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Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT My new garage in Wales

Workspaces sized between 265 and 485 squarefeet.
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Kurt V

Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2013
Messages
21
Location
Lincoln, NE
Zebedeewesty said:
Do the road authorities salt the roads in winter there? The UK roads are normally covered in it in winter which accelerates the rust dramatically. Normally be have pretty high humidity in winter. Everything just seems to stay wet for weeks or even months.
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Here in the eastern Nebraska part of the state, they use a brine mix. However, it normally gets so cold here in the winter, that brine, or even pure salt, would not melt the snow or ice. Subzero degree Fahrenheit, for days at a time is not unusual. And I will go to the car wash and spray the bottom of the Jeep whenever I can after the snow melts.
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Z

Zebedeewesty

Well-known member
Joined
May 31, 2013
Messages
4,045
Location
Wales, UK
Hunting down an annoying squeaking noise today from the autosleeper's engine.
Removed the belt and the sound dissappears so not the timing belt. (y)
Not sure if its a stretched auxiliary belt causing it to be too slack or the power steering pump complaining.
The tensioner is good, both the alternator and a/c compressor are silent when spun (no bearing noise), and the top idler pulley is pretty quiet too. The bottom most idler pulley is a little noisy and rusty so i might replace that as it doesn't look like it was replaced when the rest were.
 
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Zebedeewesty

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Joined
May 31, 2013
Messages
4,045
Location
Wales, UK
Had the caravelle in for its MOT this afternoon. Failed on a couple of spots of rot, one on the inside face of the chassis rail in a really inaccessible place to fix :rolleyes: and the other behind the front suspension top mount which is also a PITA to get to (or even see).
Couple of advisories. Bit of rear wheel bearing play both sides plus a slightly noisy o/s rear wheel bearing (i replaced the n/s last year for the second time in 6 months). Front brake pads worn down, though i only replaced them 2 years ago when i rebuilt the brake calipers with new pistons and seals.
 
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Z

Zebedeewesty

Well-known member
Joined
May 31, 2013
Messages
4,045
Location
Wales, UK
Jacko264 said:
Sorry to read about the mot fail but knowing you you will get it jacked up and repair the rot
Dont forget fuel pipes melt
a friend of mine found this the hard way and passed away
G
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The rear chassis rail rot is at the opposite side of the van from the fuel line, though not one of the heaters lines. :rolleyes: The front bit is a foot or more infront of the fuel tank.
This is where the rot is at the back (theres a factory hole punched into the chassis rail thats now a rusty hole twice the size) as there was a load of mud in the chassis rail.
This was when i replaced the transmission. Look at all that space where i could have sat in to cut and weld. Instead i'll be working on my back welding above my head. :(
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Zebedeewesty

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Joined
May 31, 2013
Messages
4,045
Location
Wales, UK
Managed to get my phone in to have a look at the bits i need to repair.
There was loads of mud packed onto the ledge and theres some still on the top of the chassis rail too from the look of it. It was a factory hole maybe an inch in diameter but just rotted out further.
I'll just chop it out with a grinder for the horizontal cuts and a dremel for the vertical ones and weld some 2mm steel in its place (with a hole cut in the middle to look factory).2026-05-01 10.45.23.JPG
The bit at the front is just a folded section of steel that runs the full width of the van between the shock towers and supports the cab floor. Seems thinner than the 2mm the chassis rails are made of. I think i've got some 1.5mm mild steel i can just fold to shape in the vise.
This is what it looks like in the parts catalogue.
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I think i can probably just chop this section out and weld a new folded Z shaped bit of steel in.
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Access is a PITA though as its below the box under the seat and behind the shock top mount. A sabre saw might get it from below but i don't own one and theres not a lot of space for getting a grinder in so maybe dremel it out and weld new bit back in using a mirror to see what i'm doing. :unsure:
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Zebedeewesty

Well-known member
Joined
May 31, 2013
Messages
4,045
Location
Wales, UK
Jacko264 said:
How bigger job would it be to fit a New Cross rail ? Can you still buy them and at what price
G
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Only ever seen one NOS one come up for sale but it was well over £400 and would require the cab floor, seat boxes and suspension spring top mounts to be chopped out to replace it.

