Repair or replace

[Bigdog]

Do you think these need replacing or repaired, would like to keep the chassis number, thanks

[simonbav]

A heck of a job to repair even if you've stripped your chassis and flipped it. Ask me how I know. 

[MartinC]

Personally I would replace the chassis and have it stamped with your number. You could probably repair the various sections but in my experience other parts of the chassis which currently appear sound are likely to have unseen serious corrosion. Some years ago I replaced a chassis with  a galvanised Richards. When I cut the old chassis up I realised I had made the correct decision because the long chassis sections had serious wasting. Martin

[Bigdog]

It's only the dumb irons that are bad, rest is really good

[malcolm]

I'm trying to figure out from the pics has there been repairs before to the front end.
Its very labour intensive, in the long run if the body is off its maybe better replacing the chassis.

[Bigdog]

No it doesn't look like any repairs have previously been done to the chassis

[Craig T]

I assume those are military style dumbirons or are they 1-ton versions?
 
I would replace them I think. Some of the pitting on the side of the main spring plates looks pretty deep.

The alternative is to cut all the welds and try to reduce the dumb-iron to component parts, repair the end of the chassis rails then reattach the side plates with the number on them.

You will need to dismantle most of the front end off course, bumper, grill, radiator, wings etc to get decent access.

Just looked here and you can get the front crossmember with both dumb-irons as an assembly. Could be the easier option depending how far back the rust has gone.
https://ddsmetal.co.uk/?s=1+ton&post_type=product&dgwt_wcas=1
I would avoid the galvanised one I think, not very nice to weld onto as you need to grind it all away to get a decent weld and not gas yourself on zinc fumes.

Good for you wanting to repair it too. I like to have the original chassis myself and if you repair it well, the join can be invisible so no one would ever know.

Craig.

[DogDave]

I have just had a dds front quarter chassis as described above put onto the series 3 as that needed replacing.

Very well made. They were happy to supply in bare steel which is what we did as welding to galv as described above. Was a slight discrepancy in difference from end cross member to end of dumb iron compared to what we took off but mine had been bodged by a PO so not sure whether the error is on their side or my vehicle- all it meant was had to drill 3 holes for the front panel fixings so no big deal.

Oh and it didn't have the bit for the oil cooler to fasten to (like slightly raised with tapped holes for the 4 bolts) so the guy doing my welding added that in. I guess as military and one ton is not exactly the same the oil cooler might not be on a one ton perhaps.

I'd use dds again anyway. The price of it doesn't buy that many hours if you are paying to have welding repairs.