My Discovery Progress Thread

[Drizz]

Hi i thought id start a thread to show how my Disco is progressing. Other than a road going Range Rover, this is my first attempt at off roading and building a off roader so thought id show how i get on. Its copied from another forum so i apologise if some of it is slightly out of sync.

Here we go:

And here she is. A bargain at £400. Its practically mint for a Disco!

First mod was I undertook was to fit a steering guard before going green laning:

Trying different tyres:

Sorry for the quality of the pics but it was my phone. Ill be taking the proper camera from now on.

We left home at half 6 and went to collect Paul and his range rover. We did a few lanes and stopped at the chippy for dinner:

And Scotts stickers:

Then we thought we'd go home via another couple of lanes when disaster struck!

Scott was driving along and all of a sudden dipped down and the rear wheel ended up in the air! So obviously i had to stop, then i sank LOL. All four wheels spinning, aven diff lock did bugger all. We all hung off it and rocked it to the extent the tyres were smoking. We tried but to no avail. Scott reversed and ended up like this:

I was in deep!

Then we gave up and called for help! David to the rescue:

Well he got me out, but i got Steve in the process LOL

But after we all got out, we headed back and because my road tyres were full of mud i had no control and ended up in a rutt. Stuck again! Good job David hadnt got far. Steve has pics of that which im sure he will post. Any way we finally got home at about half 12. What a night! Here it is today:

Ive now decided to invest in a 2" lift kit and a big old set of tyres. We think if i had them i wouldnt have got stuck. Another £500 to throw at it lol

Right then today was a bugger! Plan was to go to work in the Disco so john could get on with removing his gearbox and then id go straight to the unit from work, load his old box up and head off to exchange it for the new one. But at 6am going along one of the lanes on the way to work i struck a rock and this was the result:

So thats two fooked wheels and tyres. Thank god i wasnt in the golf! So shopping for the new wheels and tyres began but unfortunately they wont arrive till wednesday, but anyway i left it and headed home.

So today i needed to get the Disco ready for the off road event tomorrow, so first things first i had to put a matching set of wheels on, then i started on the front end.

Got the bullbar and bumper off:

My shackles fit on my steering guard:

But that left the corners exposed. So i took the corner trims:

And i cut them down:

And cable tied them back on to match what bumper was left (i love the functionover form attitude )

Heres a closer view of what the rock did:

And all ready for tomorrow:

Today i had a special delivery:

And when unwrapped looked like this:

Well as theres another pit day on sunday its time to get the Land Rovers ready!

Got hold of some more CB gear for the others:

Brian started modding his bumper:

I fitted my new seat covers:

Now when i bought mine, i bartered on the price as the boot floor was shot. Well today i started replacing it:

While the floor is out, it makes the suspension easier to get to, so off with the old shocks:

New compared to old:

And with just one rear spring fitted the difference is obvious:

And shock going on:

Right well todays then.

Grinded the disco down ready for welding:

Fitted my rear reversing spot light for when im green laning. The STD lights arent enough:

Got the snorkel template stuck on:

And drilled out ready to be cut:

And a side on with the rear lifted on the new suspension:

Brian turned up to have its cats removed. So before:

Thought id try my new wheels to check where i need to cut the body:

One cut out:

He finished his bumper trimming the same as my one:

Emo found some holes in the chassis too. I think he got a bit obsessed with the hammer:

My new front shocks turned up:

New vs Old:

and fronts fitted:

And brians cats removed:

Well turned up today and Emerson had started the floor:

Fitted a fire extinguisher:

Cut out the wing ready for the Snorkel:

Fed the induction hose through:

Connected it to the airbox:

Got the bracket bolted on:

Emerson carried on:

Snorkel done:

More Stainless steel floor action:

And all done from underneath:

Checking what clearance we have:

John gets cutting:

And one done:

More cutting:

And done:

And articulation to test clearance:

Next mod on the Disco were these:

While John carried on with his:

And where we trimmed the doors down and they were double skinned it left a gap. So:

Then we went to the Off road day. Pics to follow of that, but the mods impressed me. I wanted to get stuck to see its limits. I did, and it was quite deep. As did John, who also went in deep but i got up hills others didnt, and that i didnt think i could. But unfortunately this week, i got towed home. I think i have a fuel issue so ill buy a new filter tomorrow and go from there. It runs and idles every so often but also cuts out. I wasnt mid lake or anything just driving so not sure at the mo. Not to worried though, itll get sorted.

