Outrigger tube size?
Discussion
Gents
The FHC is coming on slowly. In addition to my electrical nightmares I have removed both sills to take a look at the outriggers etc.
Most of it looks bullet proof. However there has been a shoddy repair in the near side and there is a small 6" area on the off side which is pitted and feels a bit thin.
Does anyone know what the size of the tubing is please? 350i S1 1984.
Cheers Karl.
The FHC is coming on slowly. In addition to my electrical nightmares I have removed both sills to take a look at the outriggers etc.
Most of it looks bullet proof. However there has been a shoddy repair in the near side and there is a small 6" area on the off side which is pitted and feels a bit thin.
Does anyone know what the size of the tubing is please? 350i S1 1984.
Cheers Karl.
Have found the rear most part if my near side tube is looking rather scabby. Gonna whip off the sills to have a proper look over the hols though I'm rather worried at what I might find . At least my step- dad is a welder- fabricator so he might find an extra special pressie under his tree 
Been thinking the same thing - the only trouble is welding the new stainless outriggers to the rest of the mild steel chassis. Talking to my step-father ( 45 years as a welder fabricator ) he says it can be done but the mild steel chassis would have to be scrupulously clean and sound otherwise the weld won't penetrate or it'll blow through. Problem lies with trying to weld together metals of differing thermal conductivity - it's very hard to get them melting together to get a decent penetration of weld - you either get one not melting ( no penetration) or one blows through due to too much heat. One way round it is to reduce the thickness of the higher conductive material ( reducing the thermal conductive efficiency). It can be done but is probably beyond most of us amateur home welders. Anyone investigated this in depth ? As Adam says if done in stainless problem solved Do the outriggers have to be welded? Could they be sleeved and bolted or would this not be suitable for mot purposes ?
Do the outriggers have to be welded? Could they be sleeved and bolted or would this not be suitable for mot purposes ? TIG would be the way to go for stainless to mild, but you'd need the bodyshell out of the way or else need a stubby torch and more flexibility than a Russian teen gymnast
Of course there'd be no point in just replacing the sill tubes with S/S, you'd want to do the plates as well... and while you're at it the exhaust...
Of course there'd be no point in just replacing the sill tubes with S/S, you'd want to do the plates as well... and while you're at it the exhaust...
Good news and bad news on the outrigger front. Good news is the offside has been replaced an looks like new. Bad news is the nearside is original has been bodged and looks like s**te 
Could just repair for MOT but I'll be back trying to sort it out next time the rot breaks through so gonna replace it with new.
Next problem is sourcing materials - all the local suppliers only do trade and therefore supply in industrial quantities. Tried the bay but most tube is 1.2 mm wall.
Does anyone know a source where I can get some 38 mm tube about 2 mtrs and some 2 mm plate ? Either on the web for delivery or local ( I'm in Essex just by the Dartford crossing )
Thanks all Ron
Could just repair for MOT but I'll be back trying to sort it out next time the rot breaks through so gonna replace it with new.
Next problem is sourcing materials - all the local suppliers only do trade and therefore supply in industrial quantities. Tried the bay but most tube is 1.2 mm wall.
Does anyone know a source where I can get some 38 mm tube about 2 mtrs and some 2 mm plate ? Either on the web for delivery or local ( I'm in Essex just by the Dartford crossing )
Thanks all Ron
Ron
This is all I can find at the minute. I'm going to try a local fab shop after the holidays. I'll let you know if I can get anything reasonable. Last time I went there he let me have access to the scrap bin for a drink. obviously hes not going to have 2meter lengths of tube in the bin. But he's a nice guy with a passion for old rusty things on wheels.
eBay item number. 250619647438
Karl.
This is all I can find at the minute. I'm going to try a local fab shop after the holidays. I'll let you know if I can get anything reasonable. Last time I went there he let me have access to the scrap bin for a drink. obviously hes not going to have 2meter lengths of tube in the bin. But he's a nice guy with a passion for old rusty things on wheels.
eBay item number. 250619647438
Karl.
Cheers Karl but only 1m long. Outrigger is 1.5m plus I need some more to scarf into rest of chassis like this :- http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=938... need 3m really
Thanks anyway. Ron
Thanks anyway.
Ron Hi Karl
Your right if you go into their ebay shop they also do a 2m length. However I've found these peeps http://www.metalmaniauk.com online seem reasonable. Not open till 6th Jan though
Wanted to get done in hols while I've got the time. Have to see if I can source locally before the new year otherwise I'll have to wait for a free weekend in Jan. 
Your right if you go into their ebay shop they also do a 2m length. However I've found these peeps http://www.metalmaniauk.com online seem reasonable. Not open till 6th Jan though
Wanted to get done in hols while I've got the time. Have to see if I can source locally before the new year otherwise I'll have to wait for a free weekend in Jan. I was thinking - get some thinner stainless tubes that interference fit into the original tubes coming out of the backbone. After cutting off the rotted sill then knock the tubes into place. They could be fixed in place with spot welds through the old tubes.
Then the new sill pipes could slide onto these new tubes and weld up at the seam, with the inner tube providing reinforcement.
On the other hand I've welded mild to stainless with not much problem, the coefficients of expansion are probably significant when welding precision parts but these are just chassis tubes, and have a little "give" in them.
Then the new sill pipes could slide onto these new tubes and weld up at the seam, with the inner tube providing reinforcement.
On the other hand I've welded mild to stainless with not much problem, the coefficients of expansion are probably significant when welding precision parts but these are just chassis tubes, and have a little "give" in them.
adam quantrill said:
I was thinking - get some thinner stainless tubes that interference fit into the original tubes coming out of the backbone. After cutting off the rotted sill then knock the tubes into place. They could be fixed in place with spot welds through the old tubes.
Then the new sill pipes could slide onto these new tubes and weld up at the seam, with the inner tube providing reinforcement.
On the other hand I've welded mild to stainless with not much problem, the coefficients of expansion are probably significant when welding precision parts but these are just chassis tubes, and have a little "give" in them.
Could you not drill, tap and bolt through? Or even hot rivet?Then the new sill pipes could slide onto these new tubes and weld up at the seam, with the inner tube providing reinforcement.
On the other hand I've welded mild to stainless with not much problem, the coefficients of expansion are probably significant when welding precision parts but these are just chassis tubes, and have a little "give" in them.
Can't really see what's so wrong with a bit of "I" section.
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