Herald Boot Outriggers

[Stuart R]

Seeing Bordfunker's reached the stage where he's contemplating replacing his boot outriggers, I thought I'd try and replace the thread I put on the old lost forum about how I got on with mine.  I've been meaning to replace this lost material for some time.

 

I can't guarantee it's the right method, but at least it gives someone an idea of what's involved.

 

This goes back to the Summer of 2009, so I can't remember every small detail.  My outriggers were full of holes and it seemed it would be a more effective use of time to make the 4 lines of weld and replace the outrigger rather than attempt a variety of patches.  Pictures are of work on the the off-side.

 

 

 

Whilst the outrigger was removed, I made repairs to the corner of the boot floor where the rot sets in around the outrigger mounting point.  Before work commenced, I made a notched wooden prop and placed it under the over-rider bolt tube in an attempt to keep the boot floor at a constant height throughout the work.  Obviously,  the rear chassis was supported on axle stands throughout.

 

I bravely made a hacksaw cut through the old outrigger, around 10mm away from what looked the original factory weld.

 

 

It was obvious at this point, when trying the new outrigger for size that I needed to take off more of the stub left on the chassis.  There was also a metal 'tongue' visible inside the stub.

 

 

 

I started taking of a little more of the stub, just a bit at a time, you can't put the metal back!  After a bit of cutting, I was a bit shocked that the metal tongue gave way, but at least it allowed the new outrigger to slide nicely into the stub remaining on the chassis.  I assumed the tongue was the remnants of the original outrigger, but don't know if that's true.

 

 

 

 

Now with the outrigger able to slide in and out of the stub, I found the right position by bolting it into place on my newly-patched boot floor.  Here is where errors may creep in, although I'd made cardboard templates, can I guarantee the holes in the new boot for are 'exactly' in the right place?  And where did the outrigger bolts sit?  Right in the middle of these holes, or up to one edge?  I can't remember now and not sure I could remember then either!

 

Anyway, with it bolted in the correct position to the boot floor I could see that a weld on the underside and outside of the chassis would be relatively easy.  On the inside of the rail, I just had to take a few more mm of the old metal and then found a point where the trimmed edge met closely with an angled tab at the end of the outrigger.

 

 

I had to up the welding power and move the MIG torch from side to side to ensure I made a nice weld and looking back at these pictures, maybe should have moved a bit more slowly for better penetration.

 

 

There is just enough room with the rear wheel removed to get the MIG torch onto the top of the rail for the final weld, however it was done more by touch here (feeling the wire touch the join before pulling the trigger) as with the torch in the way, you cannot see what you're doing.

 

 

Hope this may be useful to somebody!

 

I've left a full rundown of my lengthy Herald project work in the Blogs section at the top of the page.

 

Stuart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bordfunker]

Stuart, many thanks for posting that, most useful.

 

I was toying with the idea of leaving a stub of the old outrigger in situ, creating a sleeve on the new outrigger, sliding that over, and then welding around join.

 

My reasoning being that I am less likely to blow through on a double thickness join than a single thickness.

 

I've left the mounting points, rust and all, in situ until I get the outrigger welded in. I'll then remove the boot corner and reinforcing plate.

 

This should hopefully ensure I maintain the correct alignment.

 

Thanks

 

Karl

[Bordfunker]

Well my plan isn't going to work as the new outrigger is a different design to the original, therefore I'm going to have cut the old one off completely and weld the new one to the end of the main chassis.

 

Might have to leave this until the front wheels are back on so that I can remove the passenger side rear wheel for welding access.

 

Karl