# Bent chassis rails & sills - reinforced jacking points?



## Sub Boy (Jan 28, 2008)

So as many have found the R32 chassis rails and sills (which I know don't have a lot to do with the mono-chassis stiffness) tend to get bent from being jacked up/put on hoists by numpties.
I know Bob and his band of merry men at Zealou5 have repaired quite a few of these (and I've sent him a PM) but has anyone else had them fixed? Did you buy replacement rails from Nissan or just get them patched? Has anyone made some stronger jacking points? Where?

opcorn:


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## RossC (Oct 20, 2014)

As far as i know you cannot buy replacement rails, on the cars i have repaired you just hand make them to match the rest of the sill profile. Jacking should be done on the chassis legs but even these can be damaged so might be worth reinforcing them if you are jacking your car up alot


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## Miguel - Newera (Sep 18, 2003)

Use a 4 poster lift and it won't damage the sills. Worst is to use the standard jack, it'll badly dent the jacking point. We have supplied reinforcement bars but they're not for jacking on, they're longtitudinal reinforcements only. Quite long so they can only be shipped by container, not via post - so no good for NZ.


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## Sub Boy (Jan 28, 2008)

Miguel - Newera said:


> Use a 4 poster lift and it won't damage the sills. Worst is to use the standard jack, it'll badly dent the jacking point. We have supplied reinforcement bars but they're not for jacking on, they're longtitudinal reinforcements only. Quite long so they can only be shipped by container, not via post - so no good for NZ.


Cheers, the damage was mostly already there.....I am sure however when it's been complianced they bent it the worst.
Who makes the reinforcement bars?


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## markM3 (Jan 7, 2008)

Miguel sorted sill reinforcements for me & Cris rom Japan, Laille Beatrush made them. Can sort details if you need them when I go back to work.

Bob straightened my sills and remade rear jacking points.


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## tarmac terror (Jul 16, 2003)

Someone detailed an R32 chassis rail replacement in their build thread. Cant remember who it was though..



TT


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## moleman (Jun 3, 2002)

Mook's thread had fairly detailed pics from Zealous iirc.


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## StuFord (Aug 11, 2014)

Am sure kev32 on his major his strip, clean and refurbish thread for his r32 removed the full chassis rails and beat them straight and flat then re-wielded them back on but he had completely stripped and on a spit roast jig so the car was totally flipped over. Hope that helps refresh your memory where you had seen it


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## StuFord (Aug 11, 2014)

It was kevr32 build thread - grey 32, strip and clean.... kind off. and its at the bottom off page 9. Has great pics and the guy has real attention to detail the whole thread is worth a read btw hope that helps


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## matty32 (Dec 18, 2005)

markM3 said:


> Miguel sorted sill reinforcements for me & Cris rom Japan, Laille Beatrush made them. Can sort details if you need them when I go back to work.
> 
> Bob straightened my sills and remade rear jacking points.


we can ship more of these if required for people.

they are over 1.5m so cannot go via airmail only container:wavey:


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## Cris (Sep 17, 2007)

markM3 said:


> Miguel sorted sill reinforcements for me & Cris rom Japan, Laille Beatrush made them. Can sort details if you need them when I go back to work.
> 
> Bob straightened my sills and remade rear jacking points.


I've got to say that they are ace - to be fair I had other braces fitted at the same time. The cumulative effect though was/is very good. They are relatively cheap items.


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## WillRobDon (Jul 29, 2006)

Tell me more! 

Mine were in good condition and Bob straightened and flattened the panel. I also have a through dash cage which we made stainless base plates for. These are where I jack the car now and don't let anyone else touch it (apart from Bob!)


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## WillRobDon (Jul 29, 2006)

Ps I think you can still buy 32 outer sills. Not sure about the inners.


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## Cris (Sep 17, 2007)

WillRobDon said:


> Tell me more!
> 
> Mine were in good condition and Bob straightened and flattened the panel. I also have a through dash cage which we made stainless base plates for. These are where I jack the car now and don't let anyone else touch it (apart from Bob!)


I'm not sure that you'd see much improvement if you already have a cage. I suppose it wouldn't make it worse at least.

To my mind that best answer is a proper cage which picks up the chassis/suspension points. I didn't want to go down the cage route so I've been looking for alternatives. There are some pics in my thread if you like some further info.

From what I can 'see' the r32 chassis is not the most solid thing. This is obvious when you Jack the car and then the doors don't close properly. As pretty much everyone fits bigger wheels and stiffer suspension this PS more load on the chassis. With the sill braces and the other braces in place the car feels more of one piece. Hard to describe really as you don't really notice the chassis when it flexes but I do notice when it doesn't if that makes sense.

As things stand now I'd like to add an additional front subframe brace and one of those doluck in cabin braces.

Just thinking out loud but a six point cage may well benefit from the braces. I guys that they'd have a similar effect to door bars.


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## matt j (Oct 19, 2001)

WillRobDon said:


> I also have a through dash cage which we made stainless base plates for.


I'd have thought that's the last thing you'd ever want in the environment under your car, how did you galvanically isolate them?


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## WillRobDon (Jul 29, 2006)

They may not have been stainless come to think of it. I will have another look!


