FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

Can anyone please advise me on Chassis Kits ?

I am fitting a XU1 (RED 202) to my FC Sedan, and am wondering if I really need a chassis kit ?

If I do need one, is it worth the expense of buying a kit from the ROD SHOP, or is it just as easy and cheaper to make your own.

If I was going to make my own...anyone have pics and dimensions ??

Any help is greatly appreciated !

Cheers

Mark

I wasn't going to bother and rego wasn't going to make me, until I told them the 202 was modified. Get underneath your car and have a look at the chassis (snigger, what chassis) too.
I toyed with idea of making my own, had some shots of a HR version and pictures of the hadfield kit too. But I am time poor (thanks for that one RET) at the moment and have been for quite some time. So I bought the Hadfield Kit, very tidy and includes a tailshaft loop, it cost me $350 odd. Drilling and bolting mostly with a couple of small welds, haven't got around to putting mine in though. Another plus, the engineers like them as they are a known quantity.
Cheap peace of mind in my opinion.

G'day Mark,

I tend to agree that the chassis kit is a good idea... Probably the only thing I would buy if doing it all again.
The only trap is if you have repaired the underbody cross-member with rare spares parts as they just cover the old bits. The chassis kits are made to fit the original Fe Fc underbody cross-member.

Hope this helps
Jason.  ;D

Jason...can you explain a bit more.......I have replaced the front crossmember supports that are under the front floorpans, is that whay you mean ?

How do the chassis kits fit to these...and as I've already welded these replacement members in place, how do I manage to still fit a chassis kit in ?

Sorry to sound so un-educated.

Cheers
Mark

This topic is covered pretty well somewhere else in this forum, so perhaps try a search.
If you have replaced the front crossmembers, fabricating a chassis should be no harder?

http://www.fefcholden.org.au/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=hotup;action=display;num=1059898103;start=

Also there were some picyures somewhere?

Sgo is right,

I think that the topic is covered somewhere else on the forum in more detail, but from memory you had to cut the front of the half chassis to fit over the underbody cross member, then buy longer bolts to fit. however I think that this will also affect the attachment that bolts to the Y frame.

Hope this helps a little.

Cheers
Jason.

Mark,

I'm at the stage of fitting up the kit.

The chassis rails that go back to the rear spring hangers from the crossmembers have a saddle which is supposed to fit over these crossmembers.

The saddle is sized for the standard crossmember, not the repair sections which are oversize.

Rather than modifying the chassis kit, I'm having new crossmember sections folded up to standard size, and I'll refit them under the floor, because my oversize ones are an older repair and not in very good condition.

You need to consider whether it is easier to modify the CRS kit, which may affect the alignment of the sections which go forward and bolt up to the old rear engine mount positions at each side of the Y frames, or modify the work that has already been done to the crossmember.

On the topic, I'm going to have the rear of my chassis rails modified so that they can be a bolt in and out installation, rather than welded. (Although this does require welding to the rails and the underside of the car)

Regards

Edward

Thanks everyone for your advice.....I'm soaking it up like a sponge...please keep it coming.

Mark

I only have a pic of the unboltable rails in my wagon (at rear spring hanger)

as below...

how did the esky get shoved under the car too? hmmm

(http://photo.starblvd.net/Ed74mnd/1-4-1.jpg)

Mark

When ordering from the rodshop, let him know you have used rares rust repair sections and he should be able to supply a kit to suit. ( A mate bought one to suit EK Van a couple of years ago. fitted around the rares sections just fine)

Regards a-c.

A word of advise to any one repairing rust by fitting rare spares or other brands of repair sections:  I noticed that some one mentioned that the rare spares sections are meant to simply go over the old sections... I am constantly horrified this is the advise given out by Rares as this is the best way to encourge more rust. Anywhere you have rust -REMOVE IT!... that means totally.... If the rare spares sections are oversize to the point where thay wont fit in happily then I reccomend that any one contemplating such a repair simply fold their own.... it aint hard... I make mine all the time and you dont need specialised tools... Simply measure your old section, transfer these measurements to a peice of stiff white card or the Kellogs box out of the rubbish bin  and fold this hat section cardboard template up until you are happy with it and how it fits...You now have the option of going to a sheet metal shop and get them to fold up one continous length ... about four foot of it to make it worth while....If you have some of your own 1.2 mm zinc steel around then folding it up on your work bench is not hard as well, although I do reccomend you get it folded down at the sheet metal shop... This is much cheaper than buying rares sections and it will be the correct size...Keep you card board template or get enough of this steel bent up like I do so it will do several cars...  A small over lap is acceptable  and makes for a stronger welded join. I reccomend buying a step joddling tool from Supa cheap for around $100 and this tool will help for ALL of your rust repairs. Just remember  -..... NEVER plate over existing rust... EVER!!!... Cheers streetneat....

I agree with Streetneats comments as I've experienced what happens when the new sections are just welded in over the old rusty ones. The previous owner replaced all the rusty chassis sections on my wagon using this method and I had to do them again after just 3 years!
The existing rust continues it's progress and just eats straight through the rares untreated mild steel like it was tinfoil.
Leigh

stupid question number 83:
  what is a 'step joddling tool'?

It creates a small step around the edge of the new panel which makes the new panel and the old panel appear to butt together when you sit the new panel in place.
Ken