Outrigger replacement tube sleeving

[TimJM]

First off apologies if this is your car in the picture I found (I should have really tried to find the owner and asked to use it first) - I am not picking fault in anyway but I am trying to gather a general consensus on chassis tube sleeving.

If you are cutting and replacing chassis tubes is it generally better to sleeve the tubes inside or outside? I am not that interested in aesthetics, more interested on strength and durability. I found this image which looks to me like the tube is sleeved on the outside and wondered if this is a better approach than inside:

[Adrian@]

Apart from the fact that all T car chassis ARE done like that as OE..IMHO it's down to the person doing the job...I only do internal joints, I do like the idea of all the cars having the externally sleeved joints though for ease of replacement.
Adrian@

Edited by Adrian@ on Friday 5th July 12:09

[Barreti]

Mine are sleeved on the inside. I courted opinion on strength and generally it was to sleeve it inside with good portion of sleeve either side of the joint so it acts as a stressed member. Then welding the down tubes and the sleeve should substantially improve strength rather than remove it because of the weld.
My sleeve was so tight it had to be hammered home, which sleeving over the weld wouldn't allow.

But then I always over-engineer. Its a British trait I think.

[Jhonno]

Barreti said:

Mine are sleeved on the inside. I courted opinion on strength and generally it was to sleeve it inside with good portion of sleeve either side of the joint so it acts as a stressed member. Then welding the down tubes and the sleeve should substantially improve strength rather than remove it because of the weld.
My sleeve was so tight it had to be hammered home, which sleeving over the weld wouldn't allow.

But then I always over-engineer. Its a British trait I think.

This would be my preference also!

[TA14]

Sleeving on the outside is stronger but there won't be a lot in it. An advantage to sleeving on the inside is that it allows you to line the tubes up easily, plus IMO sleeving on the inside looks neater. Or you can just add stiffeners.

[peteA]

The photo is of may car prior to it all being cleaned up - I wouldn't have posted it on PH if I had any problems with it being in the public domain so no problems!

Interesting question - as stated earlier this is standard on T cars. Interestingly though, I don't recall my Chimaera, Cerb or Griff having out-riggers like this so I wonder why TVR changed? Is it just down to increased strength? easier manufacturing? why not just install a thicker stronger tube...weight?

[TimJM]

peteA said:

The photo is of may car prior to it all being cleaned up - I wouldn't have posted it on PH if I had any problems with it being in the public domain so no problems!

Interesting question - as stated earlier this is standard on T cars. Interestingly though, I don't recall my Chimaera, Cerb or Griff having out-riggers like this so I wonder why TVR changed? Is it just down to increased strength? easier manufacturing? why not just install a thicker stronger tube...weight?

Cool - I know some people get a little tetchy if they think you are cast aspersions on their P&J.

I didn't know all T cars were like that. I've seen a number of T car chassis and never noticed it before. It does lead me to question though if that outer sleeve is there for a join or some other reason (that I don't know about). I can't think why TVR would join that tube half way down out the factory if all other TVRs just have a single section from the main chassis member down to the outrigger. Very odd.

[Adrian@]

My understanding is heat related twist in production, it is so much simpler to weld that down brace in afterwards once all the other weld joints have cooled down, I can see it being easier to get the outriggers true.
Adrian@

[Twistygit]

So how did TVR join the main chassis rail?

[Adrian@]

IF you look at the OP's picture, you will see the arc cut-out the under rack, and the minor arc behind/below...these 2 for/aft main tubes are of thicker tube section than the rear main sections, the answer is that they are all butt welded, dressing of the edges (this in welding terms 'fillet joint' would be what you would taught to do, as it would give a stronger joint).
Adrian@

[Twistygit]

I've seen in some chassis refurb threads where people have repaired the lower main chassis rail, usually where the outrigger is welded on, by cutting a rectangle out and weld a new piece in. Is this method a satisfactory repair or should it be strengthened some how?

[Adrian@]

I would expect to find more wrong with the chassis central tubes, given that, I am presuming here that the old outrigger tube has been dressed off to find that the corrosion has rotted the square section that you want to mount the new outrigger tube to! If that were the case, I would want the body off, then it would not be done in isolation, properly assessed and welding with a proper kit could be done.
Adrian@