Thread: Checking 20yo Defender for rust

pull the floor mats and have a very good look where your heels would rest. keep in mind it is a double skin bulkhead so have a look from inside and outside/underside. a 50cent piece used as a tapping device will give you a good indication as the tone changes.

areas I would check:

1. rear cross member

( behind rear axle/ end of the tub)- this rusts internally - best way to check is with a torch - also look at the junctions between he rear cross member and the chassis rails - bad rust will show there. The rear member is made of several pieces joined together - so look for rust 'swell' in the joins.

2. cross member under rear of cab ( the one that bolts onto the chassis)

this can get full of crud and will rust if not maintained.

3. ontop of chassis , where the cross member joins the chassis ( the welded one - just behind the one that is bolted on - the rear tub is mounted to this)

This area has a mud trap -its right ontop of the chassis rails, where the tub mounts are located just behind the rear of the cab - i've seen otherwise good chassis totally rusted through at this point. This is also a know weak point of this chassis, so whilst you are there, look for cracks or repairs.

4. between gearbox mount and chassis

This is a bad spot to rust, as it can rust right through the chassis. Look for rust between the two plates either end of the gearbox mount.

5. firewall footwells

basically, expect some rust here - lift the carpets and look for rust in the joints, in the pans etc. look from both sides - also look for dodgy repairs here. often people will just bog it up, or even worse, weld a plate over the rusted section without cutting the rust out.

6. Doors

Doors will rust along the bottom rail, but will also rust/ crack at the juncture between the door and window frame. Basically they rust internally, if they look a bit dodgy but repairable, then expect them to be 10x worse when you pull the skins off to repair :-) Door repairs are very time consuming - basically if the rust is bad, you have to totally dismantle the door - remove glass, internals and then prize off the aluminium skin to be able to cut and re-weld the door frames.

You possilbly ' could' just prize off the aluminium skin on the bottom and sides to cut out and replace the bottom frame if its bad.

While you are checking the doors - dont forget to have a good poke around the rear door as well. On my 1992 defender what looked like a little rust hole that a small screwdriver went through turned into a replacing the whole read door - most of the frame was shot.
Though not helped that I had been living in a geothermal area for a year. (Sulphur + steel = disintergration)

Kerry

All of the above plus recommend you flood the chassis rails with water and then with lanolin or a rust treatment. More is better.
In the footwells the bolts on mine started to rust so I used rust converter on them. Water can get into the footwells through the air intake on the mudguard.

One trick is to put the sprinkler under the vehicle and leave it on for a hour.

Thanks for the replies & suggestions. As the car is not local to me, a good mate offered to have a look & the only visible rust is in the N/S/F footwell:
DSC_1141.jpg
Is this typical Defender footwell rust or is it the sign of more in the bulkhead?
My '87 RR had similar rust in the drivers footwell when I bought it in 2001 but elsewhere was fine.

Originally Posted by Scouse

Thanks for the replies & suggestions. As the car is not local to me, a good mate offered to have a look & the only visible rust is in the N/S/F footwell:
DSC_1141.jpg
Is this typical Defender footwell rust or is it the sign of more in the bulkhead?
My '87 RR had similar rust in the drivers footwell when I bought it in 2001 but elsewhere was fine.

I'd say its typical, and not indicative of more rust in the bulkhead - though thats not to say it wont be there or in other places :-)