Thread: Reinforced chassis

Sorry Alan, I wasn't interested in GMV when searching for Wolf chassis information.

It was just that I noticed on a pic of someones chassis up build thread a plate on top of the chassis rail, like blue_mini described, and tried to find any info about areas of possible concern, while I am at a stage where I could do easily address them. That pic wasn't a Wolf, but it made me look into what Land Rover had done for the Wolf's.

I finally got a chance to crawl around under the Defender today armed with a camera, unfortunately nothing to take any photos of.

Originally Posted by Bush65

The Land Rover chassis is only 2 mm thick so they have a fair amount of reinforcement inside at points of higher load, such as where there are cross members, body outriggers, suspension mounts and the like. Usually this consists of lengths of 'L' section in the upper and lower corners. They also have 'Z' crush tubes where items bolt to the chassis. As these are not visible, without cutting up the chassis it wouldn't be possible to tell if there were changes internally.

As you suggest Bush65, if there is anything done to the chassis it must be internal. No plate on the chassis rails or extra braces etc. So far as I can tell from pictures off the internet, it looks the same as any other 300Tdi 110 chassis.

Originally Posted by steveG

Can you find the serial number on the rear axle housing? Its on the rear of the LH tube a bit above mid point. I'd be guessing its a heavy duty one with thicker tubes like a 130.

Steve

I did, after much cleaning of crud off the axle, find the serial number - 24S as predicted. That's a worthwhile find Not that Sals have a reputation for breaking. Now all I have to do is track down and kick in the dangly bits whoever it was that changed it from the original HD rims to 15" x 7" Sunraysias! It was an expensive exercise getting it back onto Wolfs.

I bet you lunch your chassis is not re enforced in any way over a standard vehicle.

It would be easy to not notice the extra gusseting on the TA and A frame mount...

Snapped some pics before the trip to work this morning:





Yes, the TA bush is pretty flogged but all fairly standard looking to me. If anyone wants photos of anything else I'll get em. I'm just interested in closing the case file on this one.

In another thread on Anti roll bars, there is a link to a page listing MY2013 Defender options

In this list the extra cost is $3820 to have the heavy duty option fitted to a 110 Hardtop or 110 HDPU, raising the GVM to 3500kg.

Now for that much extra, one would expect much more to be done besides having 130 springs fitted. There may be reinforcing in the rear axle housing, the chassis, or both.

It seems we are no closer to the answer, but I would be interested in knowing more.

Edit: the other mods may be reinforcement of the cargo floor area.