Anyone have some experience removing the frame from a 1994 D1? Sixteen years of NE winters with salty roads has taken it toll. It's time to restore or get a new truck. I really like the simplicity of the early D1's so I'm up for the restore. Has anyone done a frame off on a Disco? I've thought about how to get this done in a driveway setting. After removing the motor, trans, and t-case I would remove the tires and rest the frame on jack stands. Then remove both axle housings, gas tank and other misc items. This is the part I'm not sure about. Could I support the body by the sills, then seperate the frame from the body and slide it out between the supports? Would I need to support the body at any other areas while everything else gets done? The body will be sitting like this for a while. I could really use some advice.
Driveway frame off restoration
- Thread starter Lucas
- Start date
Lucas said:
You might be better off with this
http://discoweb.org/forums/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=66302
Can't you use some rust-inhibitor or something to prevent that? Maybe rhinoline the underside or something....?
ptschram
Well-known member
Rock sliders support the vehicle by the sills.
There are some pretty heavy ribs under the truck and the mounting points where the body bolts to the outriggers, any of those should be fine for what you're planning.
There are some pretty heavy ribs under the truck and the mounting points where the body bolts to the outriggers, any of those should be fine for what you're planning.
ptschram said:
That is what I thought would work. I'm just wondering if the outriggers will be in the way when I try to move the frame between the supports. It might be close.
ptschram
Well-known member
gmookher said:
X a bazillion!
Support the body at several points, or using something to spread the weight when you're lifting it and for the love of God, be careful when you've got the body in the air.
Just replace the truck! By that, I mean get a body in better shape. Those of us that part out trucks down here in the south end up crushing nice bodyshells all the time.
ptschram
Well-known member
crown14 said:
I wonder if it might not be as profitable to sell runners to folks up north to make trail rigs out of.
I was thinking the same thing crown. Here in Ohio, I run across nice trucks that have engine issues for less than $1k all the time. I even had and sold a truck that was from Texas (no rust) that had engine problems for cheap. It got parted, then the last I heard, it may get put back together since it was so nice.
Must be why I heard a rumor about guys starting to stack and save frames from Disco 1's.
Must be why I heard a rumor about guys starting to stack and save frames from Disco 1's.
I'd be interested to see how you get on with this, we have another D2 frame away being shotblasted and Zinc sprayed, then powder coated. When we get it back we will Waxoyl it inside and get it ready for a change-over some time.
Our D2 body is great, but the chassis is a bit scabby in places (1998 build) so we thought of getting a decent chassis and cleaning it up. Seems odd that LR made a decent job of undersealing the body but not the chassis.
With all the extra stuff like ACE it's going to be fun!
We have two hydraulic pallet lifts at the factory, both will pick up a ton, so we reckon one under each end and off we come. They will lift to 1.5 metres.
Peter
Our D2 body is great, but the chassis is a bit scabby in places (1998 build) so we thought of getting a decent chassis and cleaning it up. Seems odd that LR made a decent job of undersealing the body but not the chassis.
With all the extra stuff like ACE it's going to be fun!
We have two hydraulic pallet lifts at the factory, both will pick up a ton, so we reckon one under each end and off we come. They will lift to 1.5 metres.
Peter
Salt sucks. When I dropped my catalytic converters over a year ago the frame was perforated behind the cats. I spent days on my back going over the frame with various grinder/wire brush combos. All good except for behind the cats. I left the converters off and had her towed to a welding shop. The affected sections were cut out and new plate welded in. They did a nice job. I mixed gear oil and kerosene in a sprayer and soaked the chassis inside and out. The kerosene made it easy to spray and the gear oil stays behind. You get really dirty when you do any work, but at least there will be something to work on. I was surprised that there was no smell any burn off was gone in a day. I put shopping bags over the brakes for safety.
2
2FUELS
Guest
There is no possible way for oxidation to occur on my truck (at least not the frame under, near and behind the power steering box, transfer case, oil pan etc)
The rest has been, and will continue to be painted each spring with rust-oleum flat black
The rest has been, and will continue to be painted each spring with rust-oleum flat black
ptschram
Well-known member
I just got done repairing a Defender frame where I had to cut out almost everything behind the rear axle and put it back together using bits from an ol Disco frame.
crown14 said:
That was another idea. Just restore and rebuild everything except the body. Then do a transplant later. It's tuff to get a truck this old to stay in decent shape around here.