Disco is off the floor ready for its next bit of attention:

So heres why the Disco broke down. The feed and return on the sender had corroded and literally fell off:

My wading kit turned up:

Then started on the axles. Wire brush and screw driver. They may not look clean but bear in mind id been up to the axles in mud:

And a sample of what came off 1/4 of the front axle. I got a little grubby lol:

Right my new sender turned up:

And fitted:

And she fired up, ran and revved. YAY!!!!!! So to help prevent premature rusting i undersealed it:

Steve turned up to lend a hand:

First coat done front and rear:

Another coat tomorrow. Brian checkout his boot floor today and the inevitable was there (or not in this case LOL):

No where near as bad as mine, but its started to eat away at his lol....

So started on the wading kit today, got the old breathers off the axles and new unions on:

Then in the bellhousing:

Then in the cambelt housing:

Then started routing the breathers:

Steve started putting the second coat on the axles:

Then i made a way for the breathers to get to the snorkel. I love not having to worry about the car, its great :

Then made some gromits:

Then routed the breathers up the snorkel. Job done :

Steve got both axles painted again (Cheers fella!!!!):

Once theyve dried i can put the diff guards back on and then she's good to go!!!!

[q-rover]

Good project thread, looks like you'll be enjoying your disco.

[PEASEY]

Im not sure that the breather is going to last on the bottom of the bell housing im sure that should have a wading plug in there cos thats just going to snap off but great progress mate.

[Drizz]

Im not sure that the breather is going to last on the bottom of the bell housing im sure that should have a wading plug in there cos thats just going to snap off but great progress mate.

Its protected by the sump, should be ok...

[PEASEY]

Your right it is but when you reverse its not and also oil dribbles out there something to do with rear crank shaft oil seals leaking.This might not be happening to you but mine does,it says in the owners manual to remove the wading plug when not in use to drain off excess oil water etc,I do mine once a week.What im trying to say is i dont think that there is anything in there that needs that breather on.The ones that need doing are the axel breathers x2 gear box and transfer box x2 there visable in one of your pictures and look like 2 hooks and one on the fuel pump both the cambelt housing and bell housing should be plugged with wading plugs not breathers as all that is going to happen is the pipe will fill with whatever leaks out and just back up if you dont drain it regularly.With that said may i ask how you secured your southdown snorkel on to your wing?

[discobandit]

Fliipping eck!!!!

Thought I'd done well fitting a roof rack and spot lights.

[Drizz]

Your right it is but when you reverse its not and also oil dribbles out there something to do with rear crank shaft oil seals leaking.This might not be happening to you but mine does,it says in the owners manual to remove the wading plug when not in use to drain off excess oil water etc,I do mine once a week.What im trying to say is i dont think that there is anything in there that needs that breather on.The ones that need doing are the axel breathers x2 gear box and transfer box x2 there visable in one of your pictures and look like 2 hooks and one on the fuel pump both the cambelt housing and bell housing should be plugged with wading plugs not breathers as all that is going to happen is the pipe will fill with whatever leaks out and just back up if you dont drain it regularly.With that said may i ask how you secured your southdown snorkel on to your wing?

Yeah the top two G/box and tx box are also joined to the snorkel now. I just hadnt done those in that pic above. They will be drained regularly. The adaptors are push fit, so slide under and release once a week is easy for draining....

I used good old tiger seal on the snorkel kit, on the wing mount and on every join....

[Bobtail-Jay]

Its looking wicked now mate well done.

and where did you get the wheels and tyres from? and how much?

Jay

[Drizz]

Its looking wicked now mate well done.

and where did you get the wheels and tyres from? and how much?

Jay

Wheels and tyres were £456 from Paddocks....

[Rolly]

You've got to be kidding haven't you? What are you doing grinding without at least safety glasses on? You would be sacked on the spot in my workshop.

[roachy]

You've got to be kidding haven't you? What are you doing grinding without at least safety glasses on? You would be sacked on the spot in my workshop.

Yeah but it's different in a private environment, still not advised but at least you cant get sacked. The thread probably requires a subtitle like this drizz

"DONT TRY THIS AT HOME FOLKS, ALL WORK IS CARRIED OUT BY HIGHLY TRAINED IDIOTS"

[landroversforever]

without goggles ? I've done it without gloves, but thats asking for trouble! tut tut tut

[Drizz]

You've got to be kidding haven't you? What are you doing grinding without at least safety glasses on? You would be sacked on the spot in my workshop.

Are you a girl? Just close youre eyes when it gets all sparky!

Its my own hobby workshop so i can do as i please

[M&S]

Looks like a lot of work, well done, you should have an awesome off-road machine B) Great to see the pics also, really encouraging.

Yeah but it's different in a private environment, still not advised but at least you cant get sacked.

