Bolt or welding to chassis

[Varnz10]

Hey I have been reading info generally on the site here and I am confused a little. On one count there is info saying that if you weld to the chassis then you need a cert for it to get a WOF, and then in the next thread it says you can weld to the chassis.
I am in the middle of installing a manual gear box on an Isuzu Bighorn and need to place the gearbox support cross member further forward than the auto one is at. I am planning on using 45x45x4 box section on the mounts and using a Expansion Box bolt to bolt this to the chassis, and then bolt the cross member to the box section. The box bolts are 12mm for structural steel. Is this going to require certification or do you think that I would get away with this?

[jonossiksilvia]

my understanding is unless its a "factory bolt in gearbox cross-member" then it will need cert no matter weather its welded or bolted.

[evilknieval69]

Either way you will need a cert for a manual conversion, but less hassle for cert if you bolt It. Some things you can weld depending on the vehicle ie rock sliders on an older vehicle can be welded.

[KROOZA]

I agree with above, from my experience any WOF guy will see it isn't factory mounting and it will be a fail until it has a cert. plate saying it's all good

[Suza]

Plus if its bolted in it makes it a lot easier to take off if you drop the gear box out in the future

[Varnz10]

so if I cut off a couple of factory mounts off a wrecked vehicle and got them welded on, removed the auto box mounts then it would appear to be factory..... The cross member and everything else is purely bolt on factory fitted from the donor vehicle.

[Varnz10]

Sorry I should have clarified. Everything including the cross member is factory fitted. the only difference is that the cross member mounting point on a auto is about 300mm further back than the manual. so if I use the factory fitted mounting point off the donor...... see above

[tomsoffroad]

As previously said you'll have to get the manual conversion certed, seeing as you'll be doing that you can do what ever you like for the cross member. Either transplant a factory x member or fabricate from scratch (provide what you fabricate is up to the job), it doesn't matter as far as cert goes

[imsohi]

so if I cut off a couple of factory mounts off a wrecked vehicle and got them welded on, removed the auto box mounts then it would appear to be factory..... The cross member and everything else is purely bolt on factory fitted from the donor vehicle.

If you do it to a factory condition you will probley get away with it with a wof guy but just remember if they pick up on it then you will need to get it certed, it may be on the first wof or it may be 3 years down the track. hope this helps but to answer your question yes you are suposed to have welding to a chassie for structial purposes certified.

[wsr4x4]

You don't need a cert for a manual conversion if it uses all factory parts mount etc, so just make it look factory get it dirty sweet as

[Ashohman]

Talking about cert your rego will say its auto then when you have an accident your not covered via insurance. Certs pretty important sounds like you want to do things by the book and I know it costs more initally. But then your covered as it will be road legal but if your going to do more mods do them now amd get one cert to cover the lot certs are getting expensive mine is going through process at the moment $600.

[cornflake]

You don't need a cert for a manual conversion if it uses all factory parts mount etc, so just make it look factory get it dirty sweet as

bang on the money right there as long as it all from the same breed and bolts in no cert needed that is what the book says

[philux]

Id get cert, insurance companies are after any reason to get out of fixing up/Paying out. For 300bucks it pretty easy arse covering. I