dave88sw

You really need both wheels off and drop the axle straight, otherwise, as one side drops, it will try to push the chassis to one side and could slip off the axle stands. It is also the only way you're likely to get enough drop on the axle.

I assume the ones you bought are the earlier square type? I've never found a decent reproduction of those, like you say, they have more slop than the one you remove normally. Britpart or bearmach versions of the later slightly rounded hinge are actually more than acceptable and quite good value.

Sometimes the outside handle sticks in the pulled position, it has to return before you pull it again or the latch will not release. Just try popping the land rover badge in the tailgate handle out and push the handle back towards the door, then pull it again. Or if the central locking motor in the latch has failed, push the outside handle back towards the door and then pull the interior handle to unlock the door.

Having typed the part numbers into google and looked at the pictures, it would appear the tab washers are different, the front kit has the type with a tooth to locate and the rear one with the d-shaped hole. From memory, that would match what my 110 has.

Yes, the bracket goes behind the striker and is clamped in place by 3 of the rivets on the little external galvanised plate to the side of the door opening. It does help a lot to stop flex around the striker, which, if nothing else prevents you having to slam the door to make it latch properly.

Do you have the spare wheel on the door? If so, you'll probably want one of these brackets to strengthen the rear tub around the door striker. https://yrmit.co.uk/product/hdg-rear-capping-tub-door-lock-strengthener-bracket-lr-defender/ They were standard on defenders with rear doors but not on a series, they really do help stop the tub flexing around the striker.

SteveG, that's a difficult one, it certainly has a station wagon roof and side panels but i would guess they have been fitted later along with the bulkhead removal bar, simply because it has tie down hooks on the side of the tub and a grommet in the rear capping where the LH antiluce would have been fitted, suggesting it was originally a truck cab. The only way to know for sure would be to check the chassis no or it's registration document.

I believe it's Cairns blue, it would have the 15P engine which is said to be better yes. The fuel rail design in the head was slightly better meaning they are less prone to cracking and allowing fuel into the oil, which was a common problem on earlier engines. It can still happen though in rare cases, an AMC head, although fairly expensive is a lasting cure.

Also, worthy of note on that particular car, it's a fairly late model TD5 and has electric windows and central locking, which will be fairly rare options. It also has the later style doors all round, the rear one changed in 2002 to a one piece all steel design which was much stronger and more resistant to rust and the fronts changed around 2005, again, pressed steel with steel skin and much less rust prone.

Well, to be honest, the conversion of the vehicle you linked to consists of fitting side windows (not difficult, you just have to have a steady hand and patience to get the hole the right size) and the bench seats. The rest is as it left the factory. I should add, at that age, a genuine station wagon would probably have had the centre bulkhead removed (with a structural bar in its place). There's no huge upside to the bulkhead being removed but it does make the cab feel a lot more open. There's no reason to avoid them if they've been done well and the fact that they are registered as a van doesn't bother you. The one you linked is a nice colour and looks a straight and honest vehicle, it's a little expensive but any vehicle with a dealer will be priced a little higher, they have to make a living and they have to give a minimum 3 month warranty. When you consider the low mileage, it's probably a reasonable price.

There are many variations despite there being very few actual options on Defenders. The County Station Wagons will always command a premium over converted vans though. Not least because they tended to be registered as private cars rather than commercials, which is beneficial in a lot of clean air zones, which will charge commercial vehicles significantly more. Station wagons will always have the internal window surround trims and a full headlining. They will also have matching trim throughout (although of course it can be changed by previous owners) The one you linked has original techno cloth in the front and black vinyl in the back.

It's a conversion, the lack of internal plastic window surround trims says it's not a county station wagon, it also wouldn't have had rear benches at that age, most likely 4 individual tip up seats. That was originally a van with the county pack (full headlining and cloth seats with alpine windows).

I've done a few audio installs, i tend to go across the dash to the passenger side, out the bulkhead grommet above the heater box and then down the bulkhead to the chassis, then to come back in behind the seats, drill a hole and add a grommet. It's a longer route but it's neat and completely out of sight and out of harms way if wrapped in split plastic conduit.

There wasn't really a choice, it depends what the vehicle is and when it was made. Very early Defenders (actually a ninety/one-ten) had sliding windows, the doors were 2 piece and the tops were aluminium. Then they went to one piece doors with wind down windows but retained the lift up door handle. These doors are now quite rare and difficult to find in good condition. Then around 1986 they went to the push button doors with wind down windows. The issue with all Defender doors is that the frame rusts and the skins disintegrate. With Series doors (2 piece with sliding windows) being so much cheaper than Defender doors, a lot of later Defenders have ended up with them. There are various exceptions, like most military Land Rovers will have sliding windows. It doesn't really make any difference what's fitted, i guess it's just what you like that matters. They are all interchangeable with a little effort.

Pull the red plug on the ECU, if its swimming in oil, change the loom and flush out that plug and the ecu a couple of times over the next few weeks. Check for play in the turbo. Otherwise theres not much in the way of preventative maintenance, injector washers are a common source of problems but I think I'd just change them at the first sign of trouble rather than preemptively (hard starting or cutting out).