Did a bit of chopping this afternoon. Couldn't get the grinder in so it was chopped out with a dremel multitool.
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Bit of plate cut to fit the hole.
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Welded in. Couldn't grind the welds down so just painted over them with red oxide. I'll spray some tetraschutz over it once its dry then spray cavity wax inside the chassis rail.
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Jacko264

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
923
Location
Kingston upon Hull uk
A belt sander is what you want there great for getting in small areas
I use to repair bus chassis like putting air bag mounts on chassis etc
that is a tight job to do and belt sanders was your friend when grinding and cutting the old plates off .
G
 
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Zebedeewesty

Well-known member
Joined
May 31, 2013
Messages
4,045
Location
Wales, UK
Jacko264 said:
A belt sander is what you want there great for getting in small areas
I use to repair bus chassis like putting air bag mounts on chassis etc
that is a tight job to do and belt sanders was your friend when grinding and cutting the old plates off .
G
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I've got one but the motor on the side is too big to fit into most places i've really needed. It kept snapping the abrasive belts when i tried to use it. I think the bearing on the arm is on its way out and is causing it to spin off centre so the belt catches the side of the housing and snaps. :(
 
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Zebedeewesty

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May 31, 2013
Messages
4,045
Location
Wales, UK
Had a look at the other bit of crossmember which turns out was just as bad as the first bit. I spent a long time with a hacksaw blade in a holder cutting through them from below. A sabre saw would have made light work of it but theres not the spaceto cut from above and the throw and blade length isn't long enough to get it from underneath.
The rear brake compensator valve is also mounted on the inside face of the chassis rail just where i wanted to be cutting so theres another 2 brake lines along from that along with the one for the front caliper to avoid cutting into.
2026-05-02 12.59.14.JPGRealised it would probably have been easier if i'd just chopped the box out from under the drivers seat as its directly above the parts i was struggling to cut out. It'd then need about 4 ft of welding to put it back in though.
 
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Zebedeewesty

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Joined
May 31, 2013
Messages
4,045
Location
Wales, UK
larry4406 said:
The landscape and scenery around you is fantastic!
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Its nice when its not raining.
Went to get some LPG this afternoon as it was forecast rain so i knew i'd not get anything done on the caravelle outside. Driving up over the hill to Fishguard and the sky turned pitch black, the temperature dropped 5c in a couple of minutes but no rain fell. Most weird.
Its been raining most of the afternoon now.
 
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Zebedeewesty

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Joined
May 31, 2013
Messages
4,045
Location
Wales, UK
This is the bit between the top spring/shock mounts i've been struggling to get access to to repair. Looks a lot easier with the seat boxes and floor out.
Screenshot_4-5-2026_11839_www.garagejournal.com.jpeg
 
P

Prospecter

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May 16, 2015
Messages
2,373
Location
Maine
Looks like you've got it figured out. It's annoying and inconvenient when manufacturers do not plan for end user repairs. :coffee:
 
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Zebedeewesty

Well-known member
Joined
May 31, 2013
Messages
4,045
Location
Wales, UK
Prospecter said:
Looks like you've got it figured out. It's annoying and inconvenient when manufacturers do not plan for end user repairs. :coffee:
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The problem is the vans were built in sections which makes repairing everything difficult.
The chassis was built then the floor attached afterwards. Sides were built as a complete bumper to bumper floor to roof section then stood up and welded in place too so getting to any rot in the seams is near impossible as the inner structure was fitted after the outer side panels were welded together. :rolleyes:

Fitted a new auxiliary belt (one the correct length) and replaced one of the idler pulleys and the autosleeper is nice and quiet again with no annoying squeak. (y)

Holly took over Fran's recliner this afternoon. She doesn't look guilty or anything.:ROFLMAO:
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Zebedeewesty

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May 31, 2013
Messages
4,045
Location
Wales, UK
Gave the repairs to the caravelle a quick coat of black paint and took it back to Rushacre for them to check out if the repairs had been done. Came away with an MOT pass sheet. (y)

This mk2 golf gti has been sitting in their yard for at least 5 years now. :( Looks pretty tidy (from this side anyway), the drivers side is covered in moss.
Screenshot_6-5-2026_173512_www.google.com.jpeg

Missus has her foot op tomorrow morning so i need to drop her off at the hospital for 7:30am. Hopefully it'll be dry in the morning and i can take the dogs for a wander round the old racecourse again.
 
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