be properly secured to the chassis, such as this battery cable and breather hose, held by a strong cable tie.

Engine secured

10 There is an M12 flange nut to refit on each side, securing the engine mounting brackets to the top of the rubber engine mounts, using an 18 mm socket.

Hydraulic help

11 The power assisted steering (PAS) pipes and hoses, which had remained attached to the engine, are re-connected to PAS box and secured at front cross member.

Front prop

12 It is a good time to fit the front propeller shaft to the transfer box using a 9/16 inch socket, while there’s clear access to the drive flange.

Ready

13 The rolling chassis can now be pushed underneath the raised body shell – any loose cables will be secured or fitted to the body after it is lowered down.

Flat floor essential

14 The front of the chassis is positioned using the steering action of the front wheels; the rear is adjusted by swivelling the trolley jack under the raised axle.

Up to the mark

15 The position of the old rolling chassis had been marked on the workshop floor before it was rolled out. Now the new rolling chassis is placed in this exact position again.

Clear run

16 The body is slowly lowered down towards the new rolling chassis, with no impediment worries until it begins to get close to the engine area.

By design

17 I prefer the body to land at the back first, and my lifting arrangement is set up for this, so the body will align with the rear cross member first.

Watch it like a hawk!

18 Here, we are looking out for fouling of the wings on the suspension turrets, front brackets on the engine, and for any hoses that might get trapped.

Raised viewpoint

19 It is very important to watch at the back of the engine too. As the bulkhead gets closer there are multiple components that could snag or trap.

Getting close now

20 As well as careful inspection at the front, it is crucial that the rear lands correctly inside the cross member lugs – and everything centralised, too.

Bolts in, but kept loose

21 The holes always line up very closely with my method. But a centering bar helps to get that fine alignment when fitting the first bolts in place.

Attention at the front

22 With a few loose bolts fitted at the back, close inspection continues towards the front as the body is lowered further, and is nearly home.

Ease them outwards

23 The wings are a little flexible at this stage and could easily land on the wrong side of the front chassis brackets as the body comes down.

Watch bulkhead brackets

24 The bulkhead support brackets on each side have a habit of trying to sit on top of the chassis rail but, once a small portion is past, they slide home.

Time to remove lifting sills

25 Once the body is down, I have no hesitation in raising the vehicle on the lift as one piece, to begin the next and final stage of the job.