If you want to check the chassis for cracks then, as planenut says, familiarise yourself with where the cracks usually appear and do the following :-
1/. Wipe the area clean and spray the area with penetrating oil ( WD40 for example)
2/ Wait for 5 minutes and then wipe away all of the surface spray residue.
3/ take some powdered French chalk - the sort of thing you use on an inner tube before fitting a tyre or rub any piece of chalk on sandpaper to produce a powder - Blow the powder over the area where the cracks appear and if a crack its present t will magically develop as a stain in the chalk.
This is only a DIY version of professional crack detection but much better than the naked eye inspection and usually shows up cracks you otherwise won't see.
One of our problems is that, in the UK, repairs to motor chassis and body shells must be done by welding, if the vehicle is to pass an MOT test. A well designed brazed repair is much stronger and leaves no heat affected zone or localised stresses. A motor manufacturer obviously has to abide by the rules. I cheat!
Last edited by Phil Bleazey; 22/11/20 11:34 AM. Reason: I learned to spell!
