| Author |
Message |
    
Jack Messenger (Jackm)
| | Posted on Friday, November 01, 2002 - 07:06 am: | 
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Serious metal fatigue has appeared in both front bulkheads of my 1995
300Tdi automatic. There are factory fitted strengthening plates welded on
the insideof the bulkheads on both of the footwells.
The fatigue cracks were along some of the weld lines. On the LHS,
there were some 5 or 6 splits in the underneath firewall. Half the weld
plate had to be cut out on the LHS and a larger stonger plate has been
welded back.
The repairer's advice is that if it happens again, the engine will have to be
removed, and the body lifted off the chassis. This action would not be worth doing.
Hence my concern as to whether the vehicle is capable of ever going off
road again, and returning in one piece.
In the 98,000 Km travelled, some 25-30,000 Km
would have been off the bitumen but still on official roads, admittedly with their fair share of currugations. This includes the Simpson Desert at 3,000Km and the
Canning Stock Route at 9,000Km. Less than
2,000 Km would have been on station tracks. There have only ever been a driver and one
passenger, and no trailers. Not what you would caal extreme off road work.
In their Technical Bulletin No 0049 (could be 0019), Landrover offer their
explanation. They refer to ".....this problem will be confined to vehicles
which have been used extensively under arduous off road maximum gross
weight conditions".
" ...... Fatigue cracks (developed) in the front bulkhead as a result of
extreme conditions of use".
".....To search for this damage, check the lower bulkhead area from the
underside of the vehicle. Look for evidence of cracking, particularly in the
areas adjacent to the point where the body mounting brackets attach to
the bulkhead".
This is not a warranty matter.
Has anyone had this problem? It surely cannot be a unique Australian
Landrover problem.
Jackm in Australia with a sick Disco |
Leslie N. Bright (Leslie)
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 08:39 am: |
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Michael Green sold his Disco awhile back, and made reference to reinforcing the bulkhead to prevent the same thing... said that most of the CT Discos suffered the same. You might contact him: http://offroadexperience.com/wcb/
FWIW...
-L |
Jack Messenger (Jackm)
| | Posted on Sunday, November 10, 2002 - 02:57 am: |
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Thanks Leslie.
I have sent the detals on to Michael Green.
Now await a response from him
Jackm
Ps It is really 6.00pm on Sunday evening, 30 degree C (86) and time for a beer. |
Jens Stoermer
| | Posted on Sunday, November 10, 2002 - 12:31 pm: |
|
Jack, have you some pictures of the damaged area? My Disco has now 180.000 kms on it with some hardcore abuse. The two auxillary tanks mounted on the underside should make the stress even worse. From a quick glance, I could not see any cracks? Did they alter the bulkhead area with the 300 TDI models? I don't think there is any difference between lefthand and righthand-steering, so there should be more drivers with that problem? Please keep us informed if you get new infos. |
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