SOA 93

I understand what you are trying to do, I assume the wall opposite the stairs is load bearing its just the other side adjacent to the stair that has nothing to support it, hence the beam underneath. Building regs in the UK change a lot more frequently these days but IIRC headroom in a stair well should be 2m vertical from the tread nose of the stairs, if that makes sense to you. I don't think you should be putting additional load on the stair string if they are wooden, even if they are solid. You show 4 steps, is this the last 4 of a flight or do they lead to a landing? If you could get that lower beam under the stair string and onto the stair wall and still retain headroom under the stairs then its easy from there. How far is the new landing coming out? Hope some of that makes sense. Andy

I think Superpro make a HD version aswell as their normal ones, done for the racers IIRC. Andy

Yes, had same problem on my 200tdi. Vacuum pipe from pump to servo has a T piece in, the small pipe off the T had split where it joins the T, the pipe runs behind the cylinder head where it can also get badly chaffed, it then runs off to and then through the passenger side bulkhead. Especially bad when parking, dabbing the brake pedal empties the servo and at idle it doesn't create enough vacuum to keep up with the leak, mines an auto so it was a bloody nightmare. Just shortened the hose on mine but it needs about 6" replaced behind the cylinder head now.

I'll have a Large, one of each if two different designs, only registered one on the poll at the moment. Andy

Just bought a plasma cutter a Sureweld 41 cuts upto 10mm, only practiced on 6mm and 2mm, first time I had used one...... oh how I laughed! It just seems so unnatural to draw the handset across a piece of steel that quickly, very strange. Andy

Butters were a good British welder, no longer made in the UK, imported from China and sold under Butters name, very good warranty though! They are good welders, but nothing special, these new machines are not the same build quality of the original British made stuff from which their reputation comes. They look nice! Regarding price have a look here http://www.migtigarc.co.uk/MIG_Welder/mig_welder.html

You could give Specialist Leisure a call, they do a fair amount of Jeep stuff, Procomp's are used on a quite a few suspension kits for jeeps and I know they used to list loads of poly bushes in their catalogue, of course whether they have them in stock is another matter. Andy

Have a look here http://www.migtigarc.co.uk/Specialist/specialist.html Strange enough I bought one last week, ticks all your box's. They were on sale at B&Q for £170 last year, and machine Mart have started selling them £170 also. Mine was delivered free, next day, excellent service if you order on line make sure you tell them 110 or 240v. Only quickly tried it on a piece of Blue band pipe, just as quick as cutting wood! About 2 seconds. Don't know how long the blade will last using it for steel all the time. I don't think this is aimed at steel fabricators, they have saws for that but they are a lot more expensive. For DIY fabricators like myself I think its good, plus you can tell SWMBO its really for the new skirting in the lounge Andy

I was thinking along those lines, maybe have a play next week.

From what I've read it seems when you do a filter and oil change on a ZF you only renew 50% of the oil the other 50% stays in the torque convertor. Anyone know any methods of renewing all of it without dissasembly? Some say change it, run it for a few miles then change it again so you've got at least 75% new oil in there, any better solutions? Pumps and suction etc? Andy

Have you seen this? http://www.alrc.co.uk/new%20regulations/rbindex.htm Andy

I think a little confusion is setting in here you can get plent of tech here http://www.aquamist.co.uk/ they even have there own forum. Allard and Brunel make air to water intercoolers (charge coolers) not water injection. Alot of the WRC teams use the aqamist system, but regarding turbo diesels I'm not sure they are as effective as they are with petrol turbos, where they are brilliant at delaying the onset of detonation. Also Subaru use a water spray externally on the intercooler to good effect, think wind chill on a wet day for its effectiveness. I think with turbo diesels you need to run with a fair amount of methanol in the water to be worthwhile. Kits for sale here http://www.turbobits.co.uk/acatalog/erl_aq...ion_system.html I think most of the big hp claims are from engines that had no intercooling to start with, maybe intercoolers can get too big causing a little too much lag so H2O injection lets you wring the last few HP out of the engine without losing any at the bottom end. Andy