I've got a Numax in my series that is 15 years old and still going strong so i fit them to all my cars now. In a Defender, just fit the biggest battery you can get, ive got an 019 in my 110.

Have a look at your log book. My 110 van is plated at 3050kg on the vin plate but the log book says 2999kg. My MOT tester was happy to do a class 4 test after seeing the log book. Might just be something weird with my Land Rover but it's certainly useful to be able to get a class 4 test.

I've no personal experience but i know a couple of people who have removed an engine out the front and they both said that if they had to do it again they would take the body off. I think, essentially, if you have a 2 post lift to facilitate lifting the body then the work involved to remove the body is less than the extra work you have to put in to take the engine out the front.

Sorry, i meant to come back and finish this thread off. I spent last Sunday pulling the gearbox out and it absolutely was the spigot bush. I could pull the gearbox back about 20mm, at which point it got stuck, i had to pry it back. It released with a pop and then, once out, i removed the clutch and the spigot bush fell out, it was obviously stuck on the input shaft and was spinning in the crank. I had an awful job finding a good spigot bush, but eventually found P A Blanchards had some genuine ones. Comparing the genuine one to the aftermarket one was interesting, they are night and day different. The genuine one has a "grainy" texture (oilite material) where the aftermarket one is smooth and the genuine one is a much tighter fit in the crank and looser on the gearbox. missingsid, i appreciate what you're saying and in 15 years of messing with Land Rovers and literally countless clutch and spigot bush changes, this is the first i've had issue with (except the very common TD5 squawk). The TD5 is theoretically no different (same phospher bronze/oilite type bush) but they have a very well known problem in as much as the spigot bush makes an awful squawk when cold if it's worn or dry.

It is very frustrating 😅 I did try the bush on the gearbox, it was a nice close fit but certainly not tight. It fit into the crank as well as any other i've ever fitted, needing to be tapped in gently but not requiring excessive force. There was nothing that concerned me about it. The gearbox was a complete unit from a Discovery yes, i used an ashcroft conversion adapter to fit the Defender gear selector assembly but everything at the bellhousing end is exactly as removed from the Discovery. Thanks Dave

Hi, I've very recently fitted a V8 to my Defender, a 3.9 with a manual R380 box from a late discovery 1. I replaced the clutch, spigot bush (sourced from Turner engineering so should be a decent part) and release bearing as well as the plastic pieces in the clutch fork. The clutch pedal is adjusted correctly with at least 10mm free play. It's been driving very well (done approx 120 miles total) except that for the last 20 miles, the spigot bush has been squawking and it's slowly getting worse. The first 100 miles there was no sign of anything wrong, then this noise started and it's now present on every gearchange (although strangely not often when selecting 1st to pull away from a stop). If you've ever heard a TD5 with a noisy spigot bush, you'll know the noise i mean, it's very distinctive, i'm 99.9% certain it's not the release bearing. It's common on TD5's but i've never had a v8 do it and never after so few miles. I've resigned myself to the fact that i'll have to remove the box again but i don't want to make a habit of it and i really can't think what i might have done wrong first time round. I've fitted countless clutches and spigot bushes over the years and this being my own car you can imagine i was very careful to get it right, the bush was soaked in oil for about a week prior (i don't know how necessary this is but it can't hurt). The only thing i can think is that the clutch wasn't perfectly aligned and the bush got snagged on the way in but this seems unlikely as i had no problem pulling the engine and box up. Any ideas? Thanks Dave

So, I can finally wrap this up. It works perfectly, I've got the TD5 speedo wired as per all the various guides available on here. I then connected pin 1 of the speedo (which takes the 4100 pulses that the transducer outputs and doubles it to 8200 pulses that the 14cux needs) to the speed signal input on the ECU (pin 6) via a 120ohm resistor. Hopefully this is of use to somebody doing a similar conversion.

I guessed they were part of the loom but i bought mine without the loom and made up my own connectors, nobody knows a source for the wired bulb holders? If i can't find them i'll have to think of another way. Thanks Dave

Hi, I've fitted a TD5 dash binnacle to my 110, following retroanaconda's excellent guide. However, my binnacle didnt come with the little bulbs for the heater controls. They're little push and twist bulbs that are wired through the back (not to a circuit board). Does anyone know where I can buy some bulb holders or any other ideas that will work. I know it's not the end of the world if they dont illuminate but it would be nice to have it all working. Thanks Dave

Sorry for the slow reply, i get very little time to play with my series, i'm in the middle of a V8 conversion on my 110 😅. Fridgefreezer, that's a very kind offer, i might take you up on it if i have no luck fiddling with the current gauge. Does anyone know what the sender resistance readings should be? That seems like the logical next step. I did find a previous thread on the same issue, one suggestion was using a 9V voltage regulator instead of the 10V solid state replacements available, what are peoples thoughts on that? Thanks Dave