Land Rover Defender Blog

Defender Rear Tub Repair

We've been busy repairing the Defender rear tub

Ben Gribbin

Ben Gribbin

January 8, 2016

Hello, I'm the editor of FunRover. I'm a massive Land Rover fan. Currently own a TD5 90. 2015 MR Blogger of the Year

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The rear tub is in need of some minor repairs. The tub cappings will be removed and sent off for galvanising. Everywhere else, we have replacement repair sections.

Screen Shot 2015-12-24 at 10.31.33

Using a 6mm drill bit, we're drilling into the rivet head, which typically shears off.

Screen Shot 2015-12-24 at 10.32.03

Then the crush section of the rivet can be tapped out, this is the quickest way to remove rivets.

Screen Shot 2015-12-24 at 10.35.19

There are quite a number of rivets all told on the cappings

Screen Shot 2015-12-24 at 10.37.53

In addition to rivets, the cappings are typically held on with some mild adhesives / foam tape and can then be lifted away. Those will be going to the galvanisers along side the bulkhead and will be fitted unpainted to the 90 for that classic Land Rover appearance.

Screen Shot 2015-12-24 at 10.31.21

Cappings gone, you can see the Zinc Phosphate primer applied at the factory. Over the primer, the tub is currently overcoated in 2 pack (Chawton White). We'll be going to the classic (and now rather popular) Pastel Green, a Series 1 colour

Screen Shot 2015-12-24 at 10.38.59

These seatbelt mount brackets panels came from YRM Metal Solutions. They've been laser cut, CNC folded and galvanised. The result is excellent tolerances and a lasting repair!

Screen Shot 2015-12-24 at 10.39.45

Fitting is easy, the old seat belt mount bracket is removed.

Screen Shot 2015-12-24 at 10.41.42

And any flaky aluminium corrosion is stripped away with a wire wheel.

Screen Shot 2015-12-24 at 10.42.33

We applied Dinitrol cavity wax to the tub, before offering up the repair section.

Screen Shot 2015-12-24 at 10.49.04

It's supplied in 2 pieces (otherwise it wouldn't fit), there are a few holes that have captive nuts so bolts were installed to hold the panel in place, along with a G clamp.

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 08.46.50

Before drilling the holes for each fixing.

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 08.48.16

There are a total of 48 M8 bolts required. Once secured, these panels are very strong! There's zero movement and the whole lot will be overcoated with stone chip for further protection.

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 08.52.59

Moving onto the strike plate, this often corrodes where the tub fits to the sill rail, due to bimetallic reaction. The aluminium turns to a powder and is completely unusable.

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 08.51.46

So to repair we'll fit new strike plate sections from YRM too. These are pretty simple to fit, and once prepared and painted, it should be as good as new.

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 09.20.51

We're starting by marking off where we'd like to cut off the strike plate.

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 09.21.16

And using a spot weld drill to remove the spot welds and rivets below the line, including on the seal retainer.

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 09.21.51

Then, using a bolster chisel and a scraper, we can begin to prise the 2 skins apart

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 09.32.33

Finally, we scored a mark with a Dremel multi tool along the line. Then we were able to fracture the corroded part off, with a clean break formed along our score.

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 09.54.22

I'll be fitting the new sections in another video, shown here is the exposed rear skin.

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 09.56.09

The floor too has suffered with some corrosion and needs replacing. The dome rivets need to be ground down, others will need to be drilled and others still, cut with a grinder.

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 09.57.17

The floor has adhesives applied in key areas, so it can take some time with a breaker bar & hammer to separate the floor from the supports.

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 10.08.24

After all rivets have been drilled out, the floor will lift out

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 10.09.35

Now's a good time to assess the condition of the tub supports. We can also throughly rust proof these whilst they're exposed.

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 10.33.43

 

Finally, my plumber wife kindly began brazing some of the redundant holes in my tub, using the excellent Lumiweld from Frost.co.uk. You can check out the results at the end of the video, it's impressive stuff! And is formulated to work on Birmabright!

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