Think I need a new outrigger...

[jaja4421]

Bought the car last August - looked fine, but jacking up the rear over the winter to service the shocks and brakes exposed some rust. Had been cleverly covered with filler and underseal - not very impressed!! That's the driver side seat belt anchor point!

Only good news is that it's only one side...

[Alistair H.]

If one side has gone...the other will be soon to follow.

[TimJM]

If the outriggers are in that condition and filler has been used I would have the main chassis inspected.

[jaja4421]

had an inspection over the weekend - passenger side nice and solid (although I take the point that it may be better/easier to get both sides done at the same time). Main chassis all good - mechanic commented "that's been well protected by the oil leaks!"

[JimChim500]

jaja4421 said:

Bought the car last August - looked fine, but jacking up the rear over the winter to service the shocks and brakes exposed some rust. Had been cleverly covered with filler and underseal - not very impressed!! That's the driver side seat belt anchor point!

Only good news is that it's only one side...

Bl**** Hell. I can imagine you're not impressed - presumably a private purchase? Good that you found it now!

[Zippee]

JimChim500 said:

Bl**** Hell. I can imagine you're not impressed - presumably a private purchase? Good that you found it now!

What makes you say that? Presume you mean in terms of warranty/SOGA than anything else as I've seen some real dogs at some TVR Indies ready for sale.

[QBee]

Mine came from a dealer in May 2012.
Reputable inspection pronounced outriggers fine.
Failed the MOT on outriggers April 2013, 6,000 miles later.
Frankly, outriggers tend to go where you cannot see.....

[jaja4421]

As it happens it was a private sale, but I had seen some cr*p in dealerships while I was looking, so don't think you can draw too many conclusions from that - there are good dealers and bad dealers as well as good and bad private sellers. I liked the guy I bought this off so I'd like to think he didn't know, but equally he seemed quite clued up, so don't know how he wouldn't have known. Poor show by the MOT tester though for missing it...

I consider myself reasonable competent at spotting dogs, but this was cleverly concealed with a small piece of metal tube set in with filler, and well covered with under seal which was consistent across both outriggers so there was no reason or indication to inspect this part more than any other. It only came to light when I damaged it jacking the car up to service the shocks and brakes.

[K4TRV]

Alistair H. said:

If one side has gone...the other will be soon to follow.

^^ +1 ^^ he knows and whilst not a Chim owner, he bit-the-bullet with body-off on his Cerb

The part you cannot see/touch (top of tubes) is where it goes, well before you "see" the evidence!!

Just a helpful comment 8-))

Trev

[Chuffmeister]

I would image that under normal usage the nearside (pax side) would be worse, given that is where the car meets with more mud, stones, puddles, gutters etc?

[jojackson4]

When the bodey is lifted it will be both sides

[TJC46]

Alistair H. said:

If one side has gone...the other will be soon to follow.

This....... .....Sorry to sound like the prophet of doom, but take it from someone who has lifted the body to reveal plenty of horrors!

A lot of these cars are at an age where they need outrigger work. Throughout the TVR forums i have yet to see one, that just has rot on one side.

Get your car up on a ramp and really inspect it.
Stick a screwdriver everywhere.

Think yourself fortunate to have found the rot now, because as your picture shows, that is the point where the seatbelt is atttached to the chassis.

I cannot begin to imagine what would have happened in the event of an accident or even having to hit the brakes hard in an emergency stop situation.

[CHEF_GOLF]

Mine 2 weeks ago

[CHEF_GOLF]

And now

[CHEF_GOLF]

My mechanic replaced mine. He's good. If you want his number let me know and he's reasonably priced