Hey just curious if anyone could tell me the differences between the frame on a 99-02 and 03-04 Discovery 2? I'm about to either do a frame swap or a rear quarter chassis on my newest project and noticed on Rovers North that they had two different chassis for facelifted and pre-facelifted D2's but I was curious if they changed anything at all.

My 04 project is rusted out in the rear frame but seems to be structural forward of the rear axle (no holes by catalytic converters) but I'm worried its rusted too far forward to just do a rear quarter chassis. I would consider doing a rear half chassis but I hear you can run into alignment issues with them. I would ideally like to just do a full frame swap but don't have access to a 4 post lift and don't really want to pay someone $4500+ to do the swap but am considering it. The truck is a one owner truck under 80k miles that has an immaculate service history at the dealership so what would you do? Cough up the money to do a full frame swap? Try and do a rear quarter chassis? Or try and rent a space and do a full frame swap yourself? Pictures of frame in question included.

 

Judging by the pictures, it looks like the frame is bad "just about" to where the new rear section frame would be welded. Looks like you might get away with just the rear section. Was planning on doing this repair on my old 03, but frame cracked just in front of rear spring hanger...and a few other issues...so l scrapped her. There are a couple good videos of the replacement, just google. Really doesn't look that bad, especially if you know how to weld. Just run her down on fuel, drop tank and bumper and a couple other dodads...and start cutting and grinding.

As far as differences between 99/02 - 03/04 frames...l'm not aware of any and can''t think of any reason there would be. Took the front clip off both my 01 and 03 before scrapping and nothing different comes to mind. Just call Rovers North, l'm sure if there is a difference...they be glad to explain.

Good luck, and take plenty of pictures or better yet, video the whole procedure.

 

From what I've read, the transmission mounts might be about 3/4” off between early and late frames. Other than that identical. That may also be incorrect, I've never measured.

 

I found on another thread that the pan hard mounts might be slightly different as well.

 

The quickest and cheapest solution is to cut out the rot and weld in new sections.

 

HI I did my chassis early this year, check out my post "Busy Few Days", I had no trouble lining up the new section as the body is very ridged , I cut and fitted the supports before I cut the rot out, and put the rear mounting bolts in before starting the welding

 

Wow that's a very good write up, Your's looks really good and makes me feel better about doing just the rear quarter chassis. What gauge metal did you use for patching up the leg that was rusted past the replacement area.

 

HI I used 2mm as that what the original section are made of, but as a new rear quarter is made of 3mm as the don't have the stiffening section inside, to make it easy to remove I cut of the rear cross member first, this makes it lighter to remove, the hardest part is remove the fuel from the tank, and don't forget there are 3 hoses from the tank to the fill point, not two as most manual show, two are jubilee clips on the third on is a squeeze plastic fit is and requires a bit of patients to get it off and more to get it back on, OK so once the rear cross section is removed the take you measurements from the centre of the body mount hole to the cut point,

 

Jeesus. I haven't seen rust like that since I left the Midwest. How much work would it be to swap frames? Here's a couple of pics of an 04 that's typical out west. This one is in a yard destined for the crusher.

 

Five figure job for a full frame swap.