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## matt j (Oct 19, 2001)

WillRobDon said:


> They may not have been stainless come to think of it. I will have another look!


I wasn't having a dig by the way, just saying by mixing metals in that environment you're actually promoting corrosion rather than fixing it.


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## WillRobDon (Jul 29, 2006)

No no I totally get that mate. I didn't think you were having a dig! Got me thinking as I remember drilling the holes in the plates! It was a few years ago now!


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## R32 Combat (Jan 29, 2004)

matt j said:


> I wasn't having a dig by the way, just saying by mixing metals in that environment you're actually promoting corrosion rather than fixing it.


Not sure the anodic delta will have an effect.


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## matt j (Oct 19, 2001)

R32 Combat said:


> Not sure the anodic delta will have an effect.


Combine with water...
And salt...


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## fourtoes (Feb 27, 2003)

Pm sent Chris buddy.

No issues with stainless and mild steal being next each other Will.
Plus all stainless fixings into mild steal are copper greased.
Plus your base plated had pu sealant in between them to create a cushion and not run and the floor had epoxy resin (basically a plastic layer) so it so might as well be miles from each other.
:thumbsup:
Bob


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## matt j (Oct 19, 2001)

matt j said:


> I'd have thought that's the last thing you'd ever want in the environment under your car, how did you galvanically isolate them?





fourtoes said:


> No issues with stainless and mild steal being next each other Will.


Yes there is Bob, all I was asking is how were they isolated. It wasn't a dig, it was a valid question. There are people who read this forum who don't have the knowledge or understanding regarding galvanic isolation and it's good to see that some do. 



fourtoes said:


> Plus all stainless fixings into mild steal are copper greased.
> Plus your base plated had pu sealant in between them to create a cushion and not run and the floor had epoxy resin (basically a plastic layer) so it so might as well be miles from each other.


That's a damn site more than some others do, I can assure you. :bowdown1:

The suspension bolting to the struts is another area that many don't address and the galvanic corrosion can be quite-very bad.


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## WillRobDon (Jul 29, 2006)

There you go! That's the answer. It's always an area I try and keep an eye on. The original base plates were mild steel and corroded. 

Back on topic, I still had the original base plates and idiots still seem to jack the car at the sill. They seem to be a weak area as it is very rare a 32 doesn't have some form of crumple.


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## matt j (Oct 19, 2001)

WillRobDon said:


> I still had the original base plates and idiots still seem to jack the car at the sill. They seem to be a weak area as it is very rare a 32 doesn't have some form of crumple.


When I was researching putting a full flat carbon floor under the car I was going to have reinforced jacking points welded in. Always liked the air-jack systems too but not the cost or weight :chuckle:


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## WillRobDon (Jul 29, 2006)

Air jacks would be awesome. 

Probably not as awesome as a carbon floor!


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## fourtoes (Feb 27, 2003)

matt j said:


> Yes there is Bob, all I was asking is how were they isolated. It wasn't a dig, it was a valid question. There are people who read this forum who don't have the knowledge or understanding regarding galvanic isolation and it's good to see that some do.
> 
> 
> That's a damn site more than some others do, I can assure you. :bowdown1:
> ...


Cheers Matt, yeah defo, you do have to be careful mixing metals as you rightly say!
Hense why Nissan fit plastic washers to the ally front wing mounting to body contact points.
Funny you should say that about suspension bolting strut tops we had a gt4 in recently with a set if teins fitted, the rear alloy top mount had almost completely corroded away.
It was unbelievable!
We've always tried to fit paper gaskets when fitting shock as this helps prevent the anode/cathode corrosion effect you described!
:thumbsup:
Bob


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## R32 Combat (Jan 29, 2004)

matt j said:


> Combine with water...
> And salt...


Sure, but salt/water/skyline?


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## matt j (Oct 19, 2001)

R32 Combat said:


> Sure, but salt/water/skyline?


Some people do use their car in winter Andy.


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## Sub Boy (Jan 28, 2008)

Cheers for all the replies guys.
Luckily we don't use salt on the roads in winter on this side of the world so the chances of rust is a lot less.
I think getting some stronger jacking points made would be a good look after I have them repaired.


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## matt j (Oct 19, 2001)

Be good to see pics if you do get stronger jacking points made. I would think there'd be a lot of interest judging by the amount of crushed sills we see.


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## Supertec (Jun 5, 2014)

Something like this could easily be fitted along side reinforcement of the jacking points of the factory rails.

https://www.ecstuning.com/News/E82_E90_E91_F01_F02_ES251251/ES261781/


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## WillRobDon (Jul 29, 2006)

That's quite a clever idea. Although specific. I take it Chris wants something obvious for when other, less considerate people, jack it up?


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## Supertec (Jun 5, 2014)

The square blocks are on the car all the time so for a ramp it's a good place to use. For lifting the car front or rear always use the front X member or the diff X member.


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## San_Ni_GTR (Sep 22, 2017)

Hi Matty, do you still ship the R32 sill reinforcement bars? If so, how much would it cost to ship to England? Thanks


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## matty32 (Dec 18, 2005)

hi, yes we do 

email [email protected]

we can help


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