I went to see a customer about some work tonight, he runs a garage where he is the chief tester, I quizzed him about full Hydro after reading your posts earlier. He couldn't remember anything in the testers handbook refering to full hydro steering, but what was interesting was he remembered testing a Citroen a while ago where the engine had to be running for the steering to work it was an old Citroen, he seemed to think that was full hydro. Back in the 60's and early 70's some of the stuff on Citroens was years ahead of its time. Andy

Firstly I would have a look at the Tech here http://www.4xshaft.com/index.html An alternative is a CV drive shaft, not a double cardan, proper Constant Velocity joints at both ends, they don't care about the different angles. Two problems with a CV shaft; one is cost about £300, the other is not much slip joint about 3" I think. Is this problem not one of the reasons the 90 ended up being 92.9" wheelbase? Andy

The Ryobi is a good drill, but its in larger class to the other two, similar price I know, the Makita and the Hitachi are good for the money but are still DIY drills. That may not be a problem for you, but my choice in that size drill would be the Metabo http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.js...96&id=47515 but its double the price of the other two My last Metabo SDS drill lasted 14 years, which was a bit annoying after 10 because I wanted one of their new ones I'm a builder and while it wasn't used every day it was seriously abused, core drilling etc. Metabo give a three year warranty on their tools now I think they are the only manufacturer to do so for trade use. I'm on my 2nd metabo grinder aswell, the first lasted 12 years, grinders get used for grinding out joints on brickwork for repointing and flashings, they get a lot more abuse in that enviroment with the dust, cheap ones can last a week . Its expensive because its built to last, thats also why its heavier, if you think the use you will get out of it justifies the cost I don't think you will be dissapointed with it. Having said that I wouldn't buy any Metabo cordless tools, I know too many people who have had problems with them. Andy

I bought a Straight Forward S.. ram, have not fitted it, and would not recommend you buy one. Its a 40mm piston with a 200mm length cylinder you could source one alot cheaper yourself, it comes with some drilled plate and a couple of big bolts, no bushes of any description. Rakeway make one, slightly smaller piston IIRC but comes with rod ends, niiiiiiice. Rakeway will covert your box they just drill and tap either end of the main cylinder, one end of which is the blanking plug, sounds like that is what you've already done. If you want some reasurance or advice give Rakeway a call. I'm hopefully going to get the ends of my ram machined to take Panhard rod bushes. Andy

Its hidden away here http://www.devon4x4.com/information/downloads/6/How-To Andy

Not the ones shown above, http://www.turbobits.co.uk/acatalog/digita..._egt_gauge.html Andy

That would be very nice ....... However if you're going to be driving this alot then cost of fuel might be an issue. I'd be looking at a BMW 3.0 D should be able to pick them up for around £1200 with ECU etc, then talk to Mr Fearn, his Dyno saw 600lb ft torque for his racer (twin turbo), as standard they come with a VGT, twin turbo's are available but only give more power at the top end. Andy

Why do WRC cars not use roof lights, is there anything in the regs that says they can't? The Baja desert racers use roof ligthts some mount them on the A pilars and have shrouds to stop the glare, regarding lighting hollows and dips, I'd think using both, roof and front, together would be the best.

Welcome Shaun, nice work

Excellent, fairly local aswell. Thank you Andy

Just to add, if you start chopping a 90 about and spending lots of cash on it, from what I've seen the value is a lot less than the sum of parts. I'd be trying to build something that holds onto its value a little, difficult I know, building another trayback 90 with all the trimmings is a good way to give your money away, IMHO!!! This is still available http://cgi.ebay.co.uk:80/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...DME:B:WNA:UK:12 I'd scrap most of it, but the important stuff is worth it.

If I was in your position, I'd be looking at a Dlander, probably bases on a 300TDi auto, if I had enough cash spare I'd spend it on a really good set of axles, Portel tek say, and if neccessary tone the rest of the build down to compensate, if you are going the Ashcroft route with your axles, then you are probably over half way with the cost of the Portals. Trick winches, intercoolers and suspension could all wait a while, I,d make the axles prioity. Dreaming is free............ Andy

I've just priced up getting some Stazworks sent over, to dear for me. I've been looking at having a go(Paying someone) to do doubles, got a plan but don't know where to go for the plastic inserts can you help? Andy