Grumpys Rollover Jig

[thetobymac]

I need to replace part of the front left Chassis leg. I have borrowed a Grumpys Rollover Jig
I am not very good at grinding and welding upside down

I have a 1971 Morris Minor 4 Door Saloon, Engine is still in. I have drained the fuel tank, oil and radiator.

I have some questions
Do I have to remove the engine? I have not done this before
How do you rollover a car with an engione in? Strap engine and use a few people? 3 or 4
How do you roll it back, same amount of people? I imainge its quote heavy with the engine in, dont really want to bounce it back down...
Any tips?
Anyone done it before?

Or should I not use Jjg and just jack and axle stands and just do it with out the jig?

Any suggestions gratefully received, or any one with a workshop and a car lift they can lend me for a day so I can lift it right up...

Toby

[kevin s]

Fistly I think you might end up replacing most of the front section of the chassis leg, they are double skinned and rot from the inside out, what you can see is probably only the tip of the iceberg.
Given the engine is very close to and mounts on the chassis leg I would take it out first, with engine out and front panel off there won't be much upside down welding, most of it is on the sides or plug welding from the top, for the couple of welds accross the bottom clean it all up well, turn the power up and do it in a series of short bursts.
I'd just get it up high and not bother with the jig, also less chance of distortion if is up the right way and well supported in several places.

[thetobymac]

Fistly I think you might end up replacing most of the front section of the chassis leg, they are double skinned and rot from the inside out, what you can see is probably only the tip of the iceberg.
Given the engine is very close to and mounts on the chassis leg I would take it out first, with engine out and front panel off there won't be much upside down welding, most of it is on the sides or plug welding from the top, for the couple of welds accross the bottom clean it all up well, turn the power up and do it in a series of short bursts.
I'd just get it up high and not bother with the jig, also less chance of distortion if is up the right way and well supported in several places.

Thansk for taking time to respond, I got the full chasis leg replacement.
I think I will remove the engine as it will be easier I think. Now to Google how to remove an engine !

Toby

[ManyMinors]

I did the same job on my Minor 1000 fairly recently. I certainly didn't consider a rollover jig or removing the engine both of which would have taken many more hours. I had to remove the engine mounting of course and supported the engine in situ. The car was jacked up high enough to gain decent access and the suspension removed. All the spot welds were drilled out securing the original rusted leg and once all the surroundings were cleaned up it was a pretty simple matter of drilling through and plug welding the replacement leg into position. I must say that the new section (supplied by ESM) fitted almost perfectly and it was a straightforward repair really. All the suspension fitted back together easily with just replacement of various bushes while apart. Several good coats of paint and a soaking inside the new leg with a cavity wax should prevent further corrosion for a long time to come.
Good luck with it. I would only consider turning the car on its side if carrying out a fairly major restoration and the car being largely stripped out beforehand.

[kevin s]

if you have an engine crane it's not a difficult job to get the engine/gearbox out, Basically remove front panel / radiator , disconnect the hoses, cables and wires, remove the prop, disconnect the clutch unbolt the rear crossmember from the body, undo the engine mount bolts and lift it out.

There is better access to the left hand side than right with the engine in, you may be able to work around the engine OK on the LHS.

[Chipper]

If removing just the engine, you can get away by removing the front panel, undoing all the usual bellhousing bolts, starter motor, carb, exhaust, heater connections, etc., and wheeling the engine away from the gearbox with a suitable trolley jack under the sump (use a plank of wood to protect it); it can then be lifted out quite easily with 2 people, so no real need for an engine crane.

It helps to disconnect the bonnet support, and use a rope around the rear bumper to pull the bonnet as far upright as possible (taking care not to scratch nice paintwork, of course...)

[thetobymac]

I did the same job on my Minor 1000 fairly recently. I certainly didn't consider a rollover jig or removing the engine both of which would have taken many more hours. I had to remove the engine mounting of course and supported the engine in situ. The car was jacked up high enough to gain decent access and the suspension removed. All the spot welds were drilled out securing the original rusted leg and once all the surroundings were cleaned up it was a pretty simple matter of drilling through and plug welding the replacement leg into position. I must say that the new section (supplied by ESM) fitted almost perfectly and it was a straightforward repair really. All the suspension fitted back together easily with just replacement of various bushes while apart. Several good coats of paint and a soaking inside the new leg with a cavity wax should prevent further corrosion for a long time to come.
Good luck with it. I would only consider turning the car on its side if carrying out a fairly major restoration and the car being largely stripped out beforehand.

I sent you a message about how you did thios, have you seen it?

[ManyMinors]

Hi. Yes, replied to it now.

[zippot69]

Regarding using mr Grumpys rollover Jig I have one and used it many times, once the wheels are off and attatched to the jig, I started jacking up the side, then used a Farmers Jack to get me higher up, it goes up very easily due to the tilting action, I did it myself with the jack, Wedging planks in as I reset the jack. Im sure you could get is straight into position with a couple of you. I was working on a Simca Aronde , with the engine gearbox everything in it. The previous owner of the jig used it for a vw camper van and also a cortina mk2. it has a sticker for 3000lbs on it and remember your tilting not lifting. Its for sale at the moment with the four sets of wheel to roll it around the workshop.

[philthehill]

You are correct in that you are not lifting per sae - but as you are intending to replace a front chassis leg remember that the the engine is mounted on both chassis legs - If one mount is removed the loading on the remaining chassis leg will be increased to near twice its normal loading leading to possible twisting of the remaining chassis leg.
My advice is to remove the engine and gearbox when using Grumpy's car roller.