Rust - Structural? Pass MOT?

W

wrcallar

It's done 140k miles and this is the resultant rust at the front of the car which I noticed when removing the rattling exhaust heat shield.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bbfrdo87vqfe6ht/20130616_170327.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/18xp74p2epqf596/20130616_170306.jpg

Makes me want to cry a little bit haha. What do I need to buy to fix this as I want to keep the car as the engine/gearbox/bodywork etc is perfect? I'm happy to swap it out with a second hand one from a scrappy if that is possible? Or would you cut and weld?

Cheers for any imput.
 
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121063480082

Wow cheap as chips eh! Surely a lot less hassle than welding? What kind of labour charge would swapping this out likely incur? I may attempt it myself and there may even be another Micra enthusiast in Kent that could help...!? *Fingers crossed hehe*

Edit: Anyone seen a thread with pics of someone that has replaced this before by any chance?
 
wrcallar said:
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121063480082

Wow cheap as chips eh! Surely a lot less hassle than welding? What kind of labour charge would swapping this out likely incur? I may attempt it myself and there may even be another Micra enthusiast in Kent that could help...!? *Fingers crossed hehe*

Edit: Anyone seen a thread with pics of someone that has replaced this before by any chance?
Click to expand...
I have done it.

All you need are:

1. A hammer
2. a chisel
3. a cordless or corded drill
4. Some still/metal drill bits
5. Spanners (or what ever you like to removed the botls)
6. An afternoon at the most (depends on how quick you are)

The process:

1. Removed the head lights
2. Remove the bumper.(to make it easier you can removed the front wheels )
3. Remove the upper cross member i
4. Remove the radiator surroundings and the radiator.
5. Drill the dot welded parts of the cross member
6. Removed the bolts from either side
7. Removed the bolts which connected the central sub-fram
8. Pull the cross member down
9. Put the new one on.
10. If you are fussy, you can do a some welding as well
11 Put back everything else in revers from 7

Here is the videos of what I have done:






Regards

Regards
 
Thanks for the vids! Really let me see the amount of work required! Looks like a challenge! Haha. Lets hope I don't come across any more issues whilst fixing this one!

Any idea what nuts and bolts are required to fit the new X-member? Reason I ask is because if they are anything like those on the heatsheild they will just snap on removal!

Is it still sturdy and safe without any support welding?
 
I think the welding is not for support, rather for keeping a bit tidy! The cross member is hold by bolts. Three are three bots at side plus the upper cross-member bolts which are three each side as well.

The size of the bolts, franks knows all the answers. I think by using some DW40 you should be okay.

Regards
 
I have the exact same welder. It'll do everything you'll need it to do too. Cheap at 120 mine was near 300
They soon earn their money back
 
i would be more concerned about the rest of the underside, thats one seriously neglected/rusted crossmember !
 
Where else is worth checking?I bought the car from a private trader and he has agreed to sort out all the labour for the job etc, I said i'd buy the crossmember.

Any pics of where else is worth checking thats an MOT fail? If I had it MOT'd now and it failed (2 months early) do I still have 2 months left or does the new one override the old one? I'm interested in putting it through the MOT to see what else needs fixing.
 
wrcallar said:
Where else is worth checking?I bought the car from a private trader and he has agreed to sort out all the labour for the job etc, I said i'd buy the crossmember.

Any pics of where else is worth checking thats an MOT fail? If I had it MOT'd now and it failed (2 months early) do I still have 2 months left or does the new one override the old one? I'm interested in putting it through the MOT to see what else needs fixing.
Click to expand...

The rust area that failed MOT on mine were:
1. The sills
2. Rear wheel arch.

Regards
 
h701micra said:
Your previous mot pass still stands :)
Click to expand...


I looked into this on a MOT forum when my car failed, actually once your car fails a MOT you are not *supposed* to drive it on the road. They did actually link to the reg's but it could just be internet talk?

Ta



P.S. that is some epic rust!
 
So MOT done just for peace of mind. Expected it to fail... it passed! All it needed was some adjustment to some BUS on the track rod end? I have no idea what that is (I probably mis heard what he said too!) but another £20 later and it passed with the rust being an advisory! Hehe! Happy days.

Front crossmember is still getting fixed by the private trader though so it looks like all is well :)

Cracking little car for £500! And to think it has done 140k!
 
Fantastic news 12 more months on the road. Plenty of time to fix any issues :)
Sounds like your rust isn't that bad either. Will soon clean up if you feel you'd like to tackle it. Nip it in the bud :)
 

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