Defender chassis welding repair

Scope

The cool thing about being an engineer? You can just build and fix stuff. You figure it out.

When I was 14, I learned how to weld. That skill I always valued. At 20, I traded the workshop for an office job making technical drawings all day.

But that hands-on work I did before? Still one of the best things I ever learned.

Now at 33, those same skills still come in handy.

My dad's Defender failed inspection because of rust holes in the chassis. So I grabbed my welding gear and got under the truck to fix it.

The welding was challenging because the steel was thin, areas were hard to reach and a MIG welder doesn't like rust. It creates spatter (which falls on you if you lie below the area you're welding…. 😉).

By grinding the bad spots away, putting back small pieces of new sheet metal and patiently welding everything back up, I finally closed all the holes in the chassis.

My dad put multiple layers of paint on the repaired areas which makes it look like it was never rusted.

The inspection mechanic was happy with how it turned out and my dad is back on the road!

Photos

Rusted area at the back of the chassis.

Repaired area at the back of the chassis.

Rusted area at the front of the bumper.

Completely fixed bumper and chassis.

Action photo of me welding the chassis of the Defender.