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grafty99

Member Since: 15 Aug 2012
Location: North Devon
Posts: 4795

Rear crossmember smoothing

I need to re finish the rear crossmember on my 90 before winter, while I was at it I thought about welding up the holes in it. That is where the surface corrosion starts where you can't get good paint coverage. Obviosly I can't weld them all up (jacking points, fuel tank cradle access holes, etc) but the ones for the bumperettes which I'll never fit, and the drop down tailgate hinge holes which I won't need I think welding them up to be a good solution.

Thoughts please?

2002 90 Td5 Station Wagon
1990 Vogue SE
Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200
Td5 90 Thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic50767.html
Tdi 110 Thread https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic69562.html
RRC Thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic54492.html
Instagram http://www.instagram.com/george_grafton

26th Oct 2015 7:52am

Jimb1978

Member Since: 05 Sep 2012
Location: Huddersfield
Posts: 808

2002 Defender 110 Td5 Black LE Java Black

I personally wouldn't bother. Firstly you might change your mind about accessories and secondly, in my experience corrosion starts inside the crossmember. A bit of cavity wax should slow it down. Other areas it starts is on the leading edge behind the rear wheels where two sheets of metal join together

Mind you, it might actually be easier to say where it doesn't start rather than where it does

2002 110 td5

26th Oct 2015 8:43am

Jimb1978

Member Since: 05 Sep 2012
Location: Huddersfield
Posts: 808

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Pictures of my 2002 crossmember. No rust but been well looked after 2002 110 td5

26th Oct 2015 8:50am

jimbob7

Member Since: 06 Jul 2013
Location: uk
Posts: 2055

You'll find most of the muck inside the x-member comes from road spray underneath the vehicle,have a looksy under the wheelarch.At least the holes on the outside let you easily stick a hose/jetwash in there to clean the accumulated crap out it also lets you spray cavity wax in there.Yes, paint is always thinnest on the edge of a hole ,but that is easily cured with some quality paint and a gloss roller.Anyways,the next step after welding up the holes on a x-member is to chequer plate it

! Pov.spec,ftw. 2006, 110,TD5.

26th Oct 2015 11:15am

mikeh501

Member Since: 07 Jan 2013
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1142

wouldnt bother. the corrosion always starts from the inside out. typically from where the chassis rails meet the crossmember.

26th Oct 2015 4:46pm

grafty99

Member Since: 15 Aug 2012
Location: North Devon
Posts: 4795

Still haven't got used to this new bleeding phone

double post sorry 2002 90 Td5 Station Wagon
1990 Vogue SE
Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200
Td5 90 Thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic50767.html
Tdi 110 Thread https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic69562.html
RRC Thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic54492.html
Instagram http://www.instagram.com/george_grafton

Last edited by grafty99 on 27th Oct 2015 1:10pm. Edited 1 time in total

27th Oct 2015 1:09pm

grafty99

Member Since: 15 Aug 2012
Location: North Devon
Posts: 4795

Hmm, seems like I'll have to stick to re-painting it every few years

27th Oct 2015 1:09pm

mk1collector

Member Since: 17 Sep 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 6772

Just paint it properly with good quality materials or get a bodyshop to do it and completely cover the back and inside with dinitrol or dynax ub and it should last a good long time. Ray
My build thread
http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic17615.html

27th Oct 2015 3:57pm

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