Removal of rear corner panel from RRC and replacing body/chassis bushes

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Richard - 21 Oct 2006 12:14 GMT

Rear frame requires welding in the area of the body - chassis mount
(thanks to Beamsends for bushes). It would appear that the job would be
made easier by removing the rear (N/S) corner panel. Is it feasible to
remove said panel without taking the wing off as well? Or is wing
removal (and refit) straightforward?

My intention would be to remove the corner before delivering the RR to
the welder, so I assume that the wing would have to be in place.

On a related note is there anything to watch for when replacing the
bushes? Will the back sag alarmingly when they are removed - possibly
not as the N/S hanger is only held in place by memory and rust!

Does the back of the body require lifting away from the chassis to
enable the bushes to be fitted? If so, where do you lift it?

TIA

Richard

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beamendsltd - 21 Oct 2006 12:24 GMT

> Rear frame requires welding in the area of the body - chassis mount
> (thanks to Beamsends for bushes). It would appear that the job would be
> made easier by removing the rear (N/S) corner panel. Is it feasible to
> remove said panel without taking the wing off as well? Or is wing
> removal (and refit) straightforward?

It is feasible - the corner panel (with the lights in) is a
bolt-on job (about 3,000,000 bolts).

> My intention would be to remove the corner before delivering the RR to
> the welder, so I assume that the wing would have to be in place.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Does the back of the body require lifting away from the chassis to
> enable the bushes to be fitted? If so, where do you lift it?

Anythings possible, buy usually a well judge pry-bar will suffice.

> TIA
>
> Richard

Richard

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Richard - 21 Oct 2006 12:26 GMT

> It is feasible - the corner panel (with the lights in) is a
> bolt-on job (about 3,000,000 bolts).

Sounds like typical RR thinking - an infinite number of dissimilar
fixings, of which 1% are designed to attract maximum corrosion and be
totally inaccessible - on an item that needs only 4 M6 bolts :-)

>>My intention would be to remove the corner before delivering the RR to
>>the welder, so I assume that the wing would have to be in place.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Anythings possible, buy usually a well judge pry-bar will suffice.

I'm sure that Roger (my man with MIG) will cope.

Richard

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Dougal - 21 Oct 2006 12:34 GMT

> Rear frame requires welding in the area of the body - chassis mount
> (thanks to Beamsends for bushes). It would appear that the job would be
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> Richard

It rather depends on how old the RRC is. The older ones, possibly only
the three door ones, had an access panel on the inside that allowed
access to the bolts holding the quarter panel to the rear side panel.
Then there's just a few pop rivets onto the tailgate frame.

The later ones don't have the access panel and you'll have to move the
entire assembly. Whilst it's a bit of a pig you don't need to separate
the quarter panel from the side panel, the entire bolted assembly can
be swung out of the way if you have enough room. You can hold it on
with two screws (and duct tape if you must) to drive it round the corner.

The rear end won't sag unless your problem extends to the second row
of mounts and even then ....

Fitting the rearmost bushes may be more of a chew than you expect. The
lower washer has the spacer tube attached which makes things
difficult. Separate the two parts and refit the tube from the top when
you install the upper rubber. Make sure that the tube and lower washer
mate easily before you install any of the bits. You might have to fit
the bolt the other way up.

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Richard - 21 Oct 2006 14:54 GMT

> The later ones don't have the access panel and you'll have to move the
> entire assembly. Whilst it's a bit of a pig you don't need to separate
> the quarter panel from the side panel, the entire bolted assembly can be
> swung out of the way if you have enough room. You can hold it on with
> two screws (and duct tape if you must) to drive it round the corner.

Sorry, I should have said: it's an 1988 4 door model. I'd better buy
some sticky tape. As I said, I'm only going to take the corner off if I
think it will make my welder's life easier.

> The rear end won't sag unless your problem extends to the second row of
> mounts and even then ....
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> before you install any of the bits. You might have to fit the bolt the
> other way up.

We pondered fitting the bolts upside down and the tubed washer from
above. Glad we're thinking on the right lines.

The only problem I can forsee is that all the bushes have collapsed to a
greater or lesser extent and I am going to fit new fat bushes in place
of pretty thin ones. Roger has to fabricate a new N/S hanger. Does he
make it so the new bush fits easily or does he replicate the original
hanger - thus, possibly, making the bush diabolical to fit. Actually
I've asked him to replace both rear bushes.

Maybe I should replace all the bushes <sigh> but for what benefit?

Ta

Richard

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Dougal - 21 Oct 2006 17:07 GMT

>> The later ones don't have the access panel and you'll have to move the
>> entire assembly. Whilst it's a bit of a pig you don't need to separate
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
>
> Richard

The old bushes will be squashed but there may be little benefit in
replacing them. Replicate the original metalwork - but, yes, it will
make inserting the new bush more difficult.

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