Defender

Ok thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I will have a go at straightening it.

Ok I have tried to take some pictures. It doesn't look too bad but trust me it is worse than it looks, I tried to fit a Southdown tow bar on the bottom two holes and there's no way it's going on without some manipulation or a new crossmember.

I will try and take some pictures later. I'm not sure how well it will come out on a photo but I'll try. It would be great if it could be straightened but my thoughts are because of where it is this would be difficult. I'm also not sure if it would recover enough to mount a tow bar which is what I wanted to do. But maybe it is worth asking a body shop ect first before contemplating cutting it.

Ok so I have realised that the rear cross member on my latest purchase, which is on a richards galv chassis, has been the victim of a snatch recovery at some point in it's life and it has actually bent the rear crossmember out of shape! Looks like there was only bolts and no spreader plate. Real shame as it's almost new. I was thinking you can buy replacement galv cross members, so could it be cut off and replaced...................but what then is the best option to protect it? Is it even possible to protect it or am I asking for trouble and should leave well alone?

Thanks, these are 10 spline axles so I think the drive flanges are built into the shafts but I will try and pull them out and have a look.

Ok so I bought a new project, dropped the back prop off today as I was going to remove the stupid spacer someone has put in! It was then that I realised there is allot of slack in both diffs and the transfer box! Does this mean all three are broken? I wasn't expecting to move the rear prop and see the front move back and forth so much through the transfer box as well. Excuse the music the radio was on in the background, you might want to mute it 😁 Front.mp4 Rear.mp4

Thanks for all the replies, admittedly I was hoping for 'buy this paint stripper and it will do the job', but as that's not an option I may have to have a think. They are nothing special as such just some Rockathon single bead lock wheels. I would like some double bead locks though, so if anyone has any double bead locks preferably ART or Hutchinson for sale I'd be interested, obviously not if they are plastic coated though 🤣.

Does anyone know a tried and tested method of removing plastic coating from wheels? They are chrome underneath if that makes a difference. Once removed what is the best way to paint chrome, can I just key the surface and undercoat and paint or do I need to do something in particular?

Thanks for that 👍 Ok I definitely don't remember seeing anything like that! I will have a proper look next week though just to be sure.

I will have to double check this, does it look like a join? I know there is something on the osr but pretty sure there's nothing at the front. I'm not near it till next week so will check then and take a photo.

Thanks ,I hadn't realised that this was required but I think by pure luck I did do it in the right order of nsr, osr, nsf and osf.

It has a disc brake back axle but there is no flexi pipes, every one is either copper pipe or braided hose.

Fluid looks a good colour, the brake pipes have been replaced recently by the look of it. I did bleed the brakes yesterday and a tiny amount of air came out of two calipers. The pedal felt good after this and was normal. But after I started it and moved it the pedal went back to exactly as it was before. I haven't got the time to do it again today but would that suggest that air is getting into the system? Is this possible even though there is no leaks. I probably used 1/4 of a litre of brake fluid. Did I maybe not do enough even though there was no air in it?

Ok thanks I will try bleeding all the calipers tomorrow. I don't suppose you have any pointers on how to adjust the pedal pushrod?

As usual I am looking for some help from the more experienced on the latest project vehicle I have bought, it is a 200tdi 90 that had a TD5 engine fitted. It has had vented disks fitted on the front to presumably give an upgrade in stopping performance. And it does stop, it stops quite well but there is no feel on the pedal at all and only the last inch or so does any braking as such, the pedal is not heavy and does not require lots of effort to brake. I cannot see any leaks ect but the servo looks like two servos stuck together, so I am wondering (After a quick look on ebay) does that mean that the ABS servo has been fitted to a none ABS car? And could this be the problem? Or could it be the vacuum pump has failed. As you can tell as there's no leaks and nothing obvious I can see like hissing noises or cracks in the servo I really don't know where to start. Even though it stops really well I feel there is something not right here and I would like to sort it out.