I really can't understand why for the sake of £1 (the cost of goggles) you'd want to go blind. It's NO different in a private environment. It's bloody stupid anywhere. And the only reason people are having a go is because hopefully next time you might stop and think about it for a second, and put some goggles on. It's not just the sparks (that you shut uour eyes for), your eyelids won't offer any protection should the disc shatter. I don't know you, but I couldn't see that and not comment either, it really is an accident waiting to happen. PM me your address and I'll send you some goggles in the post for free if that's what it takes.

Anyway, nuff said, enjoy your truck

[Bowie69]

Nice truck, very nice work there

But... I will say something about the no goggles as well, 3 times I have been into A&E over the years for bits of disc/metal grindings that have got lodged into my cornea -and yes every single time I was wearing goggles, apparently I have cheeks which like to deflect the hot bits right into my eye.

It's odd you don't notice it until you try to get to sleep, then your eyes are shut and the grit/metal starts to irritate the inside of the eyelid to the point where it's absolute bloody agony, normally at about 2am.

So you drive to A&E (if you can still see OK at this moment), they see to you out of priority (as it's an eye injury) which is nice, they aneathatise your eye and pour some yellow dye into it so they can see better, they then start picking at your eyeball with a sharp hypodermic needle, it feels like they are trying to dig a rotten bit out of an apple, really really pleasant. Takes about 20mins.

Worst bit of it is that there is no flippin whay you can look away, all you can do is stare at the needle repeatedly coming toward your eye.

Antibiotic drops supplied, and your told to come back in two days to get the rest out.

Really, is it worth it?

I now use some very close fitting goggles which seal PROPERLY all the way round, I need my eyes to make a living, I just cannot afford to lose them.

Anyways, as I said, very nice truck, lots of work, but worth it

[Brian S]

After readimg that last post I'm going to invest in a decent of goggles.

Drizz, get some mate.

[s11aun]

nice work that man.

[Paul D]

Well done Drizz, you have been hard at work. Whats next???

Must come and pick up the CB if you still have it for me?

[alex milton-haynes]

looking good mate. u certainly dont hang around with the mods. what size tyres are those?

[Drizz]

After readimg that last post I'm going to invest in a decent of goggles.

Drizz, get some mate.

Good lord stop with the goggles chat! I have a pair and normally wear them. Its not even me grinding in the bloody pics LOL *cough* Mr Roach*cough*

Well done Drizz, you have been hard at work. Whats next???

Must come and pick up the CB if you still have it for me?

Yeah no worries Paul just waiting for youre mic to arrive in the post...

looking good mate. u certainly dont hang around with the mods. what size tyres are those?

33" sir.

[roachy]

Good lord stop with the goggles chat! I have a pair and normally wear them. Its not even me grinding in the bloody pics LOL *cough* Mr Roach*cough*

33" sir.

Grass!!!!

*cough* 32" sir *cough*

lol

[Drizz]

Grass!!!!

*cough* 32" sir *cough*

lol

Well i didnt want anyone to think i was that ugly!!!!!!!!!!

And yes sorry 32" (an inch makes all the difference in Johns world apparantly )

[Drizz]

A friend of ours came round today to fit his last defender arch:

And got cutting. Notice the goggles (for all you goggle fans!!!!)

John had to take over as Biff had some 'grinding-disc-to-skin-down-to-bone' action, and here he is WEARING GOGGLES :

Emo started making my rear winching points for when i get stuck, consisting of two old Vauxhall towing eyes:

And trying them for size:

All welded in:

Now Bumper mods to accommodate them:

Just about there:

Biff's nearly ready for the arch to go on, but decided enough was enough and left it like this so he could head off to casualty:

My bumper back on, with the shackles in place:

And with the strop in place. Just need a third shackle so i can be pulled from the middle on both fixings:

So im ready for our Green Lane day on sunday. No doubt ill have pics to post....

[Dunc]

I daresay someone will yell at me, maybe even you (!), but when i've recovered using 2 points like this photo i have the ends of the strop going to the recovery eyes and then a shackle in the 'v' of the strop to the winch or whatever.

I was always told that it put too much pressure sideways and would either bend the point sideways or if on the front pull the chassis rails inwards?

If the photo was just for illustration, feel free to tell me to f*** off!

Love the idea of using old screw-in tow eyes though, i've added them to my list of bits to get from the breakers next time i'm there so i can blatantly copy your idea.

Now, onto the important bit;

How on earth did you managed to plug the gap in the door up once you took that massive chunk out of it?

Close up pic of the modded door would be very much appreciated.

Nice goggle action too B)

[s11aun]

im liking the vauxhall towing eyes thing good idea mate.