Now heres a strange question - Body mounts

[5teve]

Hi Guys

I noticed the other day (yes yes im a bit slow) that the defenders body is bolted direct to the chassis. The disco if i remember right is mounted via rubber bushes, which would explain how the disco is so smooth compared to the deefer.

Has anyone actually mounted the deefer body using disco style mounts? or is it just too hard?

Thanks

Steve

[one_iota]

That would require a body lift which on a Defender is not a job for the faint-hearted. (I helped my cousin lift the body on his county by 50mm)

There are not only the horizontal mounting points but also vertical mounting brackets and the rear cross member and fire wall to consider...it goes on and on . Then having "engineered" all of that you then need to get everything to line up.

Even if the lift wasn't very great the flexing of the various parts of the body (and there isn't much to a Defender body as compared with a rigid one piece Disco body) would probably create more noise than the bushes would fix.

And besides the Defender would lose some of its character if it had a Disco-like smoothness..

[lardy]

Yeah like hello......What would you do that to a Defender for ?
They are agricutural not motorway dream machines.
With the concept in mind,are you trying to tell us you come good on Lotto last weekend lol

[Michael2]

Many years ago I read a review on generators. The ones that were the quietest with the least vibration were mounted to the frame with 45 degree rubber mounts (like engine mounts). I reckoned that I could design a series of mounts that would mount to the chassis and the body of my SIII, that would allow it to sit at it's original height, but be isolated by 45 degree mounts. The tub would have been easy. The radiator panel (to which the front panels are bolted) would have been a little problematic. But redesigning how the firewall mounts was too difficult.

Thinking about it now, the easiest way would be to make an alloy subframe that holds all the body together and has engine mount type tabs on it that then correspond to similar tabs on the chassis. Because they're at 45 degrees, you could recess them so that there is virtually no body lift, just isolation.

The subframe would also stiffen the body and reduce vibration. Then just a couple of lifting points and wiring loom plugs, and you can just pull up under the carport and block and tackle the whole body off the car (say after undoing 10 engine mount type rubber blocks) and work on the mechanicals at an easy ergonomic height.

Your next step would be to introduce airbag suspension to reduce drive train to chassis vibration.

Then creating a fan with dimpled blades that are all at slightly offset angles would reduce the whirr of the engine fan, as each blade would cancel the harmonics of the previous one.

Then ......

[JDNSW]

Unlike the Discovery, the Defender body is designed to be made up of a number of separate parts, (to enable the use of different body types) which are bolted separately to the chassis.

One of the key design fundamental differences between the Jeep, which the first Landrover was largely based on, was that all structural strength was concentrated in the chassis, to allow this modular body construction (the Jeep had a pressed steel body whose strength and rigidity provided a lot of the vehicle's strength allowing a very light chassis). This basic structure is maintained to the present day in the Defender, and to rubber mount the body would require a much more rigid body, welded not bolted together. As a one off modification, this would be a very major project, although it would probably be a bit easier in a cab/chassis than one with a longer body such as a wagon or hardtop.

John

[5teve]

Unlike the Discovery, the Defender body is designed to be made up of a number of separate parts, (to enable the use of different body types) which are bolted separately to the chassis.

One of the key design fundamental differences between the Jeep, which the first Landrover was largely based on, was that all structural strength was concentrated in the chassis, to allow this modular body construction (the Jeep had a pressed steel body whose strength and rigidity provided a lot of the vehicle's strength allowing a very light chassis). This basic structure is maintained to the present day in the Defender, and to rubber mount the body would require a much more rigid body, welded not bolted together. As a one off modification, this would be a very major project, although it would probably be a bit easier in a cab/chassis than one with a longer body such as a wagon or hardtop.

John

Thanks John i guess i hadnt thought about the structure of the body too much and the fact it is so modular (meccanno) i guess the weakness in the defender (body) is also its strength as they ahve huge chassis compared to some, also keeping the weight low down.

Many years ago I read a review on generators. The ones that were the quietest with the least vibration were mounted to the frame with 45 degree rubber mounts (like engine mounts). I reckoned that I could design a series of mounts that would mount to the chassis and the body of my SIII, that would allow it to sit at it's original height, but be isolated by 45 degree mounts. The tub would have been easy. The radiator panel (to which the front panels are bolted) would have been a little problematic. But redesigning how the firewall mounts was too difficult.

Thinking about it now, the easiest way would be to make an alloy subframe that holds all the body together and has engine mount type tabs on it that then correspond to similar tabs on the chassis. Because they're at 45 degrees, you could recess them so that there is virtually no body lift, just isolation.

The subframe would also stiffen the body and reduce vibration. Then just a couple of lifting points and wiring loom plugs, and you can just pull up under the carport and block and tackle the whole body off the car (say after undoing 10 engine mount type rubber blocks) and work on the mechanicals at an easy ergonomic height.

Your next step would be to introduce airbag suspension to reduce drive train to chassis vibration.

Then creating a fan with dimpled blades that are all at slightly offset angles would reduce the whirr of the engine fan, as each blade would cancel the harmonics of the previous one.

Then ......

yep.. then you have a disco... it would be an interesting project tho.... but as pointed out... frought with challenges...

Yeah like hello......What would you do that to a Defender for ?
They are agricutural not motorway dream machines.
With the concept in mind,are you trying to tell us you come good on Lotto last weekend lol

If i had come good on lotto Lardy... you'd know about it a little more directly that a subtle question dont worry... i was just surprised that it was hard mounted... but i love it as it is.. well as it will be... once im allowed to furnish it with gifts...

That would require a body lift which on a Defender is not a job for the faint-hearted. (I helped my cousin lift the body on his county by 50mm)

There are not only the horizontal mounting points but also vertical mounting brackets and the rear cross member and fire wall to consider...it goes on and on . Then having "engineered" all of that you then need to get everything to line up.

Even if the lift wasn't very great the flexing of the various parts of the body (and there isn't much to a Defender body as compared with a rigid one piece Disco body) would probably create more noise than the bushes would fix.

And besides the Defender would lose some of its character if it had a Disco-like smoothness..

Thanks also One_iota.. it would be a bit of a challenge ... but yes thinking about it you must of been mad to attempt a 50mm lift! out of interest as you have dealt with a lift... how many points of contact are there roughly? as there mush be quite a few?

Thanks again guys.. dont worry im not going to do it... i was just wondering.....

Steve