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View Full Version : Series 2a 109"GS Suspension mods by military



JohnboyLandy
19th September 2017, 09:47 AM
Hi All,

I have a 1971 series 2a 109" GS. I know this vehicle has beefier suspension with more leaves, higher of the ground and suspension buffer extensions, but I'd like to know if the army did any chassis strengthening for such a vehicle.

The reason I ask, is that at the front of my chassis rails, the suspension hanger brackets seems to consist of much thicker steel which would appear to come up both sides of the chassis rail to pretty much the cross member holding the steering relay. I'd like to know if this is normal, or unique to my vehicle.

I've had to cut out that cross member, which has a weld seam between the front surface and that thicker metal from hanger, i.e. not chassis rail wall, where as the replacement cross member (I suspect a civilian version) has weld seam for front surface between cross member and actual 3mm chassis rail wall.

Is my vehicle standard in this respect ? or standard after military mods ? or just unique ??

Any clues welcome

Thanks
John

67hardtop
19th September 2017, 01:50 PM
Pics would help explain what ur asking about.

Cheers Rod

JDNSW
19th September 2017, 03:19 PM
Not definitive - but:

Australian army 109s used heavy duty springs. They also used a lift of about 50mm, which was achieved by longer shackles plus extending the fron mounting points for both front and rear springs. In the front, this involved heavy plates welded to each side of the chassis and extending the dumb irons down, and I think you may be referring to these.

The lift also resulted in extended spring stops, with a box bolted under the rubber stop, and a cutout in the bell housing crossmember for the front prop shaft. The spring hangers, front and rear, have additional holes in the same place as the standard chassis, so it would be simple to remove the lift (need new shackle plates and dampers though).

gromit
19th September 2017, 05:47 PM
Just had a quick look and mine is the same as your description. The front Dumb irons are heavier and look almost like a repair section welded over the original dumb irons.
My Series III FFR is similar but the bumper mounts are different.

Probably a Rover Australia mod rather than Army.

Too dark to take a photo but will try and remember to get one tomorrow.


Colin

JDNSW
19th September 2017, 07:59 PM
Yes. The army did not modify them, they were built like that in the Rover Australia factory in Sydney, probably modifying CKD chassis, at least initially, and possibly building the chassis from scratch later. The army did, however, design the modifications.

Allegedly, the Australian Army chassis design was adopted by Rover in Solihull as the chassis for the One Ton. (None of these were sold in Australia, and it does not seem that there are any in the country)

JohnboyLandy
19th September 2017, 09:06 PM
Thanks guys, you have confirmed my suspicions.

Here's a couple of pics of the outside of each chassis rail, hard to really show the inside as they go right up to the front cross member.

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In the first picture the end of the outer thickening is almost at the right side of the picture.

Now I just need to figure out the best way to repair it as my right side rail is rusted through on the inside of the original chassis wall where the cross member attaches.

Cheers,
John

JohnboyLandy
19th September 2017, 09:09 PM
I also looked on remlr, but I couldn't find any documentation covering this mod, has anyone ever come across any documentation on this that they can share please ?

Thanks
John

JDNSW
20th September 2017, 05:47 AM
I've never seen any documentation of any kind on it - its just the way these came from the factory, and need to be seen as a variant not a modification.

101RRS
20th September 2017, 09:21 AM
The specification will be in the original project/contract information from the Army - there would have been a similar project to Project Perentie for these where vehicle requirements would have been specified. As with the Perentie LR would have built the vehicles to these specifications. As indicated, not mods which implies changes after the vehicles were built. Now having said that I am sure the chassis was not designed from scratch by LR but standard chassis were used and then changed (modified) to suit the contract specifications.

Garry

Rob king
20th September 2017, 12:53 PM
John, my SIII FFR doesn't have any of that additional plate stiffening on the chassis. Just the suspension mods. You say you're replacing a rusty cross member. Are you sure that plate is not a previous repair for the same reason?
Rob

JohnboyLandy
21st September 2017, 09:11 AM
Possibly Rob, or a combination of that and what John (JDNSW) said. The plating is on both side, but only the right side seems to have suffered from rust. Anyway, it will all be better soon !

Sometimes I wonder if the army just did things on these vehicles to practice their skills.

Cheers,
John

Rob king
21st September 2017, 09:17 AM
Another thing I thought of was a possible rough landing using air lifts?.. I've seen a few pics of bent chassis after being dropped from a height....
Rob.

JDNSW
21st September 2017, 09:23 AM
I don't think the S3 chassis has necessarily done the lift exactly the same as the 2a.

Mick_Marsh
21st September 2017, 11:55 AM
Weren't the S3 chassis a standard 1 ton chassis?

Rob king
21st September 2017, 02:24 PM
Sooo... if the SIII military chassis is a standard 1 ton chassis which was in turn allegedly adopted from the 2A military modifications... shouldn't we be looking at the same thing?..
Rob.

JDNSW
21st September 2017, 05:34 PM
Not in terms of detail design - when the 2a was designed, it was based on modifying the existing chassis - it is quite possible that the Series 3 One Ton chassis was (re)designed to be cheaper to produce 12 years later, as by that time they had a better idea whether they could sell this chassis to more than just the Australian army!

incisor
22nd September 2017, 06:52 AM
When did the pressed chassis start?

Rob king
22nd September 2017, 06:53 AM
Understood John, I was just being facetious.
Rob

JDNSW
22nd September 2017, 10:38 AM
When did the pressed chassis start?

Series 3, pretty early in production, I think, but not quite right at the start. And it was only on the 109 - the 88 kept the four flats construction to the end unless I am mistaken.

gromit
23rd September 2017, 07:46 AM
Finally got round to taking some pictures of my IIa GS chassis.
Similar but not exactly the same as yours but because the vehicle is assembled it's difficult to get the photos.

Drivers side
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/09/891.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/XJGwZB)DSCN4522 (https://flic.kr/p/XJGwZB) by Colin Radley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152321353@N07/), on Flickr

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/09/892.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/YKRSNR)DSCN4526 (https://flic.kr/p/YKRSNR) by Colin Radley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152321353@N07/), on Flickr

Passenger side
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/09/893.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/YYsqYM)DSCN4524 (https://flic.kr/p/YYsqYM) by Colin Radley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152321353@N07/), on Flickr

Series III FFR
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/09/894.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/YYspuV)DSCN4525 (https://flic.kr/p/YYspuV) by Colin Radley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152321353@N07/), on Flickr


Colin

UncleHo
14th October 2017, 12:02 PM
G'day Folks
The military 2a LWB and 2a SWB had the raised chassis as requested by the Aust Dept of Defence after our commitment to Sth.Vietnam,the Lwb chassis was numbered in the 253------series,the short in 243----series, the series III was only built as a LWB for Aust military use hope that is of help.

cheers

UncleHo
14th October 2017, 12:14 PM
To johnboylandy

If you are interested,the Military Jeep Club of Qld. is having it's annual Swap Meet at Beaudesert Showgrounds this weekend, I will be going down there after a AGM meeting at Caboolture,not driving my 1968 GS but will be in a silver Disco 1
They put on a good 2 course dinner,$25 ahead
I hope to catch up with you, BTW just ask for Hicksey!!!

When I got my 2a in 1986 it had a bent left front chassis member probably from being dropped from a chopper insertion got it repaired at a truck chassis repair place,they used a jig and got it within 2mm

JohnboyLandy
16th October 2017, 02:26 PM
Yeah the GS looks pretty similar to mine Colin, thanks for confirming with pics.

I'm still working on replacing front cross member, hopefully get it in this week, but I probably won't weld it in exactly the same as original.

Cheers,
John