Body lift...how and with what?

[dod51e]

Hi guys,
I am in the process of welding up the new (rusty) toy. 1992 3.9 Vogue with LPG conversion.  I have done all four inner wings and now have a large bucket of rust to sweep off of the garage floor.  The rear cross member (or what is left of it!) is ready to come out and I suspect that the body will need to be lifted to get it replaced.  This has led me to realise that the 235/85/16's are going to be a tight fit (yes I will be swapping the 2" lift from the old 3.5 as pictured in the avatar, they fit perfectly) as when the LPG conversion was done the petrol tank was replaced (gas tank under boot floor) with a fabricated one that is slung under the floor and behind the o/s/r wheel thus reducing the clearance in the wheel arch! Oh what fun :doh:
So my question is; appart from undoing the body mount bolts what should one use to raise the body and, where does one get it and any helpful tips for making this as easy (if anything ever is) a job as possible?

Look forward to your advise even if it does come with rapturous laughter.

Cheers

Mark

P.S. Think I will need extended brake lines now too!

[electricbluebadger]

Pm Wizard I beleive he has done a kit for a Disco which is almost identical to the Rangey.

Cheers Steve

[Range Rover Blues]

You're asking how to lift the body whilst you repair the cross member rather than a permenant lift?

In which case it depends on how strong the shell is, but with the rubbers removed you should find that the crossmember mounts no longer touch the chassis anyway, though the body will flex a little but if it's empty then it shouldn''t be too bad.

Otherwise I'd suggest some propstand under the rear inner wings, but you'll also need to support the chassis too so that the gap doesn't vary.

The boot floor is supported on 2 crossmembers level with the wheelarch, you can see the brackets behind the wheels.  On onlder models these are adjustable too but on my softdash they are welded on.

[electricbluebadger]

You're asking how to lift the body whilst you repair the cross member rather than a permenant lift?

In which case it depends on how strong the shell is, but with the rubbers removed you should find that the crossmember mounts no longer touch the chassis anyway, though the body will flex a little but if it's empty then it shouldn''t be too bad.

Otherwise I'd suggest some propstand under the rear inner wings, but you'll also need to support the chassis too so that the gap doesn't vary.

The boot floor is supported on 2 crossmembers level with the wheelarch, you can see the brackets behind the wheels.  On onlder models these are adjustable too but on my softdash they are welded on.

Think he means permenant, hence the realising tyres will be tight and needing extended brake lines...

Cheers Steve

[wizard]

This might help

http://www.mud-club.com/forum/index.php/topic,45240.0.html


wizard :twisted:

[stuntman]

Helo chap, I've just done mine and I'm in the process of doing a mates disco.

You need to find a local metal merchant and ask to see if they can cut x10 40mm x 50mm solid bar, you may have access to a drill press, I did, and drill some 11mm holes trough the centres, if not the merchant may be able to do this for a small fee, then you need some M10 bolts, measure what you already have and add the extra 40mm or 50mm if you go 50mmx50mm bar.

Everything is very easy and it only takes a day.

The radiator mounts need to either be spaced out or do as I did and weld on to extension pieces with new holes. All worked fine for me,

The seat belt anchors are a pain, if you go the 40mm route then you don't need to replace them just loosen off the 4 anchors, but for safety I would reoplace them with a kit that wizard sells for a reasonable price.

My whole lift cost me about £21 ish then the kit from wizard. Always ask your metal merchant what will it be for cash?? You'll get a better deal.

Be prepared to find lots of rust while you're at it aswell.

[clbarclay]

For a 40mm lift (and probably higher) on a RRC all you have to do for the radiator mountings is drill a couple of holes lower down in the body.

[dod51e]

Well, here's the update.  It is virtually done.  As one would expect with an RRC there is a lot of rust around.  This means seized tight bolts that may need grinding off or a nut splitter.  Split pins that are imoveable and also need cutting off!!!  A lot of cutting.....good job they were all to be replaced.
I opted for a 40mm lift and found these on Ebay for £20 plus P&P along with Wizards kit for the rest.  Excellent kit although there are a couple of points worth noting.  The kit from Wizard is for 50mm so you will need several thick washers or a die and the packing blocks for under the boot floor are still not touching!!! (hope things will settle though).  For those of you who think that the seat belt mounts don't need changing......your wrong; they do!  The high low lever is just slightly stubbier and the steering rod just slips along in it's mounting.  The air intake mounting requires a little gentle alteration tomorrow, probably via  a large hammer!!  The rear bumper has already had a bracket made and mounted and one to be made tomorrow for the front.
All in all, far more time needed to remove the rusty old Cr*p than to fit the kit.
Just need to finish these last few bits, refit the interior and fingers crossed for the MOT when I get back from holiday in Feb.  Then its the fun of swapping the 2" lift from the old 3.5 along with new deflex bushes.
Thanks for the help and tips.
Cheers

Mark

[wizard]

well done.
It seems that each lift is unique in some way or another.
When i lifted the disco the original front seat belt tie rods were OK but the rears were to short.

Regards
wizard

[clbarclay]

along with new deflex bushes.

You choice not mine, but thats a different matter.

Sounds like the lift has gone reasonably well though.
For the 4 supports under the rear floor (and the 2 under the front seats) where the body normally just sits on the chassis, I just cut some sort lengths of 40x40x3 box section and tack welded them in place. The body is reasonably strong even without them, One of mine went AWOL (dodgy tack welding :doh:) but even with over half a ton of turkeys in the boot it held up.

[stuntman]

along with new deflex bushes.

but even with over half a ton of turkeys in the boot it held up.

 :shock: