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Lurch got bitten by the dreaded tin worm

Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 10:35 pm
by heinkeljb
One of the downsides of Lurch living outside in all weathers and being used off road is that you have to carry out running repairs.

So I cleaned out the footwell and discovered this:- (The white stuff is rust converter)
Footwell before starting work.jpg
So removing the front differential guard revealed this:-
Diff guard removed.jpg
From the inside:-
Tin worm holes from inside.jpg
Starting to cut back to good metal:-
Metal cut out.jpg
Then I forgot to take more photos! When I remembered new metal was about to be put in:-
New metal in place.jpg
Then I got started on the welding - which meant I forgot to take more photos but on the other hand, maybe that's a good thing!! My welding is functional but will never win any prizes...

Biggest problem now is doing the welding on the bits which are upside down. Gravity keeps making the molten metal want to drip downwards and fall on the floor or me!

Hopefully it will all be done in time for the Haflinger and Pinzgauer Club UK's outing next weekend. Then there are various other bits of tin worm to take care of. Standard places, the bottom of the engine side covers where they are bolted to the tie bar.

I might take some more pictures tomorrow as it goes back together.

John

Re: Lurch got bitten by the dreaded tin worm

Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 11:05 pm
by ogdenenterprise
Hi John, it looks like you are starting to win with the repairs, were the bolts on the front edge of the diff guard rusted solid. I changed mine to 316 stainless when I did the rebuild.

Dave

Re: Lurch got bitten by the dreaded tin worm

Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 5:46 am
by Julian B
Hi John, I admire your welding skills - well done!

Re: Lurch got bitten by the dreaded tin worm

Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 8:46 am
by heinkeljb
The ones I really ought to change to stainless steel are the 4 that hold the steering box in place. Those rusting will eventually cause the rings to split - I have seen a few with broken mounts.

I should order some.

I should have thought a bit more about doing this before I started and realised that I was going to have to try and weld upside down and asked to borrow your four post lift Julian. Atleast I would have been standing up rather than lying on my back!

Maybe I could borrow it when I need to do the rear engine covers?

John

Re: Lurch got bitten by the dreaded tin worm

Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:57 am
by AustHaflinger
I would be checking the double skin where the steering box bolts up - mine was rusting between the two sections of metal - I have holes drilled at the top that allows me to fill the gap between the two sections with fluid rust preventative - I have the holes filled with rubber stoppers.

Garry

Re: Lurch got bitten by the dreaded tin worm

Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 5:24 pm
by Julian B
John - you are always welcome to use it 8-)

Re: Lurch got bitten by the dreaded tin worm

Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:23 pm
by heinkeljb
As I would like to take Lurch to a treffen next weekend, I needed to get on with the repair work whilst the weather is clement. So no photos of it being welded back together. Only a couple of photos of it back together. I will do a better job of painting it on another weekend. At the moment it has a layer of primer which will last (I hope)!

View from the outside:-
Back together outside.jpg
View from the inside, only has a covering of rust converter at the moment.
back together inside.jpg
At the end of the day it is functional and solid and my foot won't go through the floor when I put it down on the floor!!

John

Re: Lurch got bitten by the dreaded tin worm

Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 9:25 pm
by heinkeljb
Left out the MOST important bit of this whole exercise! I was using an angle grinder to cut and clean the metal. Having cut rusty bits out, I was clearing out the flaked off rust behind the accelerator rod cover plate whilst I had the chance and this fell out!
Point 22 calibre bullet.jpg
Yes, you see correctly, a LIVE .22 calibre round! Just thankful it was not where I was cutting with the angle grinder or where I was welding!! :o
I wonder how many years that has been there waiting to go off?

Now the question is, how do I get rid of it?

John

Re: Lurch got bitten by the dreaded tin worm

Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 12:39 pm
by jhon
heinkeljb wrote: Now the question is, how do I get rid of it?

John
Hit it with a hammer. ;)

That's a thankless task that you have ahead of you John - still, it'll be worth it when you're done and it has a fresh lick of paint.

It's a satisfying feeling knowing that you've halted (or at least slowed down) the rot.