Outrigger & Top Hat Advice

[Steve B]

Soooo, we've decided to take the plunge, and fit new units etc in the Van.

I've stripped it all out, in preparation, and I'm taking this opportunity to get everything floor wise sorted.

The van was restored around 6 years ago, by the PO, as the units were still in, it looks as though the O/S outriggers, I beams and top hats were left alone (N/S actually ok, but would like to re-do outriggers anyway), because they didn't want to dismantle the kitchen units.

The van itself is pretty solid, but had numerous patches underneath. So I've made a list.

On the N/S, it's just front and middle outriggers/jacking points.

On the O/S, it's all 3 outriggers, and the last 400mm of each I-Beam and top hat. The cargo floor is fine, just with minor holes above said beams etc. Essentially would be ok though.

The vans paintwork is fine, and the sills all look fine and solid. I expect to have to carry out some paintwork repair here and there, but my questions are:

1) how much damage is caused by outrigger renewals.

2) I beam and top hats - can the final 400mm be repaired by welding new in? Will this cause much damage to sills and cargo floor (assuming sills are solid).

3) Which are best ones? Autocraft, Schofields or JK English ones.

4) Can the cargo floor be repaired or spliced in easy enough?

5) Are the 'push on/over' front cross member panels any good? This would certainly tidy it up, as although solid now, it is a patchwork, and I presume this method is the least hassle?

Any advice is appreciated - I understand most of the chassis, but unless you've had it done, or do it yourself, you're never quite sure of the knock-on effects.... apart from having zero cash, as usual!

Thanks.

 

[Termite]

I'm in the process of doing this myself, except I have also cut the sills out as they had a couple of holes in them and I thought I might as well just replace the lot.

I have bought Autocraft panels for all outriggers/jacking points and bought the pre-welded complete unit jacking points & outrigger combined. They seem to fit well when clamped onto the top hats and the sills are very good quality as well.

Keep an eye out for any Easter offers on GSF Parts as their "Best quality" jacking points/outriggers and sills are made by Autocraft. I managed to pick them all up for around £190 instead of £280 the last time they had a 33% off weekend.

Cutting them all out was ok and most of the top hats and i-beams stay intact. I cut them out as high as I could under the top hats, skimmed over them with a grinder and then took a hammer and chisel to them to remove the last bits. You may have to cut around them at the point they meet the sill (unless you are very careful with a grinder). It took ages, but I did remove the sills at the same time so it felt like I was under the van for weeks.

I've had to cut a section of the floor out at the front of the van to gain access to the top hat to replace it right up until the main chassis rail. Once you start cutting the floor out, you may find it's not quite as good as you thought. My section gradually got bigger until I got as far as the bulkhead and side panel, so I've had to buy a replacement floor section (got mine from Schofields, very good quality and profile matches the original floor profile), but unfortunately, this is just the ribbed section. I will have to flatten out part of it to create a lip to weld back onto the bulkhead.

Once the top hat (front right on a RHD) was cut out and the floor gone, I found more rust and crust around the bulkhead area which led to the inner B-post which also needs repairing.

I'm going to end up cutting a piece of new top hat the correct length and then cutting part of it out to enable me to weld the side that is closet to the bulkhead. then I will weld the piece I cut out the new top hat back onto the new top hat and grind flat, before replacing the floor section over the top.

I hope the push over front crossmembers are ok because that is what I plan on using to repair my crossmember. I had a huge piece of 2.5 mm steel welded across the bottom of it to replace what had rotted out, but it was beginning to go just above this. Rather than removing everything else that runs through this section, I thought I will get away with a pushover one once the area if cleaned up.

I'm planning on welding the driver's side over Easter. Still got the sliding door side to do after that, as well as the bottom 3-4 inches of side panels that have been cut out to improve access and that "I might as well do that while I'm at it" approach which has already added a load of jobs :mrgreen:

 

[Steve B]

Termite, sounds like you're going down the same route as me.

The sills seem solid, and I think we're fully redone in 2009.

The beams above the front and rear outriggers - are these a specific one? Looking on JK website, they seem to be neither I-beams or top hats.

Any success with the cargo floor? I hear Schofield's now modify the LH drive one for a good fit for a RH drive one.

Think I'm going to put an order in at Autocraft Eng this week, with beams from JK and VWH.

Cheers.

 

[Termite]

For the outriggers and jacking points, see if gsf are still 33% off (they were thus weekend). Their best quality ones are Autocraft.

The beams above the jacking points and outriggers are top hats. the I beams are the other two.

The floor section I bought was the schofield best quality one. The rib profile is spot on.