Thread: Mitsubishi Broken Chassis

Have a good look at the tow ball tongue that he is using. It's one fo those extended ones that reduce your towing ball weight by 50% as well as the leverage effect on an already stretched chassis.

Originally Posted by roverrescue

Interestingly - once again that all pervading paranoia that insurance companies will use ANYTHING to get out of a claim is shown to be unfounded...

Despite what the interweb will tell you insurance companies generally dont cancel your insurance if your tyres are 15.2mm larger diameter than OEM by some calculator from metric to imperial to timbuktoo. They just do their job of looking after customers...

I am certain that this vehicle would have numerous aspects which technically the insurance company could have used but they choose not to.

Also found the story interesting that the chassis could be cold pulled to repair but not welded. Is that a hanger on from high tensile truck chassis or is it that the steel is of unknown alloy such that the repairer does not know the correct welding procedure. Ben would be the man on this but once steel has plastically deformed, to get it back to "normal" requires further plastic deformation which will then fatigue the area and lead to failure at much lower loads in the future.

Anyways thats all I have to add

Steve

Steve,ever tried to get warranty out of Toyota or have you ever tried to claim insurance on a modded vehicle?.You might want to give it a go,it's even more fun after an accident that wasn't your fault. Pat

Originally Posted by korg20000bc

Sure! I wasn't poo-pooing your comment just saying that they're different things.

ok ron......

Originally Posted by PAT303

Personally I think the biggest problem is that people have been led to believe that they need all the offroad crap that suppliers sell to travel across Australia like twin carriers and bigger bars and side steps and lift kits etc etc that do nothing but add weight and make the vehicle more unstable.You only need to browse through 4WD action to see all the rubbish they sprouk and mods they get done from companys they then write about to see why people are misled.Len Beadel drove all over this side of this country with nothing more than a series landy and a few petrol tins of fuel. Pat

I have travelled extensively off road and found a rear diff lock (if not LSD to start with) worth the expense over an open diff. Other than that, I have always carried a hand winch (literally for decades) and used it precisely five times (after the trusty shovel failed). Stopping, looking and planning your line will get you through most situations. However, recently being stuck to the belly on Gunshot Creek and not looking forward to getting out the old Big Haul (thanks mainly to deteriorating joints, now in my late 50's, caused many years ago whilst riding a motor cycle and meeting a woman who thought 60km/h was a fair enough speed at a stop sign), I was saved by a Victorian gentleman with a Triton who easily pulled my out with an electric winch. I have now purchased same. Age has wearied.

Mate don't feel bad,everyone starts out with a hand winch and use's it once,finds out the hard way how much works involved and buys electric. Pat

I'm wondering whether the use of airbag helpers causes a point load, increasing the flex at a point never designed for it in the first place...That is the second one I have seen bend where airbag helpers are in use.

JC

Originally Posted by p38arover

Yes, and I definitely have the pix of the cracked Disco chassis - just behind the steering box. I was just looking at them. LR made a repair kit KUZ000120 (see below):

Ceratinly seen a few of these, and I've repaired one aswell with my own plates/ reinforcing. Seems ACE ones were most prone due to the extra forces at the front crossmember mounts for the sway bar. Who in there right mind puts SQUARE holes in a chassis Flange??? The later (2001 , Late 'YA' and 1A on VIN) ones seem to have had round holes stamped into them instead, Hallelujah!.
I have one customer who had a complete rechassis under warranty due to this.

JC

Would not say his load was excessive. Yes it was up there but well within spec. The sprc may well not have been correct but that is Mitsubishis problem. AFAIK Mistsubishi would also have to prove the mods actually caused the issue and I think they would be hard pressed to do so in a court. However they rely on people just using their insurance rather than challenging them. I had similar with a well know Holden Dealer in Kalgoorlie a few years back under factory extended warranty (not crappy no cover Network Q). They told me any modifications were allowed (yet they actually sold me the car as it was) and I had to have it serviced by them only. Well I took them to task as they were wrong and they had to eat their words. I dealt directly with the warranty underwriter who were very very good.
Had to go to a fire call half way though posting, so continuing :
As far as reinforcing the chassis goes and changing weight carrying configurations go, it can be done legally in any state, it will just cost $.
I have personally done this with ambulances and I know and have spoken to body builders in QLD that do the twin cab conversions and chassis extensions and modifications.