Need help installing running boards on disco 1, please help

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joey

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Depends on the type of running board.
 

BeemerNut

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If they look like these in the photo below (not my D1) they require added attention to make them stronger also maintaining flat level boards not sagging downwards after stepping on them. The upper outboard 90 degree bent mounting tabs up at the frame will straighten out. Any person weighing 100 pounds or more plus vibrations causing metal fatigue breaking off the tabs at the bend causing running boards to flap in the breeze at 70 mph. Good thing finding a wire coat hanger at a shopping mall to secure one board to frame before driving home 230 miles. Repairing and modifying plus welding on gussets strengthening those weak mounting tabs. The horizontal square tubing from the running boards inwards to the stamped metal plates are secured by two small bolts only 1 1/2" apart, what a joke considering the leverage applied stepping on the running boards. Once properly fitted up to the vehicle square and level then welding the square tube to the flat plate. Factory or aftermarket running boards are cheaply manufactured. Now have running boards that fit up tight under the body nice and level that can now survive a 350 pound fat lady jumping up and down without them sagging again.....~~=o&o>.....
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BeemerNut

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No, no, no, do not weld the running board mounting brackets to any part of the frame!
All I did was add two triangle gussets, one on each side of the outboard mounting tab locations which are bent 90 degrees on the mounting plate kit going from vertical to horizontal that will bolt to the body mounting studs sticking down at the front and rear of the running boards.
That stud is the body mounting stud to the frame wing mount sticking outboard of the frame.
A not of caution, adding the running board metal thickness to the body mounting studs does not leave any stud sticking out for the fiber lock nuts to really do their locking action. Thread locker a good suggestion applied to those threads and nuts.
This frame wing mount is located right by the front suspension radius arm rubber suspension pivot location. Same at the rear mounting of the running boards to the frame.
Going inboard on the running board's vertical mounting plate app four inches and slightly above the radius arm rubber location there will be a hole to bolt the vertical plate to the frame which is also the mounting location of the radius arm to the frame. The bolt hole on the frame as well the one on the running board bracket is too sloppy of a fit using the bolts supplied in the kit. I drilled both out for a snug fit on the shank of a fine threaded high strength aircraft bolt. I wanted to eliminate any mounting locations from shifting around and working loose.
After the gussets were Tig welded (one can Mig also), the running boards completely assembled, installed and aligned with the two small bolts connecting the running board's square tubing to the vertical mounting brackets. That square tube to outboard of the running boards is a 13" long lever, the inboard end of square tubing mounting bolts are only spaced 2" apart, ( my bad above reply stating 1 1/2" apart bolt spacing) see the multiplying leverage factor being applied to those two I recall only 1/4" or 5/16" bolts? When a 250 pound person stands on the boards your talking 2,500 plus pounds of searing action across those bolts. No matter how much you tighten those bolts including beyond the point of shearing them off they will slip at that joint period. This plus the sloppy fitting holes at this mounting location the running boards with bolts being snugged up you can lift to level position and down to sagging position up to 1 1/2" inches of travel. That sucks, looks crappy. Boards back up and level again don't step the boards again. Next make a weld pass 3" long between edge of the vertical plate to the square tubing. You'll now have solid mounted level and tight to the body running boards that can be easily unbolted and removed NOT WELDED to the frame. This just another example of cheap poorly designed accessories be it from LR or aftermarket accessory suppliers. Hope this helped, Carl.....~~=o&o>......
 
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BeemerNut

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That’s what I thought, not a lot of support, do I guess I need someone to weld to frame

Support, talking about the structural design of running boards or the fact your owning a "old antique Land Rover vs the modern day high tech 5.0 Land Rover"? This when 97% of this forum is covering LR3's ( why short lived?) and LR4's .
This is what I was told on another LR thread I replied on. No expensive "high tech" timing chain failures every 35 to 60K miles reported with the old "antique push rod engines". Well aftermarket true roller timing chain set with steel gears another improvement to these 1960 GM designed engines should you want to run 200K trouble free miles. Several other upgrades, one a must have a Mark Adams chip to fuel properly still passing smog here in Kalifornia.....~~=o&o>.......
 

BeemerNut

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Would you have any pictures if your work
Running boards i'd have to take pictures and post as "RUPERT" is covered up at the moment plus we're having a 100+ degree heatwave. Very unusual like 25*F above our normal summer days. Add humidity it sucks. I'm staying indoors with the cats, they aren't stupid. .....~~=o&o>......
 

BeemerNut

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After 2 1/2 hrs screwing around I could only pull up one crummy photo. I have others taken under the LR at the mounting location with added gussets plus the welded running board square tube to plate. Sorry back injury prevents sitting anymore.
.....~~=o&o>......
 

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